Worst Ever- Army Annual Recruitment’s Massive 25% Shortfall
The woke left views the military as a crucial ideological battlefield. Sadly, most of the Perfumed Princex currently haunting the Pentagon are prepared to fight- but on behalf of the woke ideology.
Imposing anti-American racist beliefs on our troops directly threatens our national security by spreading ideas that undermine confidence in the principles underpinning our Constitution, trust in our military, and traditional American values.
It’s also directly affecting readiness through failed recruitment goals. Big Army is tapdancing as to why.
Poetrooper sends.
Army keeps blaming everyone but itself for bad recruitment – cites fat Americans, angry parents, bad press, the economy and more
RYAN MORGAN
On the heels of the U.S. Army’s historic recruiting miss in the 2022 fiscal year, the service’s leaders are consistently blaming everyone but themselves for the shortfall.
In a Wednesday panel discussion during the CNBC Work Summit, Army Secretary Christine Wormuth pointed to a range of problems hurting the Army’s recruiting efforts, including obesity, a competitive jobs market and even worried parents. Speaking to CNBC’s Morgan Brennan, Wormuth said the decline in the number of Americans that can meet Army standards is one of the two biggest problems the service faces for recruiting.
“Only about 23 between of kids between 16 and 21 are able to meet our standards, and some of that, frankly, is reflective of the problem that we have in our country with obesity,” Wormuth said. “And so, some of that, frankly, is reflective of the problem that we have in our country with obesity.”
While Wormuth’s comments attribute the recruiting shortfall to America’s obesity problems, the obesity problems have been around for years without the Army missing its recruiting goals like it did this year. The other U.S. military branches, which also have to contend with America’s weight problems, struggled with recruiting but did not experience as large of a miss as the Army did this year.
Wormuth further listed “behavioral health or misconduct” as contributing factors in the Army’s recruiting woes, which again are problems all military branches would have to contend with.
It’s like a repeat of a bad movie, only worse. Much worse. The path to recovery starts in eight and a wake-up. Vote!
Thanks, Poe.
Category: "Teh Stoopid", Army News, Big Pentagon, Diversity, Guest Link, The Stupid is Strong
We’re obviously not promising enough free shit.
Funny, the last time I brought up the FACT the military is essentially one America’s most successful socialist social opportunity programs; with free housing, food, training, health care, GI bill; you all raged at me saying that it was “capitalist” recruitment incentives based on market factors that convince people to choose to “earn” the benefits and there was nothing “socialist” about it.
Now that a democrat is in office it is all “free shit”?
They are incentives. Right now there are not enough of them to overcome the PC, CRT, DIE bull schnike.
You’re correct, we did rage at you. We were right then and we’re right now. Now, if you could kindly point out where I mentioned “democrats”, I’d be grateful. The biggest recruiting and retention tools are bonuses and college money. Cash in hand. Capitalism. Exchanging services for money. What are bonuses? Free shit. We got so far out on the edge with bonuses in the past that every successive iteration of Soldiers wanted bigger bonuses. Now we face a rapidly shrinking pool of prospective recruits and they’re just not interested. They want it all handed to them without putting in the work. You and your people made that. And, as always, you’re a fraud.
I will point out that paying employees is not exclusive to Capitalism; Socialists also exchange services for money.
“You and your people made that.”
I would point out that lack of volunteers is not new. That’s why we had a draft from WWII to 1972, even in peacetime. There has never been an overwhelming demand for serving in the military.
“They want it all handed to them without putting in the work.”
Want what handed to them; what is ‘it’?
It’s cuttable “waste” when “evil” baby-killers partake for left/libtards’ taste, dude.
Because that is, with the possible exception of YOU, not the case very often.
Oh, look who stuck his little head up out of shithouse-third world Oakland to prove once again what an idiot he is!
“socialist social opportunity programs;”
There is nothing particularly “socialist” or “capitalist” about paying employees; unless they use slaves every employer under both systems pays its employees. Employee compensation includes many different things, depending on what each employer thinks will attract the employees it wants.
“with free housing, food, training, health care, GI bill”
There is nothing “free” about it. Each employee pays for it with service. Your statements are just plain stupid.
