What do you see as the military's greatest challenge in 2023 and why?

The biggest challenge for the military is to get out and stay out of politics. As the numbers show the number of service members are getting concerningly low. No one wants to be forced to make a decision between their career or forced discharged because of a experimental drug that we now know have cost lives.

World War

Leadership at the top. Lack of a defined mission.

Finding young talent in progressive areas to fill in the ranks. After 16 years of service I have seen the mindset differentiate between deep rooted traditional communities and progressive ones. By no means am I making a political statement but it is important to understand the why in order to create a what. A what action do we need to take based on the why. If leaders understand what differentiates us, we CAN find what does not to revitalize that common goal. To re-energize why we decide to raise our right hand together and put those combat boots to our feet and hold that weapon at the ready. There's a deep psychological concept that is integrated in all this and too much to talk about in this thread but if anyone that has weight to make these strategic decisions for our larger military recruitment goals, I'd be happy to expand on it privately.

The greatest near and mid term challenge to our military is keeping the divisive politics of our day out of the ranks.

We have no room for right or left identity politics or the resulting "culture wars."

We serve no person or party. We took an oath to support and defend an ideal, a set of principles embodied in the Consitution of the United States of America. This we will defend by the oaths we swore to protect this ideal, which is the guiding document for our democracy, against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

Woke Training and lowering of physical fitness standards are the two issues that make the military a political football and not a challenge for red blooded American men looking for an organization they can be proud of joining.

I agree with Colonel Randall C: "Recruiting and Retention"
Why: The military services are late in getting the message out to young men and women on the benefits of military service and training to themselves and to America.
Recruiting and retaining motivated, disciplined, and dedicated recruits to take a more active role in making a difference in their own lives and in their communities through service in the U.S. Military. Young men and women are more likely to join and organization when they find out what is in it for them. To take a more active part in the society to which you belong, you must first find out about yourself. You also must find out what training and employment opportunities are available in that society. The ASVAB is a good start for a military occupational speciality. It is also a good start to finding out where you may fit in to employment in America. As a citizen, veteran, and parent I want teachers, and military leaders in my community to motivate young men and women to their highest potential (both academically and ethically). Young men and women are most likely influenced by their peers then they are by their parents or teachers. They want to fit in. They get excited about something they should not do and they get in trouble. The military services should to strive to motivate the unmotivated and uninformed to invest in themselves through service to their country.

SPC James Neidig and MSG Thomas Currie summed up the problems very succinctly. I have served many years ago and been in education most of my professional life. I know of only one college that teaches Citizenship and the Constitution as part of the curriculum.
This may be altruistic, but we need to go back to the basics, pride in our country, pride in our Constitution, proud to be a citizen. “United we stand, divided we fall.”

Maintaining morale and an effective fighting force in the face of woke policies that are decimating the military.

Lack of true Primary Care