How would you solve the military recruiting challenges currently facing DOD?

I would say look at the Russian ads for there military and then look at ours and then you will see how we can fix our problems with recruiting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZgu80JfCqc

The military starting declining recruitment in my opinion for the following reasons:
1-The media coverages of our actions in our Wartime Operations...
2-The negative coverages about the Soldiers that are committing crime and delinquencies i.e. robberies, murder, DUI, etc.....
3-The policy changes trying to adjust the Military to individual choices, instead of them adjusting to the Army Standards!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-if your religious beliefs or norms or whatever is not aligned with what the Armed Forces is looking for, THEN FOR GOODNESS SAKE THE ARMED FORCES IS NOT FOR YOU!!!!!!!
-if your personal sex gender is different from the one God gave to you at birth, then the Armed Forces may not be for you!!!
-if you have a problem with the way you want to do your hair and it impedes the use of military uniform and standards, THEN FOR GOODNESS SAKE THE ARMED FORCES IS NOT FOR YOU!!!
-if you don't want to be away from your family for long periods of time without communication, THEN THE ARMED FORCES IS NOT FOR YOU!!!!!
-if you are the only son, or daughter, then you must consider about all possibilites that can occur.....and are you or your family strong enough to deal with it, INSTEAD OF BLAMING THE ARMED FORCES OF WHAT HAPPENS TO YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-if you are married, your whole family will be joining...not just you! They must know of the sacrifices they will have to endure.......
-if you don't practice good personal hygiene then the ARMED FORCES IS NOT FOR YOU!!
- If all you want is to get a college education, then THE ARMED FORCES IS NOT FOR YOU!!
4. Leadership always putting UNREALISTIC SUSPENSE DATES ON IMPORTANT issues, that we were not striving for EXCELLENCE JUST A DATE!!! AND IN THE PROCESS SACRIFING SOLDIERS DAILY LIVES, WEARING OUT THE HARD WORKING ONES, AND KEEPING THE LAZY ONES AROUND AND THEY ARE BENEFITING AND NOT CONTRIBUTING ANYTHING
5. Leadership has weaken since they started the BOSS program a long time ago and promoting Soldiers with degrees that don't have anything to do with their MOS KNOWLEDGE!!!!!!!!
6. SQT should of never been taken out....You have senior leadership that given an SQT at their level would fail miserably!!!!
7. The caring, kind, strong, strict but fair NCO's are long gone. Now is each person for themselves....they don't care who gets crushed on their way to the top!!!!!
8. There are some great and terrific Soldiers everywhere but they are the minority!!! And they get burned out and they are NOT REWARDED AS THEY SURELY DESERVED!!!!
BEING PROUD, COMPETETIVE, STANDING TALL, ETC. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY BEING A TEAM PLAYER AND CARING is greatly lacking!!!!!
The public enjoy what we do and the privileges we have in peace time, but come wartime and hard training and something happens, they crucified us!!! then all of a sudden THE ARMED FORCES SUCKS!!! THEY FORGET THAT THE SOLDIERS CAME IN VOLUNTARILY, THEY DIDN'T GET DRAFTED!!!!
ULTIMATELY, ACTIVE DUTY PERSONNEL TALK TOO MUCH NEGATIVE ABOUT THEIR UNITS, LEADERSHIP, ETC. OUTSIDE OF WORK, AND THAT GEST AROUND AND PEOPLE BE SAYING FORGET IT i AM NOT JOINING OR DISCOURAGED OTHERS TO JOIN, WHEN THEY DONT HAVE THE FACTS!!!

Get rid of ALL of the people who got us into this situation , who ran out all the solders who had love for the country and replaced them with confused sexual mental patients . Get rid of those assholes who enticed people to recruit their friends/family and acquaintances with a bonus , then turn around and take back the money and charge them with crimes , yes it's that simple , people are not joining up because of leadership thats thinks it's a great idea to promote based on if you got a vagina or not and not promote people with the skills and experience needed to win a war . That along with forcing a experimental MRNA shot on their people , knowing full well that the side effects could kill or cripple them for life ...... We could go on and on but it's pointless to do so , you people have destroyed the military, whats that old saying ? you made your bed now lie in it .

