Military recruitment crisis: Our fault.
Why Gen Z is Not Answering the Call to Military Service
Memorial Day is a time to honor the brave men and women who have lost their lives in service to the country. However, the military is facing an unprecedented recruitment crisis, with over 75% of young Americans ineligible for service and even fewer showing a desire to join. So, why is Gen Z not answering the call to military service?
According to a recent survey, as many as 6 in 10 respondents listed the possibility of physical injury or death as their top reason not to join the military. Fear of PTSD and other psychological trauma followed closely behind. As a society, we can’t entirely blame this new generation of young people for their disinterest and hesitancy to serve. Gen Zers grew up in the long shadow of the 9/11 terrorist attacks but hold no memory of that fateful day. Their exposure to war has been as spectators of numerous policy failures in Iraq and, most recently, Afghanistan now engulfed in chaos.
The fallout from America’s forever wars consequently left Gen Z with no clear purpose for the United States’ role in the world and a negative perception of its global leadership. In a 2021 Pew Research survey, less than 25% of 18-29-year-olds believed the “U.S. stands above all other countries in the world.” Patriotic sentiment declined even further as only 16% of Gen Z adults polled confessed they are proud to live in the United States.
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