Over the past five years, the U.S. military has seen a 35 percent decline in white recruits – the leading driver behind the wider recruitment crisis our armed services are facing today.
The numbers: According to new data, white recruitment dropped between 2018 and 2023:
- Army dropped 44%, from 44,042 to 25,070
- Air Force dropped 31%, from 21,593 to 15,068
- Navy dropped 25%, from 24,343 to 18,205
- Marine Corps dropped 34%, from 21,455 to 14,287
Did minority groups fill the gap? Their numbers increased slightly, but not nearly enough to compensate for the lost white recruits.
What’s behind the decline? Experts point to a variety of factors, including a growing distrust for government institutions, more appealing civilian opportunities, and the left-wing’s infiltration of our armed forces, which prioritizes “diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)” over military readiness.
Big picture: This is all going down while the Biden regime has allowed kinetic conflicts in Ukraine and across the Middle East (Gaza, Yemen, Syria, Iraq) to take shape – all of which directly or indirectly involve U.S. servicemembers. Add to that the potential for conflict with China over Taiwan.
Lowering standards: Over the past year, the military has repeatedly lowered standards to try and drive recruitment. Most recently, the Navy removed the high school diploma or GED requirement.
The last word goes to Tucker Carlson, who recently spoke to actor turned podcaster Russel Brand and summed up the sentiment that I believe a lot of American parents have. He said:
- “I’ve got four draft-aged children. So if you’re playing recklessly, fast and loose with their lives, then I have a right to despise you. And I do.”
This article is adapted from the free ‘Wake Up Right’ newsletter, which you can subscribe to here.
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