America faces cultural crisis as military size shrinks amid global tensions
WORLD 05 July 2024 - 03:05
In an opinion piece by The Hill, the shrinking size of the American military is framed as a cultural crisis. Caliber.Az presents the article.
Despite the wide range of topics covered in the recent presidential debate on June 27, the future of the American military was conspicuously absent. This omission is surprising given the contentious proposals in the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act, such as requiring women to enrol in selective service, potentially making them eligible for a draft. The Pentagon's recruitment shortfalls, coupled with rising global tensions, have given momentum to such proposals.
While the White House avoids labelling the situation as a new Cold War, prominent figures like Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, advocate for a substantial generational investment in defence. Although there is bipartisan agreement in Washington on the unprecedented dangers facing the nation, there is less consensus on how to address them.
The prevailing strategy involves increasing funding for research and development of advanced defence technologies and unmanned systems. These investments are seen as a way to bridge the gap between America's extensive global security obligations and the dwindling number of personnel available to meet them. However, the anticipated AI boom is losing investor confidence, and even successful technological advancements do not address who will operate these new systems.
Historically, the U.S. faced similar challenges during the Cold War when there was a demand for both combat-ready "warriors" and tech-savvy troops to handle advanced equipment, as noted in President Dwight Eisenhower's Basic National Security Policy in 1953. Today, the problem is even more acute. The current active-duty military force is the smallest since 1940 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt was seeking a third term. This decline is more pronounced when considering the percentage of the population: in 1955, 2% of the population served actively, compared to just 0.4% today.
Some argue that the Defense Department struggles to compete with private sector compensation. However, the demographic disparities—such as gender, race, and occupation—suggest that economic factors alone do not explain the recruitment challenges. Since 2013, the number of male recruits in the Army has dropped by 38%, while the number of female recruits has slightly increased. Despite the integration of women into combat roles, men still predominantly occupy these positions, particularly in special operations, where they constitute 88%. The Army missed its infantry recruiting target by over 50% in 2022, highlighting the strain on frontline troops.
The decline in white recruits is also notable, falling from 44,000 in 2018 to 25,000 in 2023, while other racial demographics remained stable. Given that the military is predominantly male and white, this trend raises concerns about the readiness of frontline units facing modern warfare challenges like those seen in Ukraine.
Various factors contribute to the recruitment crisis, including unpopular wars in the Middle East, controversies over "wokeness" in the Pentagon, the undervaluation of human labour due to technological advancements, and poor management of military housing and family burdens. These issues cut across demographics and are not solely responsible for the decline.
Historical "crises of masculinity" have been documented, but today's crisis coincides with escalating national security threats. European countries like Latvia, Sweden, and potentially Germany are considering or have reinstated conscription in response to security needs. In contrast, the U.S. remains hesitant. President Biden has not commented on the issue, and Donald Trump has dismissed rumours of a national service requirement.
Nevertheless, changing recruitment demographics might eventually compel Congress to consider national service, restructure the armed forces, or reduce military support overseas. Congressional subcommittees must investigate the roots of this crisis to find the most viable solutions, as postponing action is no longer an option.
Caliber.Az
1
|
Q&A: Iran's runoff presidential elections amid historic low turnout Reformists vs. hardliners
04 July 2024 - 17:15
|
2
|
UEFA is opening a "Pandora's box" "The Streisand Effect" in Merih Demiral's case
06 July 2024 - 16:14
|
3
|
Astana summit marks a pivotal moment for Azerbaijan-China strategic partnership Why Asia matters?
