US Military Recruitment Problems: Why Less Americans Are Signing Up

The U.S. military is having a hard time finding new recruits to protect American soil and water.

US Military Recruitment Problems: Reasons Why Less Americans are Signing Up — U.S. Army soldiers salute during a memorial service for Sgt. Robert Tucker at a military base October 18, 2005 in Dujail, Iraq. Tucker, 20, from Cookeville, Tennessee, was killed by insurgents when a roadside bomb blew up his armored vehicle on October 13 near Dujail, just two weeks before the end of his 10-month deployment in Iraq. He was assigned to K-Troop, of the 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment. John Moore/Getty Images

The military branch most affected by recruitment issues is the U.S. Army, which aims to recruit over 65,000 new soldiers before 2023 ends.

However, since few Americans are signing up, Army Secretary Christine Wormuth said that there's a high chance they will not meet their goal.

"We are not going to make that goal. We are doing everything we can to get as close to it as possible; we are going to fall short," said Wormuth via Military.com.

US Military Recruitment Problems

Bloomberg's opinion columnist James Stavridis, a retired U.S. Navy admiral and former NATO supreme allied commander, provided the main reasons behind the U.S. military recruitment issues.

The civilian job market is getting stronger. Because of this, more and more Americans prefer to have civilian jobs instead of entering the military.
The withdrawal of the U.S. government from large-scale wars, especially from Afghanistan back in 2021. This discourages potential recruits, especially those who are drawn to adventures.
The U.S. military's standards are getting too high. It is estimated that only around 25% of young recruits can meet the standards of the U.S. Army.
The political division in the United States further discourages the youth from signing up for the military.
Fewer veterans are encouraging their families to enter the U.S. military.

Other Reasons Behind Recruitment Issues

In a previous interview, Wormuth said that they asked young Americans what the factors affecting their decisions to join the U.S. Army.

The kids she interviewed told her that leaving home, fear of death or injury, and fear of leaving their family and friends are among the barriers that prevent them from joining the military.

The U.S. Army secretary said that young Americans think that the Army will put their life on hold if they sign up.

This is why the U.S. military, especially the Army, needs to come up with a plan on how to further encourage young blood to join them.