Disaster is just one step away from the American armed forces.
In a report on the unprecedented recruitment crisis in the United States, Hill magazine wrote: The “all-volunteer” forces of the US Army (AVF) turned 50 years old last month in silence. Although the end of conscription in 1973 was a decisive moment for both the American army and society, the anniversary of this moment did not receive a warm official welcome.
In fact, the big birthday party of the “all-volunteer” forces probably evoked a harsh admission and truth: the US military is in the midst of an unprecedented recruitment crisis, and, better put, the country’s military is “dying.”
The planners of the US military called for an increase in forces until 2023 just a few years ago (2018). Today, the army of this country is not even able to maintain the current level of its forces. Last year, the US Army set a target of 485,000 full-time troops, but due to the lack of recruitment, the Congress of this country reduced the said number to 33,000 for 2023 and later announced that it was not even able to achieve this goal. Not done!
Various components have led to this crisis. Even the increase in registration bonuses and the army’s promise to pay off university debt have not been very attractive to a wide range of young Americans, and they are looking for other job opportunities in the highly competitive labor market of this country.
The disastrous wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have overshadowed the trust and confidence in the leadership of the American army. According to Hill, the generation that grew up in the midst of the financial crisis, as well as the corona pandemic, is likely to be more risk-averse. More importantly, 77 percent of Americans between the ages of 17 and 24 are ineligible to enlist and serve in the military due to physical or mental problems, substance abuse, or lack of education.