I am sorry, but there is not enough money or free shit that you can give me to stay pass my 20.
Many of my junior NCOs are getting out after 8 to 10 years because they don’t see a way to survive the current working environment.
And one of the key points they bring up as the reason to cut their loses and bail out, is that there isn’t a real war going on, so there is no incentive to put up with the bullshit in exchange for an opportunity to prove themselves in combat.
I understand these are 11B infantryman priorities, which are probably very different from POG priorities for joining up, but the lack of combat deployments is a major factor in the decision to put up with the bullshit or not.
And by the way, the bullshit goes faaaaarrrrr beyond CRT and wokism. There is a lot shit going on that have been for years transforming our Army into a risk adverse organization. The next real war is going to bleed us, and it will take a real shakedown to shape us into a combat-focused Army.
“The next real war is going to bleed us, and it will take a real shakedown to shape us into a combat-focused Army”
What you said.
Task Force Smith 2.0
Like I have always said; “some day the Russians or Chinese will look over the battlefield and marvel at the diversity of our dead….”
Name edited to protect PII.
AW1
LOL
I do like that.
I always knew you weren’t as slow as you claim. Concur 100%.
Heh. I’ve been a fan for years. Now I’ll shut up.
Hard times make strong men. Strong men make good times….
You know the rest.
Holding the DD-214 real tight tonight.
What you mentioned are many of the things we pointed out during the drawdown in the 1990s, they were hurting for people, and they were willing to sacrifice discipline and other old school military concepts to try to get people in; as well as to keep them in. With no major wars going on, and with the increase in operation requirements compared to force reduction, people were not seeing any point to remaining in.
We tried to argue against the move to pamper the newer folk, compared to how we were “brought up”. We warned, back in the 1990s, how the social engineering and the politically correct nonsense was destroying our ability to fight and, should a major war break out, service members would needlessly be paying with their blood.
Tragically, we’re seeing a continuation of a pattern that had ran throughout history. Our ethics back then helped accelerate our getting back into the swing of things. The young one’s today? A lot of work needed.
“We tried to argue against the move to pamper the newer folk,”
You want a volunteer military, you accept the consequences and pay what the market demands and live with what you can get for what you are willing to pay. No use whining about it.
We have had a volunteer military for for about half a century now. There should be no surprises.
timactual: You want a volunteer military, you accept the consequences and pay what the market demands and live with what you can get for what you are willing to pay.
This would be valid if there is a correlation between the market demand and all the services across the decades. What I mentioned above had more to do with what was expected from society than having to compete with market demands. The experience that I used was from the Navy side, the Army and Marines did not appear to be willing to sacrifice discipline on the alter of political correctness back then.
timactual: No use whining about it.
Not whining, when folks who had came in since the Vietnam war, up to those of us that came in before the end of the Cold War, were consistent with our protests regarding the newer folk. There’s something else other than the fact that we’re an all-volunteer force. Also, ask the Russians about how conscription is working out for them.
The Russian conscription system is a nightmare, inefficient, legacy system that works poorly even in peacetime. It’s not conscription that makes their conscription/replacement system a bad system. It’s the systems (political, military, administrative) that makes it a bad system.
Yup, it’s a combination of massive corruption within the military, political, administrative, infrastructure, societal, etc., system, as well as the quality of the individual conscripted, that makes conscription not exactly a “plus” for them.
Many of the people in their recruiting pool are not like what you would have expected for our age cohorts in the US when we joined. Many of those folks are more like what you’d find in a 3rd world nation, with accompanying mindset. Many were mesmerized by things like a flush toilet, or even the idea that the toilet would be in the bathroom in the house and not outside in an outhouse.
The quality of the folks who would be in the draft pool in the US today would result in a lot to “whine about” today if the draft is once again implemented.
Ah, yes, the ’90s… Deploying to a hundred nations around the world with half the budget we had before, awright!
Just think how screwed up the Army would be if the draft still was on.
