The US military is having trouble recruiting young people and the availability of an all-volunteer force could be in jeopardy, a former senior US official said.
“The military today faces a huge challenge in communicating the benefits of military service to young people, as private companies use impressive incentives to attract young people,” the official told ABC News.
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“A lot of the things we used to offer, like laws that benefit veterans, are now offered by the private sector. So those are no longer benefits.”
Pentagon data shows that fewer and fewer young Americans want to enlist, and fewer are eligible because of obesity and other problems.
Gilbert Cisneros, Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, addressed senators at an Armed Services Subcommittee hearing and blamed the country’s competitive job market.
“Military leadership is in fierce competition for talented, engaged and innovative talent. The effects of the pandemic and a labor market exacerbated by the military-civilian divide create a challenging employment environment.”
According to survey data from the Ministry of Defense, only 9 percent of young people are inclined to serve in the military. This is the lowest number in 15 years.
Among the reasons why young people do not want to join the army are concerns about injury, the possibility of death, post-traumatic stress disorder and other psychological problems.
