![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/feet-300x205.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The Pentagon\u2019s fiscal year 2024 budget is calling for 2,074,000 personnel in uniform. That number is some 13K fewer than was authorized last year but ~12K more than are currently serving. The disparity is blamed on a recruiting and retention environment adversely affected by a competitive job market, a dwindling pool of potential recruits, and a lack of interest in serving.<\/p>\n
Based on Army surveys, candidates of military age do not see the Army as a safe place or good career path and believe they would have to put their lives on hold if they enlisted.<\/p>\n
The Army, Navy and Air Force are all projecting to bring in numbers well short of recruiting targets. \u201cRight now we\u2019re doing better than we were doing,\u201d Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George stated.<\/p>\n
Thanks for that, General. The military sees the problem and is taking measures to mitigate the situation.<\/p>\n
Poetrooper sends.<\/p>\n
By streiff<\/strong><\/p>\n Military recruitment has hit lows not experienced since the end of the Vietnam War, even as America faces multiple national security challenges around the globe.<\/p>\n A Death Spiral<\/strong> Army: 69 percent of its goal This does not mean that, for instance, the Army is at 69 percent of its FY2023 goal. If that were the case with the fiscal year half finished, they\u2019d be, in the words of my First Sergeant, \u201csh***ing in tall cotton.\u201d The number means that they are at 69 percent of the number they need as of the date of the report to reach 100 percent on their mission by September 30. What you\u2019re seeing is the leading edge of a bloodbath. Keep in mind that the only reason the Army is at 69 percent of its goal is to cut its end-strength from 476,000 in FY 2021 to 445,000 by the end of FY 2023. My colleague Bob Hoge covered the first glimmer of the coming disaster in Military Recruiting Numbers Lowest Since the Vietnam War.<\/p>\n By comparison, from FY 2019 through FY 2021, all military branches met their enlistment goals. It was in FY 2022 that the wheels started to come off, with the Army closing the year down 15,000 new soldiers or 25 percent of its target. All the other services met their goals.<\/p>\n Army Reserve: 58 percent of its goal. Deny Everything, Admit Nothing, Make Counteraccusations<\/strong>
\nDefense Data for FY2023 show most military services are sucking swamp water.<\/p>\n
\nNavy: 60 percent of its goal.
\nAir Force: 87 percent of its goal.
\nMarine Corps: 100 percent of its goal.
\nSpace Force: 100 percent of its goal.<\/p>\n
\nArmy National Guard: 90 percent of its goal.
\nNavy Reserve: 67 percent of its goal.
\nAir Force Reserve: 62 percent of its goal.
\nAir National Guard: 57 percent of its goal.
\nMarine Corps Reserve: 120 percent of its goal.<\/p>\n
\nDespite massive anecdotal evidence to the contrary \u2014 and I think that the evidence remains anecdotal by design because then the Defense Department doesn\u2019t have to address it \u2014 the officials overseeing this conscious evisceration of the US military continue to blame young Americans rather than looking inside.
\n~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
\nOut of Airspeed, Out of Altitude, Out of Ideas<\/strong>
\nThe GAO has looked into the recruiting crisis and found that not only is the Pentagon failing, but it also doesn\u2019t know why and may not even care.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n