The military is to fight, stop all this wokism and diversity. Best man for the job!

First and foremost, get rid of this strategy of having our military reflect a corporate environment. Secondly, military recruiting should have recruiters dedicated to reaching out to semi-recently separated servicemembers, and see if they would be willing to come back. A lot of vets realize that life in the civilian world is not what it's cracked up to be. Thirdly, young people naturally gravitate towards stability and discipline unconsciously. Promote the military as an opportunity to a better life, and don't harp on the sacrifice of one's own liberty.

Problems I believe the military need to move away from to make military service attractive to recruits and currently serving members again:
1. Criminal records: More people have criminal records today than ever before, not because they are committing more crime but because the information systems of today allow/require every record to be recorded on every interaction with law enforcement for ever. Raise the bar on what disqualifies someone from service. Make a proper risk assessment of individuals and move the recruits who have a chance into the system.
2. Fitness requirements: In the Marines everyone is a rifleman first. This is their baseline fitness requirement. All other MOSs add to this standard to meet their needs. The common path taken by leadership has been reinvent the wheel for each MOS or everyone should be special forces level. Both of these paths introduce professional fratricide. When professional advancement comes along leadership uses these superfluous attributes that do not add value to the service but do weed out personnel that would be of benefit to the service. They also, dissuade anyone else from targeting those MOSs causing personnel that are in them to leave the service as they "fail" to achieve their goals. This creates a manning sink that drains the numbers slowly but constantly in an unnecessary way.
3. Stop expanding tolerance of individual characteristics. Diversity is good, but members of the services needs to be as uniform as possible without causing undue effort to comply. Why is the USAF allowing ponytails? I understand the logic behind African American hair styles as the physical characters of their hair demands specific care needs. Other ethnic considerations should also be allowed for more hygiene needs, but allowing the loosing of standards only for people to have more individualism is a short term gain and long term loss. By reducing the sacrifice of individuality for service you cheapen the value of people's commitment to joining and staying in the service. We have seen a small bump in people joining for this change, but it is fading quickly as it is very visible to possible recruits that the current members are less committed, making the service less attractive. It's counter intuitive, but true.
4. Benefits have lowered overtime that were low cost, high return. Base services such as auto hobby shop, moral centers, and loan lockers were cut to save money during the 2008 sequestration actions. This lowered the value of being in the service on post that attracted new recruits and helped retain current members. Many of the cost saving initiatives over the last 20 years needs to be reexamined to see if reversing those choices could attracted new recruits at lower cost than newer benefits and plans.
5. Support for families has notably diminished. Whether it's lowering services such as base housing quality through privatization or eliminating family events hosted by base services such as base movie theaters. The lowering support for family quality of life has devalued being an active member of the services. Part of the value that attracts recruits we want is gaining the ability to start and support a family. This also helps to raise the next generation in a way that makes service an attractive career.
6. Stop holding on to obsolete missions. The military has several units that exist to support hardware and mission needs that no longer exist or that are soon to be decommissioned. These units tend to be at locations that the military or Congress wants to keep people at encase of a possible need or to keep federal money flowing into local economies. This motivation can still be satisfied without keeping personnel trapped in obsolete mission positions. In the age of information networks, you can relocate many units and manning to those locations that are not geographically dependent. Need to retire a low frequency early warning radar, but want to keep the post manning up? Just relocate some satcom training units from the internal CONUS to that coastal post. This reduces parasitic positions while maintaining manning levels at sensitive geographically locations.

These are just a few of my ideas to increase recruit numbers and reduce manning requirements. Many services have been running at 80% or less manning levels chronically for decades with little mission impact, but that comes at the cost of running troops into the ground making recruitment harder and retention lower. It's time to work smarter and reduce the mission requirements on the services to allow lower but more effective manning across all services.

