Worst recruitment since 1973 is not due to 'wokeness', US Army survey suggests
The top three reasons young people are rejecting military service is due to fear of death, worries about post-traumatic stress disorder and separation from friends and family, according to the United States Army.
A recent survey involving 2,400 Americans aged 16-28 reveals that "wokeness" in the Army ranked well below other factors for young people choosing not to join the US military – only 5% of the respondents in the surveys listed it as an issue.
They "just don't see the Army as something that's relevant," said Major General Alex Fink, head of US Army marketing. He added: "They see us as revered, but not relevant, in their lives."
Maj Gen Fink said about 10% of those who took part in the survey said they do not trust military leadership, based on the way recent events or missions have been handled.
This could include the Afghanistan withdrawal or the use of the military during racial unrest and protests in the United States. He added: "They just don't perceive the Army as being in touch with the modern, everyday culture that they're used to."
Other than the top three reasons for not wanting to serve, respondents also cited concerns about living conditions on military bases, getting assigned to unwanted jobs, the coronavirus vaccine and the "wokeness" issue.
This comes after the US Army said it was facing the "most challenging recruiting environment since 1973", driven in part by Covid-19, intense competition with the private sector, and a declining number of young Americans interested in uniformed service.
Pandemic-driven constraints such as virtual learning, the Army says, have further limited its access to the potential "recruiting population in high schools" and a steep decline in the American population's physical health and fitness levels is to blame, it adds.
The Army has also warned that currently, only 23% of young Americans aged 17-24 are fully "qualified to serve" if called upon.
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