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

"An educated citizenry is a vital requisite for our survival as a free people." (Thomas Jefferson). Our nation is getting blasted with misinformation from foreign and domestic sources with the intention of dividing and weakening us. This is the biggest threat to our nation and the lack of consensus will lead to divisions that will tear our states apart and jeopardize our military strength.

We need a strong military as we had in the Regan years. Our best defense is a strong military. China
is growing militarily and will soon be ready to challenge us. We need to go back to the draft and require at least 2 years of service both men and women. The military was a great learning tool for young men as I was 18 when I joined the Navy. You learn to take orders and do your best in whatever situation you find yourself. I saved money and used the GI bill to graduate from college.

Respectfully,
Allan Shores PC3, USN
USS BENJAMIN STODDART DDG-22

I was stationed at RTC/NTC/ORL/FL (next to Disney World) not long after the draft ended and we still had a presence in Vietnam. I enlisted older than most (24) so I had seen a few years of anti-war demonstrations before I enlisted. Back then my office processed new recruits into the Navy. We were their two-two day - the second day of their second week. For most of the recruits our day was probably their first contact with any regular Navy beyond their company commander and instructors. Some were terrified because they'd been warned we could get the shit-canned if we thought they lied to us in the interview. We couldn't but we could hold them back in training for a day to a week for cause. Most often not their fault.
According to articles in The New York Times and The Washington Post all the services are having trouble fill the ranks with qualified recruits. In my day we dropped several unqualified recruits a week because their recruiters helped them with or even took the entrance exams for them. In my recruit company of 80 men in Great Lakes in 1974 ten of them were functional illiterates.

Recruiting the next generation

Retention, retention.

Mental health and morale. I feel like too many troops are sent into a leadership position they aren't ready for.

Learning how to be effective with a smaller budget. We are not going to be able to continue purchasing big quantities of expensive weapon systems with our ballooning budget deficits. We need to start now planning how we can still be effective as our budget starts to shrink when adjusted for inflation.

I would say the military's greatest challenge for 2023 would be directives for soldiers towards the goal of defense of our country and families safety at home. The selfless act of honoring your sworn oath given to defend your country and what it stands for and less focus on personal being more than your countries overall well-being. When it is also important too how a soldiers well being is, it is more the duty to provide the hope for the safety of fellow Americans and defend not only the country but the people back home. The other challenge would be the effects of soldiers coming back home and treating them with proper care and providing any needs necessary to help them healthwise mentally and physically.

Being prepared to meet the great challenge that the Chinese military presents.

Another war on two fronts.