The military recruiting problems...
One way to reduce cost, recurring spending, and recruiting problems would be to allow service members to remain on active duty.
Each year thousands of good-quality soldiers are removed from service not because the soldier wants to leave the service but due to oversaturated MOS fields and stagnated promotions with the military attitude of move up or move out.
Yet within the civilian world, a person can hold and maintain a job if they continue to strive, perform, and do their job.
With the increasing cost of recuring, materials, and travel, along with a number of inductees failing the minimum standards to enter the service would it not be indicative to maintain soldiers that are trained, can meet or exceed the standards, and want to remain on active duty even if they remain as an E-4


"Army ― the largest service ― estimates it spends about $15,000 to bring someone into the service and another $50,000 to $75,000 to prepare them to join their first unit, depending on their job." with 68,000 new soldiers each year.
Army officials estimate only 23% of young Americans are eligible for service, mostly due to obesity and low academic ability. The service is increasingly relying on a new set of courses for applicants who are slightly too overweight or performed poorly on the ASVAB to come into compliance with military standards. The Army this month expanded that effort from a pilot program in Fort Jackson, South Carolina, to Fort Benning, Georgia -- which can accommodate roughly 12,000 troops who otherwise wouldn't have been eligible to join. That figure comes close to making up the recruiting shortfall last year.
Army planners are looking to expand the program even further to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, and Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
"What we're not willing to do is lower standards." Gen. James McConville, the Army's top officer, said at an Association of the United States Army conference Wednesday. "Quality is more important than quantity. But what we are willing to do is invest in young men and women."

Part of the issue is the image portrayed by the media of the military, and the options available for service versus the alternative options. Currently the military is behind the power curve on training if we look at the Air Force if properly applied, you can go through the university of the Air Force And come out with a degree in viable job skills with options. It is part of their command philosophy. The army in the Marine Corps do not have said options for years. If you were in the army, you got out with skills and no viable job opportunities the G.I. Bill is no longer enough. We are now in competition with trade schools, employers colleges, and we need to improve the image, not as warriors, but as a place that you get viable skills and experience that I can turn into dollars, and cents at the end of my military journey whether that’s for years or 24 years With our current up-tempo in our fridge in cycles, we need to become the preferred location for training where you don’t just get trained, but paid to train in the very best skills on the cutting edge, we need to change the way America looks at the military we need to get back in the Hollywood bowl or whatever they’re making movies or TV shows. We need to stop showing the PTSD that going psycho. We need to stop having a beer bank, robbers for their buddies or the bad guy, and every third show. We need to make service members the hero again show up and high schools schools of every level and bring patriotism back, make it a good day for people to serve the country.

If I told the truth I'd be immediately banned from this website. If you were/are enlisted and were in the military before and after about 2006-2008 you KNOW what changed.

I'll say this much: young men who join the military do so to learn to be a warrior. To challenge their limits, spit in the face of those limits, and push beyond them to become a soldier of the greatest military the world has ever seen. If you think that is how ANYONE on Earth sees the US military today, congratulations. You are part of the problem.

Gee, what could be causing the recruiting issue we see? Hmmm… could it be:

The direct conflict between progressive left ideology being pushed and the type of corn fed middle American psych profile that makes up the majority of combat jobs in the military- specifically the infantry- I’ll give you a hint- misty people that are willing to lay down their lives for the ideals this country represents- are what is now considered a slur by at least 50% of the country. They’re called patriots. They’re also predominantly conservative.

The laughable pay and miserable living conditions that a lot of military families are forced to deal with- that is, if they want to serve and have a family. Oh by the way- let’s not forget that this problem is almost entirely relegated to the enlisted ranks, so throw in some class bitterness while you’re at it.