I doubt it would be significantly worse; different problems in different degrees, maybe. For those of you who have evidently never served with draftees, they are just as good as volunteers. Leadership makes the difference; don’t blame the “failures” of a draftee army on the troops. Our current highly paid volunteer military has faults, too, and some of them are the same as the draftee military had.
I think it is worth reiterating, good leadership makes makes good soldiers, draftee or volunteer.
“For those of you who have evidently never served with draftees, they are just as good as volunteers.”
Tim, young Poe served as a junior NCO with draftees in ground combat in Vietnam, both in an infantry platoon and on an infantry battalion staff. Based on those first-hand experiences, it’s his observation that your statement is a tad overbroad. Perhaps a “usually” preceding the “just as good” might render your claim a bit more accurate.
A soldier who is resentful of being drafted and hates every aspect of army life is not, in Poe’s opinion, “just as good” a soldier as a volunteer. Some of the liberal college boys, like contemporary liberals, tended to be particularly contemptuous of both the Army and their less-educated fellow soldiers. And no amount of leadership was going to change their deep-seated resentment of being drafted.
Most draftees were okay, and some were excellent.
Just sayin…
“your statement is a tad overbroad.”
Quite possible. I cannot disagree with your recommendation.
There were also plenty of “volunteers” who would never be anyone’s candidate for “soldier of the month”. There was even one E5 in my company in Germany who deserted when he got his orders to Vietnam.
“And no amount of leadership was going to change their deep-seated resentment of being drafted.”
True. But most of them still performed satisfactorily. Unless, of course, that resentment was reinforced by poor leadership.
Had one PR draftee in my platoon in Germany who refused to speak or understand English. Never caused any trouble, just useless and never did anything unless told in Spanish. He was on guard duty with me at our unit ammo dump when a case of grenades came up missing. We were “interviewed” separately (of course) and it seems we were both walking our posts incorrectly and differently. I am not surprised. I never saw him from the time we were posted until
cont.
the time we were relieved. Never even received ‘counseling’ for my impropriety. Mostly, I think, because the whole damn security setup was screwed up from the getgo, and any official disciplinary action would have embarrassed our dear leaders. There was certainly no reluctance to discipline anyone for more trivial offenses.
Had another draftee in my platoon who wa not only resentful about being drafted, he disliked whites. Intensely. He made E5 shortly before his ETS.
“The next real war is going to bleed us,…”
Which will require a draft. I hope I am around if (God forbid) this comes to pass, as I will be shouting “I told you so!” loudly and repeatedly. Yeah, I have the bad manners to gloat.
Furthermore, any real war will require an expansion of our military, and with the current military pay scales added to our already obscene deficits our economy will probably crash and burn. And once again I will console myself by (attempting to) shout “I told you so!” while sitting hungry, thirsty, homeless, and freezing or sweating as the season dictates, by the side of a road begging for alms.
You get nine recycles…..
When enough wokeness, political correctness, CRT, etc., kicks in, and they let many of those “currently disqualified” folks in, they could stand up their panzi divisions.
CRT is not a “thing” that was taught to kids before high school under any public curriculum in any state in the country.
It was a niche theory in college and graduate schools for a limited subset of degree plans and was an elective for nearly all of them even then.
The ignorant right wing fever dream outrage over CRT elevated it into the national discourse.
And while the right still remains entirely ignorant of what the fuck the theory actually argues…their panic over it drew tons of attention to it and led to hundreds of thousands, if not millions, if kids learning about it when nearly all would have done their entire lives without ever hearing about it or studying it.
Now teachers are having to answer questions about it an explain it. And kids are explaining it to each other.
So you all did a fantastic thing for America being so irrationally ignorant and fearful about it.
CRT is not a standalone philosophy, but a culmination of the nonsense curriculum that had been pushed in the schools for decades. One common theme behind this nonsense? Marxist/Socialist under current themes. I remember, in the 2000s, how high school posters on Protest Warrior (forums) complained about how their teachers were “in your face Marxists.”
Contrary to your ignorance of what we conservatives know, we’ve been following this, and have been criticizing this, for decades. CRT is NOT what you think it is, and it is NOT what teachers try to portray it to be. It speaks volumes when people, who left communist countries, raise the alarm over what their kids are being taught regarding CRT. They recognize it for what it is, divisive strategies aimed at indoctrinating kids to becoming thugs that they could weaponize when they get older. However, instead of dividing by class, they are dividing by race. Read the attached.
