Mark Esper says military recruitment is DYING because of obesity, drug use, health problems

Former Defense Sec. Mark Esper warned of the bleak U.S. military recruiting numbers, writing that only a small portion of the U.S. is fit to serve more, as many are either overweight, use drugs, or have criminal histories.

“The all-volunteer US Army (AVF) is slowly dying out,” Esper wrote in an op-ed Fox news. “The armed forces are struggling as rarely before to meet their recruitment targets.”

Esper, the former Secretary of the Army, noted that the branch will be the hardest hit and will fall short of up to 15,000 soldiers this year.

“The fact is, the pool of Americans aged 17-24 who are qualified and interested in serving continues to dwindle,” he said. In 2018, only 29 percent of youths met military eligibility requirements, the other 71 percent likely ineligible because of “obesity, drug use, physical and mental health problems, and criminal misconduct,” Esper wrote.

Today, that number is just 23 percent, one-tenth of whom don’t meet academic standards for service.

Worse, of the 3.5 million young Americans left, only 9% (~320,000) have an inclination to serve. A country of 332 million people should do better,” Esper wrote.

The former secretary also denounced a “knowledge gap” due to “citizens’ lack of interaction with those in uniform” and said the White House and Congress must act together to dispel “misconceptions” about life in uniform.

He called for the creation of a committee to look at ways to improve the health and fitness of American youth and to find new ways for civilians and military personnel to interact, including ensuring recruiters’ free access have to high schools across America’.

“The Pentagon should refrain from lowering standards, downsizing the military or creating hollow combat formations,” he added.

“As threats from China and elsewhere increase, we cannot risk our future by ignoring these issues,” the former secretary concluded.

Lieutenant General Xavier Brunson, the commander of the Lewis-McChord Joint Base in Washington, put forward a similar theory as to why the military was expected to lag so far behind its recruiting targets this year.

Esper, former secretary of the army, noted that the branch will be the hardest hit – this year will be up to 15,000 soldiers short this year

Worse, of the 3.5 million young Americans left, only 9% (~320,000) have an inclination to serve. A country of 332 million people should do better,” Esper . wrote

“Some of the challenges we have are obesity, we have pre-existing medical conditions, we have behavioral problems, we have crime, people with crimes, and we have drug use,” Brunson told Spokesman Review.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), more than 22 percent of 12- to 19-year-olds were obese between 2017 and 2020. For adults, that figure rose to 42 percent.

To increase recruiting numbers, the military plans to “lower the gates” and find new ways to call upon the armed forces for youth, especially amid its lowest deficit since the post-Vietnam War. according to the New York Times.

A survey conducted by the military in June found that young people knew little about the benefits of the military, including buying a home, early retirement and education benefits.

More than half also felt that soldiers have a poor work-life balance.

The military plans to shift its recruiting focus by deploying “influencers.”

The service department plans to maintain its standards, focus on quality and invest in young people. Educators will be an important part in reaching potential recruits by teaching the various opportunities the military offers, Brunson said.

U.S. Army Chief of Staff General James McConville also said monetary efforts are underway to increase recruits, with bonuses of up to $50,000 and bonuses of up to $35,000 for soldiers who leave within 45 days.

“I think we just want to show people that the military is a viable option,” said Sgt. Jesse Wallace of a recruitment agency in Spokane told Spokesman Review.

“We don’t want it to be seen as a last resort.”