Low military recruitment is a national security issue

OPINION:

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The world is more dangerous now than it has been in decades. As the Russia-Ukraine war approaches its third year, extensive conflict between Israel and Hamas continues to destabilize the Middle East, while China remains an unpredictable force farther east.

But there are challenges closer to home that Americans may not realize affect our national security as well. Chief among them is the issue of low military recruitment and retention, which severely threatens our ability to protect our nation’s interests at home and abroad.

In the face of this crisis, elected officials and federal veterans resource providers such as the Department of Veterans Affairs need to examine the underlying causes of this reduction in recruitment and take actionable steps to make the armed services a more stable and appealing path for young Americans. 

The perception of how well active-duty military members and veterans are compensated and cared for certainly influences whether young Americans decide to join the military. For those who are considering the armed services against other career options, the military is not as appealing as it once was.

For example, the basic pay of an E-1 is $2,017.20 per month — less than $25,000 per year — before taking into account that their monthly income is even lower for their first several months of service. That is less than half of the average annual salary nationwide, which was $59,428 as of 2023 — and closer to the federal poverty line than the national average.

It’s no wonder that in 2023, about one-quarter of active-duty service member households experienced food insecurity at some point in the preceding year. And it’s no wonder at all that young Americans may see this as a reason not to enlist in what is, in reality, a stable, lucrative and rewarding career path.

It is the responsibility of veterans like myself to impress upon this new generation the importance of enlistment for their nation. It is the responsibility of those in positions of power and influence to ensure that those who take on these difficult roles are adequately compensated for doing so as well. The spike in patriotism that inspired thousands of brave men and women to enlist in the wake of Sept. 11, 2001, has waned. Young Americans don’t feel a personal connection to their duty as strongly as they have in the past. And when they can’t see the value of the mission, then the sacrifices may be harder to justify.

Moreover, military enlistment is often influenced by families. Many who choose to enter the armed services have a parent, sibling or other family member who set an example for them. But if they see that family member struggling with mental health issues or having trouble receiving veterans benefits amid an ongoing backlog, they may be deterred rather than inspired. 

The overall U.S. military retention rate is 55%, with the highest attrition rate in the Army. While many factors contribute to this, our major military and veterans support networks have for too long refused to consider how their actions may contribute. If the public perception is that enlistees are not well compensated and veterans are not supported, then leaders need to either change the public narrative or their policies for military and veteran support. 

For nearly 50 years, an all-volunteer force of Americans has protected our nation’s interests at home and abroad. Yet in a time of deepening political pessimism and record-low patriotism among young Americans, our armed forces are facing a crisis that threatens not just their enlistment numbers but our national security.

The perception of how well veterans are treated and supported influences how the public perceives the military as a whole and specifically affects whether young Americans consider it a viable career path. It is up to leaders and veteran voices to help change this trajectory and, in so doing, strengthen our national defense.

• Jim Whaley is CEO of Mission Roll Call. He is the former director of communications at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He is a 20-year veteran of the Army, and his awards and decorations include the Master Army Aviator Badge, Legion of Merit, Air Assault Badge and Humanitarian Service Medal.