(TargetLiberty.org) – The US Army is cutting troop numbers to the lowest level since the middle of WWII – and it’s not because of budget cuts. The Biden administration says the military is having a hard time finding recruits because there isn’t much surplus in the labor market. However, this didn’t seem to be a problem under the Trump administration.
Under Secretary of the Army Gabe Camarillo: “We’re facing, obviously, some challenging conditions in terms of our ability to recruit and attract talent."
Army size will fall to post-WWII record in FY22.
"A very tight labor market" didn't negatively impact recruiting for Trump.
— Rich "The People's Pundit" Baris (@Peoples_Pundit) April 5, 2022
On March 28, Under Secretary of the Army Gabe Camarillo announced the US Army will be reducing its active-duty strength from 485,000 now to 473,000 by 2023 – its smallest size since 1940.
Camarillo emphasized the decision wasn’t made to cut costs, despite the Biden administration increasing the Army’s budget below the rate of inflation. Instead, he said, it’s about “maintaining high quality” – in other words, the Army can’t find enough suitable recruits. Camarillo blamed this on a “tight labor market,” where the Army is competing with corporations that can offer more money to potential recruits. The labor market was just as tight under President Trump, though, and the Army didn’t seem to be struggling then.
Retired officer Lt. Gen. Thomas Spoehr says the Army is facing a “perfect storm” of problems. First, the number of potential recruits is shrinking due to obesity, poor fitness, and mental health issues. The Pentagon says less than 25% of young Americans are eligible to enlist without a waiver, down from 29% in 2016. Second, the military’s reputation took a dent during Biden’s chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan. Finally, there’s a perception the military is increasingly politicized, with vaccine mandates and woke dogma replacing combat readiness and military values.
Why would patriotic young Americans want to join a left-wing social experiment?
Copyright 2022, TargetLiberty.org
