US Armed Forces struggle to meet 2022 recruiting goals - Reports

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
27 Jun 2022 23:28

Young Americans are not joining the military due to "physical or emotional harm."

US Armed Forces struggle to meet 2022 recruiting goals.

NBC News reported on Monday that the US armed forces are struggling to meet recruiting goals for the fiscal year 2022 across all branches of service, citing multiple US defense officials and recruiting data.

According to an internal Defense Department survey, only 9 percent of young Americans eligible to serve in the military are interested in doing so. According to Army Chief of Staff James McConville, only 23% of Americans between the ages of 17 and 24 are eligible to serve without a waiver.

In the report, one senior US military official familiar with recruiting issues said that young Americans believe military service will cause them physical or emotional harm. Other officials believe the trend will continue as people lose interest in military service.

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Approximately 57 percent of young Americans polled in the Defense Department survey believe they will experience emotional or psychological problems after military service and nearly half believe they will experience physical problems as well, according to the survey.

The report adds that the army has only met 40% of its enlisted recruiting goals for the fiscal year 2022, which ends September 30. However, it noted that the final quarter following high school graduation is typically when the armed forces recruit the most candidates.

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While the Space Force is set to make its goal of roughly 500 Guardians for the fiscal year, the Air Force is over 4,000 recruits short of where they should be at this time, according to a senior defense official.

The navy and Marine Corps are also optimistic about meeting their recruiting targets but have yet to do so, according to the report, which added that the Coast Guard has only filled about 55% of its active-duty entitlements.

According to multiple defense officials, the Pentagon is reviewing its service disqualifiers, including some medical conditions that typically require waivers for service, in order to address recruiting challenges.

The report stated that branches such as the army, navy, and air force are offering unprecedented signing bonuses of up to $50,000 for specific specialties. According to the report, the military is also considering allowing soldiers to use social media platforms such as TikTok to attract recruits.