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

The DOD needs to stop focusing on social issues and get back to making Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors and Marines. That's why these young men and women sign up. Our daughter and my neighbors son both serve right now, they are fed up with the DOD pushing a woke agenda on them. That and the retirement has switched to a 401K it appears. My daughter and her fiancé will not re-up due to what I just said. Trust me, neither are slackers either and both had internal offers from SOCOM. Both turned it down because what Washington is doing. Do we want warriors or social justice warriors?

STOP blaming everything on so-called, right wing hi-jacked term "wokeness." It's a lazy, fear-mongering cop out talking point. The services need to find out why the military career is no longer relevant to our younger generation not politicians and pundits. I joined because of my family environment and proximity to two major bases. I also was surrounded by solid veteran and military role models who influenced and mentored me. If we are not out there in the schools and orgs promoting our career path to the next generation, then we only have ourselves to blame.

stop enlisting women and homosexuals to cohabit with combat troops.

100% PAY more. Back in the days people would join to serve their country with pride. But it's no longer looked at as a patriotic thing to do, yet a job that you can lose your life for. People with high risk careers in the civilian world get compensated for that (before dying) the army should do the same. They should pay soldiers outstanding Salary's to show this is career that could truly benefit your future. Show the military stands out and also has high standards. More people should be expressing that because in the real world most people would call someone stupid for joining the military 99% of the time because of how their compensated salary wise. 100% PAY MORE for enlisted solider's you'll solve this problem easily. It's a JOB so treat it as such.

i enlisted in the navy to avoid the draft into the Army, i did not want to get shot or learn a job that would not translate into employment after service -
I learn to become an Electrician and work at that long enough to go to college and become a nurse - which i did for 44 years -
I do not see any ads telling youth about anything other then computer jobs, show us the truck drivers, divers, airplane mechanics, sailing expertise, corpsman, parachute folders and so much more - there DAM LITTLE translation to civilian life in saying I can shot someone

Bring back the Americas Army Game, That's definitely something the younger generation can relate with.

Football and bbq. I’ve been in two state national guards now and there’s no hang out culture. There’s tiny clicks at most. So word gets around, hey how do u like it, and young folk says don’t do it, it sux. They can make more money at chipotle, so at least have a bond. I enlisted 20 years ago and I enlisted again because im from the 9/11 era, what can I say. But that’s what I’m seeing on the ground with the youngins. I’m E4, so I’m day in and day out with them. So have football and bbq and hang out with newbs, versus we offer what fast food offers. Ex college programs, money.

Having been in both recruiting and later in personnel management one factor has the greatest effect: unemployment rate. High unemployment, anyone can succeed in recruiting. Low unemployment rate, recruiting is very difficult at best. The military has to compete with up front incentives. VA benefits, great retirement doesn't compute with most potential recruits. They just don't,can't or won't look that far into the future. You compete with all those out of high school candidates with an up front incentives.

Have a Better retirement system in place, Senators and Congressmen as well the women who serve in that capacity receive BETTER Benefits then our troops who actually serve, I know there are Veterans serving in DC, so I’m certain they will benefit, putting something Better would help, I hear Tatoos can be a major Disqualification unless they get a waver, another one is Better Pay

The military is not being marketed (I can't believe those words together in a sentence) to these newer generations in a language they understand. Specific career opportunities, opportunities to "save the world" and blatant rewards are the current motivators. The career path into Hi-tech has not been exploited at all, and most certainly there has been a reluctance on behalf of the military to even approach Tech companies to aid in recruiting. There is a failure to paint a picture beyond face paint and rappelling.