[December 13, 2022] Army Vet writes to us today as someone who is deeply patriotic but fears what the U.S. military has become; a shadow of its former self. His previous articles strike to the core of the failures of our military, especially the Army but all our once fine Armed Forces.
Spoiler alert, it ain’t because they’re not being paid enough or it’s too dangerous. As a multi-decades long Soldier in the U.S. Army and having daily contact with today’s troops, I’d like to add my two-cents worth to why nobody is joining the U.S. military. Yeah, I know, most civilians are a bunch of video-playing momma’s-boys who talk tough but are just man-child wannabes with little to zero idea about how tough the world is or that there is really great evil that needs to be crushed. Here’s a couple of dry facts (I’ll get this out fast). First, the military had its worse recruiting year since the Vietnam War. Second, the Army is roughly 50% behind in its recruiting goals and dangerously behind our goal to protect America. Third, retention of existing members is way down, so not only are troops not enlisting, they’re getting out faster too. And, oh, our closest allies like the UK and Canada are having the same problem. The number one reason our political and military leaders tell us is the cause of declining numbers is due to a tight labor market. Wrong. I really hate being lied to, and they know they’re lying to us and they know we know it. Just write this reason off. Here are a couple of the real reasons there is a decline in military recruiting and retention.
- Declining trust in the U.S. military. A 2021 Ronald Reagan Institute National Defense Survey found there was a serious decline in trust and confidence in the military; oh yeah, go figure the obvious. Public trust in the military was at 70% in 2018, down to 63% in 2019, and to 56% in 2021 with the greatest loss of confidence in those under 30 years of age (where recruits come from). In 2020, more than 62,000 National Guard troops were deployed to control violence in the wake of the George Floyd riots. Who wants to do that? Anyway, stopping riots is not a military function that we have at the top of the list of what drives folks to join. As part of the Pentagon’s $1.6 billion recruiting effort, we had an advertising campaign in 2021 named “the calling.” That campaign was a bunch of hooey, woke, me-me-me, American trash talking crap. The Army even had YouTube cut out all the negative comments, there were so many. The backlash to these ads was immediate and severe, and rightly so as I was one of them. These ads ran in opposition to the main military message of unity, teamwork, and selfless service.
- Woke military culture. We now have the military leadership shifting their focus from winning wars to a focus on feelings and soldiers squealing on other soldiers for minor speech pronoun infractions. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin claims that he wants to stamp out the massive toxic masculinity and prejudice in the military. That’s why he mandated a one-day stand-down to discuss “white privilege” and racial discrimination that is ingrained in our military since its founding. He wants more “inclusivity” – hey, shouldn’t everybody who wants to join, be allowed? Maybe but I don’t want a 18-year-old gender confused kid serving beside me in a foxhole. Being part of the military is about becoming part of a uniform team, putting aside what is unique about you in service to a common noble goal; defending the United States of America. Our leaders have forgotten this.
- This generation of young kids are just not qualified to join in the first place (at least for now). More than 75% of Americans 17 to 24 years old are not qualified to join; the main reason is that they are obese (not fat, but obese). Criminal records and stupidity coming in as second and third reasons. This is a national security problem and General Satterfield has pointed this out on several occasions so I won’t dwell on it.
The simple reason any nation has a military is to defend itself. Our military no longer has that at the core of its value system and that is why our recruiting and retention numbers are in free fall. Nuff said. Now, back to my mission in South America to crush the Communists who are making a comeback.
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Please read my books:
What Gen. Satterfield wrote here almost two years ago, applies to today even more. President Joe Biden is killing the US military and there will be a hard, expensive return. Confidence in the military under Biden is in freefall. Let’s get someone onboard who can save America and our military, which protects us, instead of pandering Chinese sycophants.
“The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.”
G.K. Chesterton … Sadly, the Biden-Harris Administration doesn’t have the soldier’s back and are willing to throw them under the bus at the earliest convenience.
Old soldiers never die, they just do or die.
Today, I’m not surprised so many are NOT joining the US military.
Right, too many political generals and admirals.
the best
Great explanation from Army Vet. Well done.