He’ll be back, but only to tell you that China isn’t communist.
CRT is a thing taught to leftist educators who warp kids minds and create more idiot left/libtards who vote for Free Sh*t and attack anyone who disagrees.
If CRT wasn’t a thing and not being taught, then you wouldn’t be upset. The fact that your panties are in a bunch is why we know.
It’s being taught under the guise of “social-emotional learning” and “diversity, equity and inclusion”
Remember, it’s “racist” to think any different!
Lars says, “CRT is not a “thing”.
Just one more thing Lars is wrong about… 🙄
Well, he has to lie about it. It is the
Party Line.
He does tend to be remarkably consistent.
Is there ANYTHING this guy claims to know that is actually so? Apparently not.
No, the commie cuttlefish lives in a parallel universe, in his mind,
Vehicle is missing any Hello Kitty markings. Need Hello Kitty markings to rock that pink.
It is not “wokism” effecting recruitment.
Gen Z is just harder to convince that there is a existential national security threat presented by OTHER nations agains the U.S.
Most of these kids grew up socializing online and playing games online with people from all over the world. They feel like they have more in common with friends all over the world than they do with their own neighbors.
And they sure as hell don’t look at our corrupt gerontocracy and think they reflect anything Gen Z kids believe in or wish to become duty bound to serve.
Gen Z grew up “woke”…and for the most part they don’t need to be told that marginalized groups should be treated equally and fairly under the law.
Also, unemployment is at a 40 year low. The last time it was this low we had poor recruitment numbers as well.
The last time we got out of a unpopular war we had poor recruitment as well.
Low unemployment, grew up during an incoherent war, and don’t see the world the same.
Unemployment at a 40 year low. Why, you may ask? Because people have used up their unemployment benefits and are no longer scored as “unemployed”. You’re a fraud and a liar.
I’m guessing the “Emily has 2 Moms” wasn’t a big hit in getting recruits in the pipeline. The Commisar’s Party has been telling kids how much America sucks. Now they’re upset that nobody joins, and make excuses for their policies.
Watch the ads with link:
Ted Cruz wasn’t thrilled:
Not really. They are just more ignorant than previous generations due to the effectiveness of the dumbing down of America brought to us by the Klinton Crime family.
As much as I despise the Clintons, I must object. It is not fair to lay the entire blame for our execrable education system at their feet; the “education” esablishment bears most of the blame, and the Clintons just aren’t smart or competent enough to do all that by themselves.
How do you not see the active subversion of Americanism by a number of state/corporate-sponsored entities?
Unless you yourself are at their teat and trough…
Stolen.
Quality young people are avoiding the military because of woke ideologies, the Afghanistan debacle the Iraq disaster. The left has sucked the patriotism out of American society and young people don’t really feel an obligation to sacrifice for people that never sacrifice themselves. I know many young people that just don’t think military service is a challenge or an adventure. They talk to their friends that have joined and they hear all about what a shit show it’s become and want no part of it. I personally find it embarrassing that the greatest military in history is becoming a joke. One of my sons always wanted to join but the present state of our military and what he here’s from friends has changed his mind and I wouldn’t condone it either.
“Quality young people are avoiding the military…”
…for the same reasons they have always avoided the military.
Have you talked with many young people? Especially ones that wanted to join but changed their mind because they have been paying attention and listening to their friends that did join? Have you listened to a young man that has been told by his friends that that standards are low and that PC culture has become the norm? The military has turned into a coed multi gender dumping ground that most kids with options have lost interest in. I know this because I coached kids that are now of military age and I actually listen to what they say. Do you? I listened to kids thinking that the military was tough and then had 5’4” female drill instructors screeching at them., I was told playing youth hockey was physically harder than anything basic training had to offer. And I don’t believe that there’s a shortage of quality recruits they just don’t think it’s very challenging or rewarding.
I bow to your superior experience. On the other hand, I didn’t find the physical effort of basic training any more difficult than school sports either. I, too, was disappointed.
