🌊 Does America Need a Caesar?

I’m currently working as an Army Recruiter. I think your article hits a lot of the reasons our numbers are up recently, but I’m not sure I agree that the people “willing” to serve has actually increased. The increase that we’ve seen for production has come from making more applicants eligible through the waiver process or other special programs. If someone has minor law violations, previously disqualifying medical conditions, is overweight, or can’t pass the entrance exam, we have a program or a waiver to solve that and get them in the Army. The standards used to be more strict about what conditions would disqualify you from service. The regulations around tattoos have even changed so now we can allow people with hand or neck tattoos to join when they couldn’t before. I’ve seen economic factors become the primary reason for joining the military, as opposed to the traditional values of patriotism or service. Most kids joining today have zero interest in going to war, but they do want the benefits and a paycheck every two weeks. When we look at the data on who’s joining, it’s predominantly those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and increasingly those from minority ethnicities. The typical “good ol’ boy” from the country is joining at much lower rates. Thanks for covering this topic! Really cool to see what I do every day in one of your deep dives.

PETE HEGSETH IS "THE ONLY REASON" THE ARMY IS BOOMING.  THEY SEE SOMEONE WITH HONESTY AND INTEGRITY TRYING TO LEAD THIS COUNTRY.  I DOUBT PETE HAS 6 INCH HIGH HEELS IN HIS CLOSET AND I SERIOUSLY DOUBT HE EVER HAS PICTURES WEARING THEM.  ENOUGH SAID ON THAT SUBJECT.  PETES THE HERO NOT "TAMPON TIM".  OF COURSE WE LOVE OUR PRESIDENT TRUMP AND EVERYTHING HE DOES!!!!!

I would like to add my own input on the increase in army recruitment. I read your article, and while I think the picture is almost there, there are a couple of key elements that should also be addressed. I am about to graduate from college in Biology at 22 years old so I think I can provide an interesting perspective on why people within my age range are going into the army. Without trying to sounds so dramatic, the job market as a fresh graduate is not just intimidating, it is downright difficult to find a job with 1-2 years of experience with any degree. I could not imagine what it would be like for a highschool graduate with even less or none. Most jobs are not only asking for multiple years of experience, but are also asking for some skills on top of what that experience would provide, and even if somebody does fit the criteria, it would be much easier and a much more secure placement to take those skills and use them to be an above average soldier. 

Aside from politics and how each president has handled the economy and yada yada yada, the employee search criteria is just either too complicated or asking too much out of the new employees trying to enter the market or field they have studied for. Now this could be unique from a life sciences perspective, but I can think of a good few people that are trying (and failing) to get environmental science internships or jobs that would be the dream candidate for an army recruiter because of the physical and processing demands that graduating with an environmental science degree usually takes.