The U.S. military missed its recruiting goals in 2023 by 41,000 and faces a recruiting crisis heading into the new year, according to a Pentagon official.
Ashish Vazirani, the Pentagon’s acting undersecretary for personnel and readiness, told the House Armed Services Committee last week that 77% of today’s youth would not qualify for military service without some form of a waiver and 11% would not qualify because they are overweight. . . .
. . . . Jake Bequette, an Army veteran and former NFL player, said it was “painful” hearing the statistics about military recruitment.
Bequette said he wouldn’t “lay a lot of the blame on America’s youth” but would place some of it on Democrats and people on the left for “really downgrading and insulting, frankly, people from middle America.”
“From Hillary Clinton calling them deplorables to… Joe Biden calling them MAGA Americans,” he said Monday on “The Story.”
The former Arkansas Senate candidate added that people from red and rural states, or the “good old boys,” are the people who do a lot of “bleeding and sweating and living and dying in the U.S. military over the many generations of our proud military history.”
Bequette said it shouldn’t be surprising when multi-generational military families choose different career paths because some people in government are “denigrating” them. . . . (read more on Fox News)
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What People Are Saying
(Comments on the article)
“Retired from the Army after 30 years and seeing how they treated my son during Covid, the mistrust of senior leaders from the Afghan retreat debacle, the apparent stressing of diversity over merit, and letting people who deny the reality of their own body join and then force others live with and accept their delusions-he is quitting and warning others not to join. I have to agree with him.”
“I have served 34 total years, with 4 of those in combat/combat zones. I absolutely would direct all of America’s youth to NOT serve under this America-hating, military-hating, woke Marxist democrat regime.”
“I currently serve as a senior NCO and have had to deal directly with the woke agendas being forced down our throats. I wrote a paper discussing the backlash over these policies in an ncoes school and was met with criticisms from fellow leaders for not being open and stuck in old traditions. Our traditions are what have kept this country free for over two hundred years, and I will not be selling my fellow Soldiers out to make woke politicians and insane activists happy.”
“I left after 21 years when the CO of our garrison decided to make PT ‘optional’ because so few soldiers were even bothering to go.”
“I served 27 years in the US Army. My father served 20 years in the USMC. We’ll be the last in our family to serve. I have 3 sons. None of them will join and I am the reason why. I have specifically told them the current US Military is dishonorable and an unworthy organization. Two are serving in the JSDF and the last will join in a little less than 2 years. The JSDF focuses on discipline and winning any fight they get into. The US Military of today focuses on pronouns and gender change surgeries. They will lose the next war they get into.”
“I bailed as soon as I hit my 20-year point in 2004 because political correctness was seeping into everything. I can only imagine how bad it is now.”
“I’m a 20+ year vet. Frankly, poor top-down leadership in both our Government and military brass, along with the woke nonsense (DEI, identity politics, pronouns, drag queens, over indulgence on abortions, vaccinations and transgender policies, etc,) and the systemic indoctrination of our youth through social media and liberal school programs that literally promote anti-American sentiment are to blame. Yes, the Afghanistan debacle was the last straw. Biden Administration sealed our fate and until accountability is reestablished, I don’t see improvement.”
“I ended my career as a master chief in the special forces- we were respected. Now an E4 can destroy your career if you use the wrong pronoun. The military needs to get back to worrying about war and not the proper use of pronouns. Our woke military is the weakest it has ever been, yet we are in the most dangerous times for the US’ future.”
“I am from a long line of service members. Grandfather Army during WWII, Dad was a marine in Korea, Brother CB during desert storm. My self a 22-year Navy retiree served during all of the 911, middle east and Bosnia conflicts. My Son-in-law Army is a vet in Iraq. My son is an active-duty Chief Petty Officer. We have a 15-year-old grandson who we ALL are dissuading from joining the military. All of the the reasons have already been outlined in this conversation.”
“My wife and I are both combat veterans, joining in 1981, retiring in 2006 and probably wouldn’t join the military the way it us now.”
“I retired Army in 2012. I tell every young person that asks me my opinion to stay as far away as possible. They are not serving a nation or protecting freedom. They are serving a corrupt government.”
“After 28 years in the military our present military in most cases is not a real military but indoctrinating our soldiers and not training them to fight. I would not recommend any young person join out present military.”
“A respectable and honorable career, has been diminished by many politicians who fight for injustices and diversity, over American historical values, and the view that America is a force of good. Not a good path we’re on.”
“My family has had someone from every generation in uniform for every war this nation has ever been in, officers (as high as General – Army), enlisted (a couple of Master Chiefs, five Sergeant Majors – various). We had historically been in one uniform or another for nearly 350 years (US, British, French, even Mexican). We have never gone more than 15 years, until now, without someone serving, Navy, Air Force, Army, Marines – even a Coastie. Currently the “old guard”, the old farts (and a few fartesses – their term) are not suggesting military as a path, we just don’t trust the political leadership to do the the right thing. And that phrase means something to the military community, it goes beyond politics. And a sizeable portion of the family feels that the military could end up being used against other Americans, for the first time since the Civil War (I am not on that side of the equation, yet).”
