The United States Military is struggling to meet its yearly necessary recruitment numbers. During a recent House Armed Service Committee hearing, the Navy, Air Force, and Army all stated they expect to miss their recruitment numbers for 2023 by the thousands. Such struggles bear the question: why can they not get recruits?
Depending on where you look, there are hundreds of different answers as to why. Many point towards the increasingly competitive market, while others blame higher struggles to be eligible to serve or even generational divides about patriotism. Regardless of the cause, the solution lies in between, with a comprehensive call to action.
Such a struggle to recruit has been around for years now. NBC News reported in 2022 about similar struggles to recruit. They reported that James McConville, Army Chief of Staff General, testified to Congress that within a 17-24 age range, only 23% were eligible to serve without a waiver, down from 29% within previous reports.
As taken from the U.S. Army website, the recruit requirements are as follows: 17-35 years of age, be “mentally and physically fit, and in good moral standing,” have a high school diploma or the equivalent, and score a minimum on the Army placement exam. The Navy and Marines hold similar requirements, all loosely specifying being “mentally and physically fit.”
The issue commonly falls under such “mentally and physically fit” requirements, as many are excluded from that alone. The Department of Defense reports that if a person has an active diagnosis or a history of mental illness, they may be exempt from enlisting in the military. The National Alliance on Mental Illness has reported that 1 in 5 adults in America experience a mental illness, with 1 in 20 living with a serious mental illness. To align with the Dept. of Defense, 1 in 5 Americans may be completely exempt from enlisting, with mental illness diagnoses only on the rise.
While there is no direct reasoning to explain the recruitment lows, there are a multitude of aspects the United States Military can alter to help. From more rigorous advertising to altering the enlistment rules, there is sure to be some collaborative solution in line for our American troops.
