. . . .Wagner was among eight officials representing the individual military branches and the Pentagon to testify on March 15 before the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee’s Personnel Subcommittee about issues confronting the military’s 2.1 million active-duty members, the department’s 700,000 civilian employees, and their families.
“Today the military faces a recruiting crisis,” Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) said, noting that in 2023, it’s expected that “the Army and Navy will miss the mark by 10,000 each,” fostering an “unprecedented” challenge that will be the nine-member subpanel’s “top priority to fix” in the coming two years. . . . .
[As with other articles on the subject, dozens of possible reasons on why recruitment is down, and lists all the tangible ways the military thinks may improve recruitment.]
. . . .The nine-member panel’s four Republicans all agreed that quality-of-life programs for military and defense families must be addressed as part of a comprehensively retooled recruitment effort. But several suggested other factors are at play.
“I think there are cultural things going on,” Sullivan said, referring to the Biden administration’s demand that the Pentagon impose its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) standards on the armed forces.
Scott said the DEI emphasis inserts “culture war issues” that don’t make sense into its recruiting policies, noting those on active duty don’t need to have time wasted in “pronoun training” classes.
“When it comes to the armed forces, the question should solely focus on the mission of intimidating the hell out of our enemies and defeating them if necessary” rather than meeting racial and gender quotas.
“This administration is forcing a diversity metric” into recruiting that has created “nice talking points” but is hurting national defense.
Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) said the U.S. Army—which is dealing with the most acute recruiting shortage—barely addresses what it will do. He said one 26-page report barely mentions recruiting.
“I do hope this statement is not a reflection of the department priorities,” he said. “We have a recruiting problem … and yet this statement, some 26 pages, does not say anything about recruiting until page 20. Much of the statement is related to abortion, diversity, inclusion, equity.”
Why Democrats are constantly trying to revise the Defense Department and military personnel policies with “misplaced priorities” is odd, Wicker said, because the military has largely served as a model for how minorities can thrive and advance.
“The United States military has been decades ahead of the rest of our society in inclusion,” he said, calling it “the greatest civil rights organization in the history of the world.”
The GOP senators said because of DEI and other “woke” policies being imposed by the Biden administration on the Pentagon, some young, conservative, patriotic Americans don’t want to join the military. . . . (read more on Epoch Times)
What People are Saying
(some of the many comments on this article in the comment section)
“Let’s see:
- Woke, and CRT is telling white recruits they are responsible for all ills for all time
- You get wounded and have to rely on VA medical centers for your treatment, assuming you can find an appointment with one
- You can get tossed out for refusing to take an injection of a substance whose long term side effects have not been studied and whose short term side effects are particularly pronounced in your age group
- You get to fight in places and for “causes” that are in no way the business of the US and are, in fact, a poorly paid mercenary
- You’re fighting to supposedly defend a country that has a policy of not defending its own borders, so why bother
- You’re fighting for a political system that actually hates you
- You have to take orders from a person (Milley) that has, arguably, committed treason and another person (Biden) that has also, arguably, committed both treason and embezzlement
What’s not to like?”
“The war movies always glorified war. They said we fought wars against other people to defend our country and way of life. I am old. Our way of life has been erased and the country We fought for doesn’t exist. They stole our election and opened the borders and expect us to go fight for them. My people have been fighting wars for this country for the last 200 years. I think we need to sit out the next few wars.”
“Nope. I’ll never recommend to any of my grandkids. Yes, I served.”
“4th generation gunfighter here. Zero chance my son goes to OCS.”
“This Cold War vet finds it hard to defend (in words or deeds) the nation that acts almost totally like the communists I wanted to defeat.”
“Why volunteer to die for woke creeps who hate us. And who are actively provoking a two-front world war. Hard pass no thanks.”
“I spent 20 years. 10 years ago i would not recommend military service to anybody. Now would not need much persuading to picket recruiting offices and beg potential recruits to think again.”
“At our family reunion in 2020 where there were over 100 adults we discussed the issues of today’s military and jointly recommended that any of the youngers reconsider and NOT join. Note that most adult males in my extended family are vets and quite a few females too. We had a tradition of service going back generations. We think the US is headed down a very dark path, Intentionally or not and didn’t want family to be caught up in it. They can still join (I knew I wanted to join the navy from around 8 years old and follow in my father’s and grandfather footsteps) and we will not censor them but since it isn’t a worthy organization any longer (any branch) we urged other paths and our help to follow those paths. No one has joined since.”
“Proud retiree: disgusted with the woke crap being forced upon our service members. I and many others aren’t encouraging young people to join under an administration who’d just as soon have them butchered, brainwashed or killed as have them sit in a classroom learning about abhorrent pronouns. No thanks.”
“At least the Republican members tried to talk about one of the elephants in the room. Of course, they were pooh poohed by the know-it alls. I personally have 2 family members separating from military duty ASAP, due to the woke policies, the jab mandate, and the resident in the White House, and his idiotic police policies. Two other family members were considering military service, to uphold our strong family tradition of military service, but will not consider joining now, due to the above reasons. 4 people from one family. That says a lot, I think.”
“The military is mandating all personnel become human guinea pigs to get an unapproved, unverified injection while having diversity training rammed down their throats. The U.S. is no longer the policeman of the world but a conquering thug that has destroyed hundreds of countries economically and socially for the past 70 years. The U.S. has become so corrupt that elected officials are no longer elected, they are appointed. The military needs to look at supporting the constitution they swore an oath to protect.”
“They should not ‘serve’, because the US military is no longer serving America. If we can have a President who was not elected. and who has no mind — so who is really calling the shots? — and who serves foreign masters who helped him subvert our election — then why should our young men serve such creatures?”
