Military recruitment is down. Why don’t young Americans want to join?
A diminishing pool of Americans are eligible to join the Army, Navy, or Air Force. An even smaller pool want to.
Updated on Tue, November 7, 2023 by the USAFacts Team
While the Marine Corps and Space Force — independent branches organized under the Navy and Air Force, respectively — anticipate meeting their 2023 recruitment goals, the military expects to fall short of its goals for the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The Army expects to recruit 55,000 new soldiers in 2023, 10,000 short of its goal. The Air Force also expects a 10,000-person shortfall, and the Navy expects to be 6,000 shy of its goal.
Though the percentage of active duty military members has fluctuated since 2001, it has declined by 39% since 1987, its most recent high.
Who is eligible to join the military?
The Department of Defense developed a method for estimating the number of young adults who would be eligible to join the military. In 2020, its Qualified Military Available study estimated that 23% of Americans ages 17–24 were eligible for military service. (This age group represents 90% of the military’s applicants.) That was a decrease from 2016, when the department estimated that 29% were eligible.
In addition to age and citizenship requirements (some non-citizens can join the military), applicants must meet a set of criteria regarding their health, education, and criminal background.
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