US Army faces little interest from new recruits – News

WASHINGTON (AP) — Some Republicans say the Army’s recruiting problems stem from young people not wanting the COVID-19 vaccine or because of racial and social justice issues. However, the military says the biggest obstacles are the more traditional ones: young people don’t want to die or get hurt, deal with the stresses of military life and put their lives on hold.

They “just don’t see the military as relevant,” said Maj. Gen. Alex Fink, the army’s chief marketing officer. “They respect us, but we are irrelevant in their lives.”

Addressing these longstanding issues has become more urgent as the military tries to recover from its worst recruiting year in decades, a situation made worse by the tight labor market. New programs, advertisements and incentives are being offered in an effort to change perceptions and reverse the decline.

An incentive gives recruiters bonuses of up to $4,500 per quarter if they exceed the minimum enrollment requirement. Young soldiers are promoted through a pilot program if they refer someone who enlists and undergoes basic training.

The army was about 15,000 short of its recruitment target of 60,000 last year. The objective for this year is to recruit 65,000, i.e. 20,000 more than in 2022.

The military sent out surveys to help identify why young people are dropping out of military careers.

These surveys were conducted over four months last spring and summer and involved approximately 600 respondents, aged 16 to 28, per month. The Army discussed general findings with The Associated Press, but declined to provide detailed methodology, saying they were conducted by a private research contractor and they could not release certain data.

Officials said that, according to surveys, young people simply do not see the military as a safe place or a good career path, and believe they should put their lives and careers on hold if they get stuck. enlisted.

Moreover, very few are deterred from enlisting due to racial and social justice issues, contrary to what some groups, especially conservatives, say about the lack of drafting. In fact, concerns about discrimination against women and minorities are seen as a bigger problem, along with a more general mistrust of the military.