USAFACTS: 美国招不到足够的兵员，主观原因是适龄青年怕死，客观原因是超重青年多

来源: 于 2023-08-21 18:44:54 [旧帖] [给我悄悄话] 本文已被阅读：次

Why aren’t people joining the military?

The US military is facing an unprecedented challenge in recruitment, with some branches falling short of their goals and a decline in eligible young Americans. As the appeal of military service competes with the job market, here are the reasons behind enlisting — or not.

  • The Marine Corps and Space Force anticipate meeting their 2023 recruitment goals. However, the Army expects to recruit 55,000 new soldiers, 10,000 behind its goal. The Air Force expects to be 10,000 people short, and the Navy expects a 6,000-person shortfall. 

  • In 2020, the Defense Department estimated that 23% of Americans ages 17–24 were eligible for military service, down 29% from 2016.

     

  • One of the top reasons for dwindling military numbers is obesity: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that more than one in three young adults is too heavy to join the military.

     

  • There were 1.3 million active-duty military in 2022, 39% fewer than in 1987 — the recent peak. 
66% of respondents ages 16 to 21 say the possibility of death or injury is their top reason for not joining the military

  • In a poll from spring 2022, 2% of people ages 16 to 24 replied, “Definitely” to the likelihood of joining the military. Eight percent responded, “Probably,” while 89% were unlikely to consider joining.
     

  • Pay, future educational opportunities, and travel were the top three reasons people say they would join the military.

 

Learn more about challenges to recruiting in this article.