I’m not happy about what the military has become and I really think the social engineering, culture wars and politics need to stay out. That said I’m disappointed that it’s no longer that stepping stone or right of passage anymore, I’m upset that the majority of veterans are against their kids joining or not encouraging other kids to join. A lot has happened in the last couple years and actually it started decades ago but if we can’t recognize the problems for what they are standards will have to plummet and the service will not have the quality stock it needs to perform the mission of protecting our country and its interests. The reasons kids don’t join has changed and they need to recognize it,so why not just ask them? They don’t because the answer isn’t what they want to hear.
Last year, I was going to recommend to my granddaughter that she enroll in her university’s ROTC program and apply for their scholarship program, as her out of state tuition is quite expensive. But with all this woke, diversity, trannie indoctrination and bullshit, I decided otherwise.
To paraphrase SgtMaj Basil Plumley; “Americans, prepare to defend yourselves”.
Seems to be getting a bit drafty in here…
How could the Army possibly be missing their recruiting goals when they keep putting out commercials celebrating the contributions of the LBGQT community to National Defense? Hack was under the impression that this particular demography are just as patriotic and eager to serve as cisgender Americans.
You mean to tell me that these Special Groups (Gay, Bi, Homo, Lezzie, Trans, etc, etc) make up only a teeny percentage of the total population and aren’t enough to make up all the total recruiting shortfalls??
This is my shocked/surprised face….😖😖😖😖
Obviously the number of qualified individuals in that group must be huge, why else would the DoD be spending so much time, effort and money celebrating them?
It seems tht very very few sexual deviants seem to make it to the recruiting statons for some reason.
They all got sidetracked and can’t get a ride from Paul Pelosi’s house.
“this particular demography are just as patriotic and eager to serve as cisgender Americans”
They may be. The problem is the cisgender Americans don’t seem to be enthusiastic enough.
Perhaps Hack was being ironic, a thing he tends to do…
Perhaps I was, also, though I tend more towards sarcasm than irony. I’ll never tell. 😶
Vermont ANG is looking at a 50% GTFO, recrement is about the same.
IMHO
Those who recognize the Bull-shiite for what it is are getting out or staying out.
Then there are those like Lars – self-deluding True Believers – who blame everything else (including, it seems, The Trump) for reality not submitting to their Blind Faith.
(Ex-)Airborne Son is currently recommending against enlisting when asked his opinion. His list of why is long and compelling.
I need more range time (and ammo). (And guns.)
Wait?……What!?
Blaming a poor economy on poor recruiting?
Ummmmm……..wouldn’t that be the opposite?
A poor economy SHOULD make for GREAT recruiting.
Normal people, in normal times, want to eat/live/housing/clothes/etc.
And the military provides all of the above.
So……poor economy, when (all of the above) are in short supply = great recruiting.
More BS from (fill in the blank).
But try explaining logic to a LibTard.
Especially Kommissar (may he die soonest and roast in the eternal fires of Hell forever)
Poor economy, wasn’t that how the movie Stripes opened?
Know the difference between Stripes and Top Gun?
Top Gun was a helluvalot funnier.
Top Gun was a documentary, Stripes was a comedy.
Shots fired! On target! Fire for Effect!
Good to see that you’re checking the DA Form 6, SFC D, and saw whose day it was to be “that guy”. Draw yo self an extry ration of Jameson from my Class VI Supplies.
I’ll bet it takes all freakin’ day to scrub out one of those big cannon tubes.
Yet here you are.
Multi-tasking is a relentless mistress…and a cast iron bitch.
Top Gun was a recruiting poster.
Top Gun was gay.
Still figuring out how a junior officer racing a motorcycle at 90 + MPH on base without a helmet or reflective vest was not pulled over by the MPs. It was at that point that Hack lost that loving feeling.
Being Maverick was over 60, they let it go.
— GROAN —
We previously posted this on WOT.
2 minutes. If it does not bring a tear to you eye…
“What the 2021 U.S. Army Commercial Should Have Been”
Damn you! Damn leaky eyes!
Damn allergies! Where’s my box of Kleenex?