The fact that the eligible pool of young men is being castigated by society so they’re opting out- almost entirely. Can’t say as I blame them. Why would you serve a country that every day in a variety of social venues, your society tells you that you’re oppressive, bigoted, misogynistic, sexist, racial homophobic, xenophobic etc etc etc. The real problem is that patriotism in general is in decline thanks to a myriad of factors- not the least of which are Iraq and Afghanistan and the WMD lie in general. That shit turned even die hards like me into someone that’s way more critical of any foreign intervention and the US agenda that’s being obfuscated from the population. Also, culturally, trying to recruit people that are generally self-centered, more easily offended and far less physically fit into a culture that ostensibly demands submission to authority, physical fitness, and the mentality of sacrifice of an individual for the greater good of the whole- is pretty much a pipe dream at this point.

The answer is yes. It is because of all these things and more.

We’ve allowed the multicultural bastion of individual rights and freedoms be consumed by corruption, political perversion, hedonism, consumption and moral decay, then question why we can’t recruit something that requires selflessness, sacrifice, mental, physical and moral fortitude.

LOL. Anyone still perplexed as to why recruiting numbers are so low is really beyond saving. It’s so mind-numbingly obvious to anyone that has served in any unit that doesn’t spend the majority of their day riding a desk in the AC. Most of you motherfuckers have lost the plot, and it shows. Bullets and shrapnel don’t give a shit about your race, your gender, your history or your feelings. The sooner the military can get back to that and make the culture attractive to the people required to keep it going again, the trend will continue.

Prediction: Pentagon will double down on the ideological nonsense and become more and more dependent on fat pasty nerds to operate it all. What a goddamned shame.

Bring back the draft, with no exemptions. everyone (including women) everywhere- with alternatives for public service (firefighters, education iniciatives,toxic clean-up etc. etc.)

invoke the 60's draft again. a min. of 2 years of service

Realize that the military is different than working at McDonald's. There are standards...health and weight standards, fitness standards, age standards, education
standards, etc.. Not everyone is eligible. Select the best that are out there, train them and treat them well.

Bring back the draft...simple and easy peasy, problem solved.

Indef bonuses would be a good way to retain soldiers who are on the fence

Well, where to begin? Oh I know, bonuses! It's expensive but, people aren't going to sign a contract to serve for 3 - 6 years for most of the same benefits you could get at Starbucks. Also, Starbucks isn't going to send you to some far off place to fight a war that isn't our business to be in.
Other issues being things outside of service control. More high school kids are fatter, dumber and on meds than ever before. We simply can't bring them in at all. The education system isn't teaching them relevant subjects well enough for them to get adequate ASVAB scores. They aren't getting enough exercise and have poor diets and therefore won't even meet entry standards for weight. Finally, they're all "diagnosed" with some disorder and put on medication, thus disqualifying them.

I would stop fighting wars for imperialism, and stealing opium that we sell back to Americans and veterans in the form of opiates and pain killers. Marine corps general smedley butler said all wars are for profit and wall st. Maybe focus on actual national defense, and not harassing farmers, creating generational blood debts, that lead to blowback like 9/11. Just a theory.

How about doing what Israel does, make military service mandatory at the age of 18 for 2 years, for everybody.

Much of the issues happening to recruiting is a result of public perception of the current Administration. You have recruiters trying to round up warm bodies and when you look into recent events the US Government is funding a European theater of War with rumors the US could be more involved depending on what happens. That looming in the future with the failed exit of Afghanistan still in view through the rear view mirror gives potential recruits a serious reason to pause and contemplate. They have seen how this Administration conducts itself regarding Military actions and have concerns for their future.

It's complicated...maybe ask the Marines, they seem to be the only branch meeting quotas.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaknrkuYBjE
Start the video at 15 minutes 20 seconds

Bring back the Draft.

With the current leadership of this country. I would not try and recruit anyone. I would never salute The Whiner in Chief, under any circumstance. So, I would not try and convince anyone to enlist. The Rump military police will be watching everyone to make sure they grovel when he comes around.