“Most of us joined the Army because we wanted to be barrel-chested, steely-eyed freedom-fighters and because we loved our country so much it hurt. Many contemporary kids and young adults, the same type of kids that would have volunteered years ago, aren’t interested in pronouns, being lectured by hypocrites, or being taught CRT. The Army that we all dreamed about and role-played as kids needs to be rebuilt. Recruiting takes care of itself if you’re not thumbing your nose at your base.”
“The inclusion of women in some physically demanding programs, once again lowering standards, has watered down the selection process where you end up accepting candidates who previously would NOT have passed. This hurts unit morale!”
“The military purged religious members and many real god fearing and exceptional loyal soldiers. The result will be felt for decades. Coming from a retired LTC.”
“I work on an AFB and the Airmen are getting weaker every year. They need things wrapped around their self-esteem, rather than acting to solve their own problems. There are a few standouts, but on the whole there’s a general lack of initiative even when one spells out their various options. It’s “You can do XYZ without my help,” with which they answer, “But that’s too hard!”
“I’m a military veteran. A neighbor child asked me about joining the military and I told him he should probably not at this time until there are some changes for the better. If that ever happens, of course.”
“As an Army vet, the answer to low numbers is so obvious. Look at the recruiting messages and the reality that young patriots don’t want any part of a woke military Young patriots don’t want to fight for an equity America where talent and hard work are no longer recognized.”
“My father, 4 brothers and I served in the USMC. My younger brother served in the U S Army. I recommended my son not to serve. Our once great military is a complete woke joke and has not been involved in any fighting that has benefitted our great country in many decades.”
“My son is Proud to wear his Uniform. Chosen as Platoon Leader in Combat medic school. He returned from Iraq with medals, But now he say’s he will never tell people he was in the service. Of course I understand. Biden, has shown nothing but utter disrespect and labeled them to such a low level. And of Course we saw first hand how he used the Military in his Afghanistan withdrawal horror show. Disgusting. Those men died just to increase his Poll numbers.”
“My grandfathers served, my dad served. I served and my oldest daughter served. I would not want my grandchildren serving until this woke military is fixed and the current administration is a thing of the past. There is no way at this time that the US military could prevail in conflict.”
“As a 20 1/2 year veteran myself that works and deals with troops,, Ashish Vazirani IS DEAD WRONG!!! These kids coming in now CAN NOT MEET THE CHANGED SOFTER STANDARDS SET FOR THEM!!! It is SAD to see these lost kids who can not follow directions and expect recognition for showing up (Trophy Generation). OUR NOW WOKE MILITARY IS A SAD WEAK JOKE AND I AM SCARED FOR AMERICA!!! I HAVE NEVER SEEN SUCH DEFIANCE AND LACK OF DISCIPLINE IN NEW TROOPS. WE ARE IN TROUBLE WHEN THE NEXT WAR KICKS OFF!!!!!! Former 92B/68W30 – Retired 153DB WARRANT OFFICER. I have seen both sides of the fence and what we are seeing in the forces today SHOULD SCARE THE HELL OUT OF EVERY AMERICAN WHO LOVES THIS COUNTRY!!!”
“My daughter was going in after college. Her friends who are already in recommended her not to enlist. They said they waste so much time of woke policies. They are upset at the pronoun policies, and men are allowed to wear dresses.”
“I have a retirement date in mind after 30 years of service, the only reason I don’t retire immediately is I couldn’t stand to have this President sign my retirement! I collect a few more paychecks in the meantime and earn slightly more of a retirement payment until I retire with someone’s name and signature I can respect on my “Presidential Letter.”
“I retired from the Army in 2014 after twenty years of service. When service member retires they get two signed certificates. One is from the serving POTUS, and the other is from the Army Chief of Staff. Pres Obama signed one, and Gen. Raymond T. Odierno signed the other. Guess which one hangs on my wall and the other in a box in the attic somewhere.”
“The leadership of the military is now woke, they started turning about a decade and a half ago. I had 23 years in and got out when it started really going bad. Obama as CIC destroyed the military from the White House, but the Officers in every level of command went along willingly to the detriment of the country and its security!”
“The military started losing applicants when they started going woke. They have shot themselves in the foot. Women in combat arms MOSs, transgenders and openly gay personnel being embraced as the norm are just a few. People don’t want to say this, but it’s true. They made the military a testing ground for extremism and it is failing.”—Army
Evidence that the DEI/CRT agenda in the military DOES hurt recruiting and retention
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