Right Wendy. Army Vet nails it every time he writes for Gen. Satterfield’s blog. And while I like his articles, I only wish he would write more articles and better explain how we all can help our nation’s military. Too much harm is being done by our current Democrat Party and little to help our veterans.
POW! Nailed it Army Vet.
It is sad to see a great nation military so low.
Sir, you are correct and it is sad and also maddening. When we need good leadership in our politicians, we get pandering. When we need good leadership in our Admirals and Generals, we get “white privilege” lectures. When we need to ferret out corruption from both politicians and senior military officers, we get “not my problem.” Our leaders have abandoned us to the wolves political correctness while they sit back smoking big cigars and raking in their high salaries. We can take our country back but it will take a lot of hard work and convincing people what is good and showing evil where it is.
Thanks Don. Well said.
Great comment Don and I am in complete agreement. I guess that means the FBI will now be tracking you and me because we are not blind followers of idiot politicians.
Great article.
It is shocking to hear that 75% of young people today in America are NOT eligible to join the US military. Shocking. Too obese!! Maybe they are just playing too many video games.
They’re a bunch of wussies.
Gen. Satterfield, just an advanced Merry Christmas to you and all those around you. I wish the same for us all. Keep up the great works you are doing with this blog and your latest book. What will be the next book? Let us know first.
Great article, Army Vet. I’m happy to have you back and, oh, loved the article too.
When I read this line, I nearly threw up. How bad can it get in the military? A lot worse.
“We now have the military leadership shifting their focus from winning wars to a focus on feelings and soldiers squealing on other soldiers for minor speech pronoun infractions. “
Maybe we could have more transgender “men” fight wars. How is that going to work out after they take their daily harmone shots? The enemy will give them time, in the new woke world.
Make sure you read this article by Gen. Doug Satterfield along with what Army Vet’s article.
“Don’t Join the U.S. Military”
https://www.theleadermaker.com/dont-join-the-u-s-military/
Great article. I never knew.
And don’t be surprised Rowen because the vast majority of people in America are simply blind to what is happening. They have it so easy and have been safe for so long, that they take it as the normal way of life. They completely have no idea that the real way of the world is competition and destruction – and the weak die. Go figure why anyone would want to have their head in the sand. Those that read this website know better. And, I’m just another fan of Gen. Satterfield too so buy his book before Christmas, “55 Rules for a Good Life.”
Army Vet, I’m your biggest fan. Do you have a website or anything where I can read your articles.
Bryan, I’m too busy hammering out evil to have some pansy website. Just read Gen. Satterfield’s blog. All my stuff is there.
Thank you sir.
Army Vet, please please write another article soon. It will bring us all great pleasure and help us defend off the tyrant wannbes.
Stole my thoughts Cat a Miss. I too hope that Army Vet writes more articles here on Gen. Satterfield’s blog. In the past, I have emphasize a need here on this blog to have more experts give their opinions and thoughts into important matters of the day. This idea of a national security emergency is not new but needs more ideas.
Great seeing that Army Vet is back and in a powerful way. I sure appreciate you – Army Vet – weighing in on this important topic. But the whacko progressives (the anti-American liberals) don’t give a hoot that they are destroying freedom.
Just loving this website, always have, always will and Army Vet surely is making waves again with the Army brass. They deserve a good slap on the face to wake them up from their woke ideology.
Yeah, and I don’t think any real thinker would believe any different. Milley and Austin are the worst people to put in charge of anything. I can’t wait until a Republican is elected in 2024 and those two get jaywalked out of their offices and stripped of their pensions. Can’t wait. Go Trump!
We think a lot alike American girl. Someone needs to do some serious ass kicking.
Love you American Girl. ❤❤❤❤❤
Wow, great to have you back Army Vet.
Keep on truckin’
😎
You got that right, Boy Sue. And, I hope he writes more articles and the sooner the better.
Yep, that is why I am one of the longest commentators in this forum. Me and JT Patterson.
Loving on Army Vet. It has been a while since we’ve heard from him and I’m dog gone happy about it too. Let’s encourage him more and ask gen. Satterfield more about getting the other great writers to join us.