“My grandfather served, my father served, I served. I will do everything in my power to ensure my children do NOT serve. Why should they fight and die in forever wars that have nothing to do with protecting their own lands or ideals? Why should they be willing to be sacrificed like the 13 brave souls who were murdered by this regime and its botched Afghanistan pull-out? Why should they risk their lives to serve under a tranny commanding officer to spread the culturally poisonous rainbow jihad across the globe while politicians line their pockets laundering tax dollars through NGOs supporting the “war effort”? Through policies like the jab mandate the military is being whittled down to a force that will be willing to fire upon the citizenry. That standing army we’re so proud of looks wonderful until the tanks are pointed at us.”
“There are no leftist patriots and the mask is off, America has a more Marxist government than Red China. Parking the military in Afghanistan was the last straw, uncle Sam has no more credit with the American body donor public.”
“People watch there country and countrymen sacrifice for 20 years only to have an inept idiotic president and left wing administration flush it all away with a disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal. Then they see a diversity hire secretary of defense and a woke senior leadership embrace CRT and demonize straight white males, promote “equity” and diversity training which only creates a divisive culture. Is it any wonder recruitment is lagging. The next administration faces quite a task of rebuilding our military. But it’s the same thing every time the left is in power.”
“I proudly served 22 years in the Marines Corps and retired in 2004. It would be a cold day in hell if would join in todays woke military. Combat readiness is at an all time low. They are teaching CRT and racism. In combat, there are no colors only your brothers who are fighting to ensure everyone comes home safely from the theater of operations. We are doomed.”
“People want their sacrifice to mean something. They don’t want to be associated with LGBTQ weirdness. They don’t want to be the “rainbow generation”. But more importantly they don’t want to sacrifice themselves in conflicts that don’t matter — Iraq, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Korea, hundreds of other minor skirmishes around the globe — there’s no feeling that any of them truly mattered. This manufactured Ukraine fiasco won’t matter either. It will just get thousands (perhaps millions) killed. For what? For corrupt politicians in Ukraine and America? For a defense contractor to get a big bonus? People aren’t joining because they don’t want to sacrifice themselves for something that isn’t honorable. Period.”
“As a veteran of two branches of the military, I am discouraging anybody, especially my kids and grandkids, from joining the military. Why? Because they will be brainwashed into hateful, woke zombies.”
“Between the strong arm tactics used with Covid vaccines and the focus of the likes of Milley, Austin, and Biden himself on equity, the American people don’t trust you anymore. Most kids who join have been encouraged in that direction by a parent. When you lose the parents, you have absolutely lost the children.”
“The top echelon of the military is a corrupt tool of the Deep State, and they’ve been undermining morale in every possible way for many years. The COVID “vaccine” mandates are only the latest outrage. Furthermore, the US military has now for a generation been indoctrinated into targeting the currently non-existent domestic terrorism that the authorities expect and fear is coming as they tighten their totalitarian grip on the county. If you are a decent person and a loyal American, you should get out of the military, and if you’re thinking of joining, DON’T.”
“Decades ago I was so proud of the US military but with it being destroyed over wokeness, LGBTQ acceptance and CRT c*ap. Why would any young person today want to serve. Generations, who haven’t thought for themselves but have become indoctrinated to hate capitalism and our American freedoms. We are not war ready and could be taken over by foreign enemies. But they will do so when we are destroyed from within which is happening everyday in our once great and strong country destroyed by Democrats, illegitimate (not elected) regimes and ignorant liberals who actually voted for this!”
“Go Woke, Go Broke. I volunteered for the Viet Nam war. I wouldn’t do so now. I would want nothing to do with the Woke/DEI/Marxist military of today. Defending “the Hiden Biden” regime and a country controlled by insane Far Left, Marxist Demonrats, no thank you!”
“I wouldn’t let my children join the military now. This government is too fond of unnecessary wars and lying to us about them. It makes me sick to think how many brave young men and women have sacrificed themselves so politicians can get rich off the war machine. Don’t get me wrong….I’m grateful to all who serve and have given their lives, but I don’t think we should continue to sacrifice our children if our constitution is being stomped on.”
“The cause is obvious. No self respecting patriot who believes in duty, honor, country and has any other option would support the farce the current system (DOD) has produced. I recommended military service for years to friends and family no more. The military compromised its policies and principles to willingly become politicized for the sake of individual advancement in the chain of command.”
“We used to encourage to everyone how awesome it was to be a military family. Ha! What’s a joke that was. They tried forcing my husband to get the death shot and since he won’t, they’re trying to boot him. Now, we discourage everyone, and I mean everyone, from joining. Besides, they’ve gone woke.”
“I’m a vet, but my kids won’t be going near the military unless there are some serious changes like no mandatory experimental medical treatments and drop all the pervert pedo bulls–t and stop fighting stupid wars for globalists.”
“I grew up in a PROUD Military Family…Dad went in at age 17 1940. Stayed in and retired 1970. Continued to work for the military as a private citizen for 15 years. My granpa moms side and dads side both career military. I grew up as a military brat and hey, I lived all over the world. I married military. Now, I’ll say: anyone with any patriotism is smart enough to know not to join this POS woke liberal communist military.”
“I’ve always wanted to be a Navy fighter pilot. I’d have to get surgery to fix my eyes. I’d do it in a heartbeat if I were guaranteed a place where I could do my job to the best of my ability and serve my nation proudly, even if I ended up somewhere other than a fighter jet. If they would do away with woke and vaccine mandates, I’d walk over to the recruiting office and sign up right now. Have had an interest since I was a young thing, and after Top Gun: Maverick and realizing at 24 years old it’s my last shot, I would be there today if they wouldn’t kick me out for not being vaccinated or gay enough.”
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