Four House Republicans, all military veterans, are warning that the Biden administration’s handling of incidents like the Chinese spy balloon and Afghanistan withdrawal will further hamper military recruiting efforts.
While a number of factors have contributed to the military recruitment crisis in recent years – including COVID-19 and President Biden’s decision to evacuate Afghanistan — fiscal year 2022 was the worst year for military recruiting since the services switched to an all-volunteer force in 1973.
“According to a recent Heritage foundation poll, 68% of active-duty service members shared that the politicization of our military — particularly this administration’s focus on climate and gender issues as top national security priorities — would negatively impact their decision to encourage their children to join,” Florida GOP Rep. Michael Waltz told Fox News Digital.
Waltz, an Army veteran, described the recruitment struggle as “alarming” and said “the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal, failure to deter the invasion of Ukraine, and now lack of action to take out the Chinese spy balloon over the Pacific Ocean [are] key examples of a White House that is projecting weakness rather than strength to our adversaries and dissuading young Americans from signing up.”
The coronavirus pandemic cut away at U.S. military readiness among both recruits and service members, with President Biden’s administration imposing a service-wide vaccine mandate.
The U.S. Army cut roughly 60,000 National Guard and Reserves members from pay and benefits for refusing to take the COVID-19 vaccine at the beginning of July 2022, as more than 30% of its recruitment slots sat unfilled.
“As a retired major in the Army Reserve with combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, I assure you that President Biden’s lackluster response to the Chinese spy balloon made America look weak on the world stage,” Texas GOP Rep. Troy Nehls told Fox. “We know the COVID-19 vaccine mandate hurt recruitment, but this latest instance will be a serious blow to our numbers.” . . . (read more on Fox News)
What People Are Saying
(Comments on the article from its comment section)
“My father retired from the Air Force with 30 years. I retired from the Army with 21. I still work as a contractor for the military and I can say with great discomfort that the military I knew is no more. Physical requirements have been rolled back, aptitude tests have been dumbed down, and standards in general are waved for many categories. It scares me that soldiers have to serve under a president that doesn’t value their lives nor cares about the military in general.”
“The vast majority of recruits come from red states, are conservative and have little inclination to be lectured to on race, gender or climate change.”
“The progressives gained control of the “educational” institutions decades ago. They’ve been grooming and brainwashing the American youth for decades. The next inevitable target was the military. When I was in the military, it was “don’t ask, don’t tell” not it’s “heyyyyy, scream it from the roof topssss!” Next thing that’s going to happen is outlawing views that hold to traditional/biblical views on sexuality and marriage. My guess is it will be within the next 10 to 20 years.”
“Weak and WOKE is exactly what China and our other enemies desire us to be.”
“The military is now woke. That is anathema to anyone who would even consider enlisting.”
“I don’t want my children serving under our government unfortunately. Until we can rid it of the uniparty there will be no advantage to joining because the uniparty wants the war machine going. They also don’t like woke which unfortunately is our military so most will pass for this reason. Until there is a Republican president or a draft I don’t see recruitment getting better.”
“We also need to thank our Woke Military leadership for this problem. I know many in the Military will not re-enlist because of the many weak policies they have put in to discourage our young military personnel.”
“These are not blunders, they are deliberate policy decisions to “encourage” traditional patriotic soldiers to get out of the military so woke soldiers with flexible values can climb the ranks. All of which is intentionally designed to weaken are military.”
“As a former combat veteran, with two deployments to Iraq, I would not recommend woke military service to anyone ”
“I wouldn’t want to see my kid die at the bottom of a muddy trench in Ukraine so that defense contractors can pocket billions.”
“As a retired Air Force vet I would never recommend the military to anyone until Milley, Austin, and Biden are gone.”
“The “recruiting crisis” has nothing to do with China. People with aspirations of joining our military do so out of love of country and don’t want to be subjected to “woke” garbage such as “proper pronoun use,” “diversity and equity,” and allowing “transgenders” to share their locker rooms. These are diseases that seem to be permeating almost every part of our lives lately, and until it’s stopped, recruiting will STAY at all time lows.”
“They can’t recruit because they’ve turned the US military into World Police. Get back to using the military just to defend the US and they won’t have this problem.”
“Nobody wants and most Americans will never again tolerate, a corrupt government, having power over conscription.” (Marine)
“Our military should be recruiting America’s strongest and bravest, not its most flamboyant and fabulous.”
“With this type of administration and the leftist corruption of senior military and federal agencies; I would disobey a draft notice.”
“These woke liberals have discouraged conservatives from joining up and it’s mostly conservative patriots who sign up.”
“They’ve spent the last 20 years teaching kids to hate our country what else would you expect.”
“I was able to serve in the military under Presidents Reagan and Bush. Reagan rebuilt the military and Bush formed a large coalition against Iraq and kept the military strong. I wouldn’t want to serve under Bewildered Biden, his administration is absolutely clueless.”
“Likewise, I served from 1971 – 1993 and wouldn’t think of serving or recommending anyone enlisting today. Our current commander-in-chief is clueless and a coward, let alone not upholding his oath of office.”
“Let’s not forget the military failures have led to no senior leaders being fired. The botched NEO in Afghanistan whose responsibility fell on Austin, Milley, and McKenzie. And, now failing to protect our skies by VanHerck, NORTHCOM commander. As a veteran of 26 years, I won’t recommend military service for those thinking of joining.”
“”According to a recent Heritage foundation poll, 68% of active-duty service members shared that the politicization of our military — particularly this administration’s focus on climate and gender issues as top national security priorities — would negatively impact their decision to encourage their children to join,” Florida GOP Rep. Michael Waltz told Fox News Digital. THIS is why my son is getting OUT this year from the Army! This admin and the joints chiefs is staff have ruined the military’s moral!!!”
“I know several Democrats in the corporate world and they are tired of the woke and DEI nonsense. It is dividing America and weakening our military. We should all be concerned.”
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