Falling recruitment figures and dwindling active-duty armed forces levels have taken the U.S. military's numbers to an 80-year low, according to a defense official. The official pointed to varied and complex challenges, with a specific focus on the current youth demographic. Surprisingly, 77% of American youth would fail to qualify for military service without a form of waiver.
Trust in societal institutions has plummeted among Gen Z, and traditional career paths are less frequently selected, leading to a divide between the military and wide swathes of American society. A stark drop in the number of young people with a parent who served in the military, from 40% in 1995 to just 12% in 2022, has further deepened this disconnect.
However, some believe that the problem lies not with the demographic, but with the current Democratic administration and its attitude towards Middle America. The allegation is that Democrats and left-leaning citizens have regularly insulted populaces from middle America. On record are instances of offensive language such as Hillary Clinton's infamous ‘deplorables' remark, and Joe Biden equating them to MAGA Americans. Normally, people from these regions – essentially, red-state rural America – form the bulk of the U.S. military, and their insult could make joining the armed forces a less attractive prospect.
Moreover, there has been a steep fall in the percentage of Americans who have high levels of confidence in the military: from 70% in 2018 to 46% in 2023. Much of that decline can be attributed to dampened morale among the young generation.
Critics argue that a flawed educational system is partly responsible for this downward trend, underscoring the necessity of teaching accurate, unbiased history. It's argued that American heroes and principles are often portrayed in a negative light, leading to decreased respect for national institutions and, consequently, a reduced desire to make sacrifices for the country through military service.
Lastly, while the concept of an all-volunteer military is under the lens, a few voices instead advocate for compulsory military service for all Americans. The idea is inspired by countries like Israel, where mandatory military service reportedly boosts national pride.