Make the service something to be proud of. Every time there's no direct threat, a society becomes complacent. Ancient Rome was a classic example. They had to buy off Genghis Khan! We must have a cohort that can defend America. Only the most patriotic should be there, but many see a chance for advancement. I'm for both. The automation will be extensive and relentless. However we have to fight, someone has to know how. Don't accept low standards of competence or character.

It’s ok young man. You won’t go crazy, you won’t be homeless, you won’t die in the military. Better to be a live wimp than a dead or crazy hero. But the navy been very good to me giving me a Purple Heart, and paying me for a loss of sanity. I was able to experience some normalcy. . Life is precious, freedom is not free. Muslims die for 72 virgins but America has lost its soul trying to get rich. Why would a man die for a country that rejects the after life, that has gay chaplains that don’t believe the gospel. Straight chaplains that deny the power there of.

The enemy don’t quit but soldiers feel like it after one or two tours. What are you gonna do make he army Muslim so you fight on the same level. Make the army like the IDF and truly fight terrorism. But you will have to do a lot of killing. What makes a Muslim soldier fight in Afghanistan for over 30 years and win. Do they have ptsd? They love it! Their kids love it!

Is their hate stronger than the love of our country. The government wants us to submit our sovereignty to the one world government. What about declaring peace and isolation. Nobody is grateful for democracy anymore. You don’t need those 15000 to defend our country. Only we do to police the world. That is going nowhere. But Israel is handling itself,out there. Give men a chance, no more foreign wars just our borders. Protecting our international financial interests has no soul except for the few rich persons. We can take care of ourselves and use our money wisely doing it and feed the poor.

Stop science, pay off the debt. Peaceful use of the soldier. Defend democracy but don’t give it away. Preserve it for ourselves. Make democracy right for us before fighting someone else’s war and then try to give it. NOT. Correct human nature. Is mister trump going to start wars you think. The kids think so.

Treat your people the way you want to be treated. Get rid of DEI, woke crap. The military is here to protect the USA. There is no place for all this BS about who you sleep with being brought up in public. There are 2 genders, male and female. That's it. The American Flag represents everyone, if your feelings are hurt by looking at the American Flag, than you should be removed and given a general discharge. If you can't handle that, you have no business in the military because you won't be able to handle combat. Treat your veterans well, dont discard them like trash. They are your biggest recruiting tool. That's just to start with.

I would institute a mandatory two year program for ALL graduating seniors not currently enrolled in a college for the coming semester - no deferments except for verifiable handicaps. Also, no washing out of the military; once you're in, you're in. After a time once you've learned discipline, leadership, goals, and a little about life, you can then decide after two years if you want to reenlist, or use your benefits for school. Either way, you'll finally be making wiser decisions about your life.

Legalizing marijuana, and wokeness has killed the military. Why would a clean and sober straight person want to join today's military?!? Answer is not many. Heck, half of America is either stoned out of their mind or too queer to fight. Just my opinion for today.

Look at the pool they were using back whenever and look at the pool they are using today.
Look at the differences and you may find so politically incorrect or acceptable answers.

This is my opinion and not what I am in uniform. I would make a horrible recruiter as sometimes I let my professional feelings at work get in the way of wanting to help recruit somebody into the service. That said, if somebody wanted to join, I would ask them why. It doesn't hurt to ask them why, because many of them haven't given it a good thought. What is going to motivate them to drive on when the tough gets going? Whats going to get them up in the early morning even after they had a late night. I want them to happy with their decision and not someday be like I didn't give them my honest opinion. To your question specifically, I feel like politics can have a major effect because of how polarized politics are right now. No question about it, I feel it is bigger than economy. I think our political and military leaders need to accept that. They need to tone down the rethotic that will somehow affect our military from recruiting the best that we can. We need people to join not out of loyalty to a specific political party, but to the service and that of the nation. Only saying that because I had a civilian state to me that she would not join under President Trump. I have served under several Presidents starting with President Obama.