(seriously though, thx, I needed that catharsis)
(and what is that pin the Guard placed on top of the tombstone?)
Tox, that pin the Guard put on the tombstone is the Distinctive Unit Insignia (crest) of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard).
My first unit was The Old Guard. Gave me the discipline and maturity I needed to succeed in the army and in life. But I never left any of my brass on a headstone. Sorry but I put too much work into getting them to look good!
The only time Gaylord Merkin Focker the Wurst was ever right.
When he said Joey could screw anything up.
When we she be canned for incompetence? Inexperience? Cluelessness? Inability to to understand the IN concept?
Wow.
Previously
Be all that you can be
Find your future in the Army
Currently
Work for woke fuckery
Get bent over in the Army
Gee whiz, why wouldn’t someone want to join today’s US Army with all of its wonderful wokeness being forced down the throats of every member?
Then why aren’t they waiving obesity too? They waived gang banbers, criminals, and sexual deviancy, even that clearly defined in the American Physiciatric Manual as mental disorders, so they are letting clearly defined crazy people in, why not the fatties?
The very fact you noticed make you a body shamer too, you racist homophobe election denier.
I’m a little jealous.
Well the Army is letting in kids that can’t make tape, they just have to go to a Army run fat camp first and make tape by the end of the program or go home with a entry level seperation
Dewey Oxberger anyone?
Don’t be talking smack about Dewey Oxberger on John Candy’s birthday.
Side note, Hack watched a John Candy documentary on cable last year, and per said documentary, ven though John Candy was a Canadian, he tried to enlist in our beloved Marine Corps in the early 990’s, but was disqualified due to a (Canadian) football injury he sustained in high school.
Well, when you lose a generation of kids to the fact that previous ‘generational service families’ have had enough and said “NO MORE!”, you gotta understand the military as a whole is going to be hurting. In 2019, there were 79% of military servicemembers reporting that they had a family member that served (30% was a parent). In 2021, the number of actively serving who would recommend service dropped to 63% (down from 75% in 2019). Given that only 1% of the US population ever serves anyway, losing your home grown pipeline is definitely going to stunt recruiting numbers. We went from “thank you for your service” after 9/11 to a service of shame, forced woke-ism, and being an afterthought. Given the horrendous publicity that Ft Hood constantly receives (163 deaths since 2016), of course no parent is going to want to recommend service as an option to their child.
…Don’t know if we have any other former recruiters here (If we do and we ever meet, the drinks are on me) but I learned 30 years ago as a Non-Prior Service recruiter that at least USAF paid good money to civilians to tell them what they wanted to hear as far as recruiting went, and then blamed the recruiters when it didn’t happen.
On top of that, at the very least USAF was illegally (then) mandating racial and gender quotas, and slapping down anybody who dared fight back.
I was a recruiter for the Marine Corps from 2008-2011. It was right when we went from the push to 202K and then started the drawdown and reduction of forces. As a 1 and 6 station we went from missions of 18 down to missions of 5. You could only write ONE a month….but MAN, that one better be tight!! It was hard, because a kid you would’ve written easily 6 months back caught all sorts of medical/moral waivers the command would sit on, and then the head shed would scream at you ‘Quit trying to qualify the unqualified!’ Even then, I would much rather be a recruiter then than now….this shit is getting insane.
So what would a Recruiter end up with in a situation I saw when I first enlisted? I was at MEPS to ship for basic and in line next to me was a would-be Coastie who got a DUI and Minor in Possession while on DEP, they gave him a release from Contract and a Grey-mutt bus ticket home while I went on to my adventures beginning at Fort Lost-in-the-Woods.
Back when Hack was on Recruiting Duty in the midwest (late 1980′), he met a kid who was about 24 who tried to enlist in the Coast Guard, but was DQ’ed for going through drug rehab. If only his father was Vice President of The United States, he could have received a direct commission in the US Naval Reserve, and parlayed tat experience into a seat on a Ukraine energy company.
They forgot to blame COVID. I just retired and am glad as I will not take the shots. And a lot of others won’t either because they are smart enough to see it’s bullshit.