[Circle depth] What are the reasons behind the most serious recruitment crisis in the United States in 50 years?

[Global Times Special Journalist in the United States, Yingchen Global Times Special reporter Wang Xiaoxiong] The huge war machine in the United States meets big trouble. The country is suffering the worst recruitment crisis after the Vietnam War! Many US media recently reported that the United States, including the active and reserve forces of multiple arms, including the army, has a problem of "difficulty in recruiting people", and Washington is facing the dilemma of continuously shrinking military power. In response, the Pentagon has adopted measures including "money" to attract young people. However, the retired Lieutenant General Spor, who is currently working in the American Traditional Foundation, believes that the current dilemma of the U.S. military is only the beginning of long -term recruitment wasteland.

"Salesman" who suffered cold encounters

In the city of Sculins, Colorado, a local recruitment station, Plim was wearing camouflage clothes and looking for "targets" in the parking lot. As soon as a woman came out of the car, he immediately greeted and showed the most charming smile. "Do you know why I am here today? I want to help you join the army." Priem said to Alvarado, who was going to the mall to buy a pizza.

Alvarado, who had diabetes, showed her "salesman" that he could not join the army to this enthusiastic "salesman". Plim did not "let go". "Well, give me a name -a phone number I can call immediately ... You must know some people who may want to join the army. As long as you give me a phone number, I will not bother you." Puli Mo said. A few seconds later, he called a friend of Alvarado and said, "Your friend said you want to join the army ... where are you working? I will go to you when you finish it." "Cold ass", Alvarado's friends hung up his phone directly.

Plim's "encounter" is only the epitome of the US Army's most serious recruitment crisis in the past 50 years. According to a report on the US Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on July 20, a spokesman for the US Army Minister Voromus, Farrel, said that the Army plans to maintain 476,000 troops this year, which enables the army to recruit 60,000 new soldiers in fiscal 2022. However, as of mid -July, the Army only recruited nearly 30,000 new soldiers. It is worth noting that the number of 476,000 arms is the number that drops due to the difficulty of recruiting. According to relevant authorization, the US Army could have maintained 485,000 troops. CNN said that Martin, deputy chief of staff of the US Army, predicted on July 19 that the target of the military's recruitment this year may not be completed, and the number of recruits may be 10,000 less than the original target. In addition, in fiscal 2023, the Army may still not be able to recruit enough people, 28,000 less than the target. In fiscal 2023, the scale of the army may be reduced to 445,000 to 452,000.

On March 26, the US Marine Corps recruits were conducting a 12 -week harsh exercise on Paaris Island, South Carolina. Picture source: Visual China

Other US military recruitment recruits are not smooth. According to the New York Times reported on July 14, the U.S. Navy did not announce the specific number of recruitment, but said it was difficult to achieve the goal of recruitment this year. Even in the past, he was not worried about the "recruiting" Air Force. The number of recruits now is 4,000 less than in the same period of previous years. US Political News Network said on July 27 that according to data compiled from October 2021 to May 2022, the Navy completed 89%of the target of troops during this period. Although the Marine Corps, the Air Force, and the Space Army completed the target of recruitment, in general, the US military's goal of recruiting recruits was only 85%. For the U.S. Air Force, a key position is pilot. At the end of 2021, the US Air Force lacks 1,650 pilots.

Reserve forces are more difficult to recruit troops than active forces. According to Political News Network recently, the U.S. Army National Guards only completed the goal of 66%of the recruitment, the Army reserve forces completed the goal of 63%, the naval reserve forces completed the goal of 66%, the Air Force National Guard completed 69%, and the Air Force reserve forces Complete 74%.

History of overweight, crime history and willingness to join the army

The decrease in the number of young people who meet the conditions of troops is one of the reasons for the difficulties of the United States. According to US media, there are young people between 31.8 million between the ages of 17 to 24, and about 76%of them have health problems such as overweight, or have a history of crime. This makes only 9.1 million young people in this age meet the most basic conditions for recruitment, of which only 4.4 million people meet the qualifications for participating in the army. Coupled with other issues, only about 465,000 people are candidates for the "China -like" U.S. military.

On this basis, there are fewer young people with willingness to join the army. According to media reports such as Political News Network, surveys have shown that when the new crown pneumonia's epidemic was outbreak, the proportion of young people willing to join the army was 13%, but now this ratio has fallen to 9%. A survey of the Pentagon shows that the main causes of young people who do not want to join the army include worrying or death, worrying about psychological diseases, worrying about sexual harassment or sexual assault. In addition, the United States now encounters "labor shortage", and various companies in the society provide better wages and benefits to young people, which reduces the attractiveness of the army.

The continued decline in the trust of young people's trust in the U.S. military is also an important reason for their unwillingness to participate in the army. ABC said the Reagan Defense Survey in 2021 showed that only 45%of Americans "very trust" forces, a decrease of 25%from 2018. In an interview with Iranian English News and Television, the editor of the United States "Secret Action" said that many Americans were angry with government governance. The United States launched a war in Iraq and other countries through lies, bringing disasters to these countries, and Washington did not get much benefits. "If young people are sent to a non -self -defense war away from home, why do they still join the army? ? "

On March 24, 2022, US recruits conducted exercises in South Carolina. (Visual China)

Banashevsky, a "political innovation center" activist of the US non -governmental organization, said that many parents in the United States want their children to go to college before choosing a job or joining the army, which increases the difficulty of the US military recruitment. She emphasized that although the U.S. government tried to interfere with the war of other countries, Washington's experience of withdrawing from Afghanistan and the experience of American veterans who had passed the battlefield made more young people from the United States who did not want to participate in the army.

American Army reward

According to the US Military News Network, US armed forces are composed of 6 military, including the Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Army, Coast Guard, and Marine Corps. There are three types of American soldiers: active soldiers, reserve forces, and veterans and retired civilian personnel. The President of the United States is the commander -in -chief of the Armed Forces and is responsible for the final decision of all the army. The Coast Guard is affiliated with the Ministry of Land and Safety, and the remaining military and military departments are controlled by the Pentagon. The Pentagon has more than 2 million units and military personnel.

According to the Qatar Peninsula TV, the United States has at least 750 bases in 80 countries and regions around the world. In the past 70 years, the U.S. army has been deployed to more than 200 countries and regions. The New York Times commented that the difficulty of recruiting will cause the American war machine to be seriously affected: some key positions lack soldiers, and some grass -roots combat units cannot operate normally.

In order to solve the problem of recruitment difficulties, the Pentagon is re -examining more than 250 requirements, including qualifications and physical fitness conditions. The U.S. military is also considering recruit recruits through social media platforms, and puts their attention to people who have influence on young people such as parents, teachers, and coaches. They hope they will help the military to propagate the benefits of joining the army. The U.S. Army also promised to provide up to $ 50,000 in recruits for 6 years.

- END -