Decline in white recruits marks challenges for US army recruitment
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The proportion of white individuals among Army recruits has seen a decline from 56.4% in 2018 to 44% in 2023, reflecting a significant shift over the years.
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US Army recruits participate in a swearing-in ceremony on the field, as part of a Salute to Service program, during halftime of an NFL football game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Tennessee Titans, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2023, in Jacksonville, Fla (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Internal data from the Defense Department reveals a notable decline in the recruitment of white individuals to the US Army in recent years, according to a report by Military.com.
In 2018, the Army identified over 44,000 new recruits as white, but this figure has consistently decreased annually, dropping to around 25,000 white recruits in 2023, as detailed in the report.
The proportion of white individuals among Army recruits has seen a decline from 56.4% in 2018 to 44% in 2023, reflecting a significant shift over the years.
Notably, there was a substantial 6% decrease in white recruits from 2022 to 2023, marking the most significant year-on-year drop during this period.
As of July 2023, non-Hispanic white individuals constitute 58.9% of the total US population, based on US Census data.
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This decline in white Army recruits coincides with a broader recruitment deficit within the service, with the Army falling short of its 2023 recruitment target of 65,000 individuals by approximately 10,000 recruits, as highlighted in the report.
In October 2023, a report by Newsweek detailed that the US Army size has shrunk to its lowest size since World War II. In February 2023, the Pentagon admitted to difficulties in recruiting new people to the US Army.
Independent news organization Military Times said this is the Army's smallest size since 1940. According to the National WWII Museum's website, there were little over 269,000 troops in 1940, but that number grew to almost 1.5 million in 1941, the year the United States entered World War II.
In November 2022, the secretary added that only 23% of young Americans were deemed fit enough to join the Army because the remaining fell below fitness and intelligence standards due to obesity issues and poor schooling.
Furthermore, only 9% of young Americans showed interest in joining the army.