04 July 2024 - 13:27
|
4
|
Azerbaijan-SCO: Charting visionary path forward Fostering dialogue and cooperation
04 July 2024 - 12:10
|
5
|
Erdogan criticizes UEFA's disqualification of Turkish footballer over "wolf salute"
05 July 2024 - 16:26
|
US robot packs groceries with record accuracy
07 July 2024 - 22:02
Physical activity - so powerful for brain
Unique exercise for optimal brain health07 July 2024 - 20:03
Turkish Cyprus leader proudly attends OTS Summit in Shusha
07 July 2024 - 18:08
Erdogan optimistic about strengthening Turkish-Iranian relations
07 July 2024 - 17:49
SCO members convene in Shanghai to address western sanctions
07 July 2024 - 17:34
Putin open to holding Turkish-Syrian talks in Türkiye - Erdogan
07 July 2024 - 17:18
Türkiye and EU set to discuss cooperation in Brussels
High-level trade dialogue07 July 2024 - 17:02
Turkish president urges Israel to halt attacks on Gaza
07 July 2024 - 16:46
NATO identifies China as threat due to support for Russia
07 July 2024 - 16:30
Minister affirms Hungary's commitment to peace mission for Ukraine conflict resolution
07 July 2024 - 16:16
Modi's upcoming visit to Russia draws close attention - Spokesman
07 July 2024 - 16:01
Turkic world boosts transport sector, green techologies
Proceeding from summit in Azerbaijan’s Shusha07 July 2024 - 15:46
Russia’s Lavrov criticizes US election campaign
07 July 2024 - 15:29
Iran, Turkmenistan, and Iraq sign strategic sas swap deal
07 July 2024 - 15:12
Russian envoy criticizes western sanctions & dollar dominance at Global Peace Forum
07 July 2024 - 14:55
China bolsters ties in Tajikistan, unveiling strategic partnership & infrastructure support
07 July 2024 - 14:35
Azerbaijan unveils restored Ashagi Govhar-Agha Mosque in Shusha
07 July 2024 - 14:17
Azerbaijani Defence Ministry presents weekly review
VIDEO07 July 2024 - 14:01
Summit in Azerbaijan's Shusha - step toward Turkic world unity, media says
PHOTO07 July 2024 - 13:46
Russian military utilizes Irbis radar for enhanced operational precision in Ukraine war
07 July 2024 - 13:21
Russia announces deployment of new Irbis radar
07 July 2024 - 13:06
Foreign leaders congratulate Iran’s new president-elect
07 July 2024 - 12:50
Constructive force in collapsing world
Organisation of Turkic States’ summit in Azerbaijan’s Shusha07 July 2024 - 12:34
Iran's new president sparks cautious optimism for improved western relations
07 July 2024 - 12:17
Karabakh Declaration paves way for sustainable future through Turkic unity & cooperation
07 July 2024 - 12:01
Belarus modernizes air force with new russian Su-30SM jets
07 July 2024 - 11:44
Official: Ukraine may convey its peace proposals to Russia via intermediaries
07 July 2024 - 11:24
Turkish FM commends Azerbaijan for successful Shusha summit
07 July 2024 - 11:09
UK, Germany, France forge plans for strengthening ties
07 July 2024 - 10:39
Belarus seeks stronger ties with Iran, congrats president-elect Pezeshkian
07 July 2024 - 10:27
Power outage leaves Russia’s Dagestani residents without power
07 July 2024 - 10:09
Iran’s Supreme Leader congrats president-elect on election victory, urges national progress
07 July 2024 - 09:51
Armenia to host joint military exercises with US
07 July 2024 - 09:33
Azerbaijan leads the Turkic world into a new era of synergy & development
Shusha: Unity, strategy, vision07 July 2024 - 09:17
What next after Russia’s failed Kharkiv offensive?
07 July 2024 - 09:05
NATO Summit 2024: Addressing Russian aggression, supply challenges
07 July 2024 - 06:30
Belarus emerges as new nuclear threat
07 July 2024 - 04:23
Urgent need for US-China military dialogue in South China Sea
07 July 2024 - 02:20
Right-wing party leads in French election runoff as tactical voting strategies emerge
07 July 2024 - 00:17
Biden's leadership spurs NATO resurgence at 75th-anniversary summit
06 July 2024 - 22:10