Can America sustain an all volunteer military?

2023-04-17T07:20:39-04:00

Amidst a recruiting and retention crisis, the question arises. Are the quality and quantity of the American force enough to maintain our status in the world, or even effectively defend the nation?

Response by Lt Col Charlie Brown made Apr 17 at 2023 7:23 AM

2023-04-17T07:23:55-04:00

We had better figure it out as I don't think we have the will to push the draft back into being...unless we were actually attacked...and perhaps not even then.

Response by SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth made Apr 17 at 2023 7:24 AM

2023-04-17T07:24:19-04:00

That's a tough question MAJ Montgomery Granger , but the way things are going now a days, I'd have to say no.

Response by COL Randall C. made Apr 17 at 2023 7:49 AM

2023-04-17T07:49:36-04:00

I think you'll have an answer if you flip the question around - Can American sustain anything else but an all volunteer military.

As Lt Col Charlie Brown said, I don't think the country has the will for a draft these days. Societal values have changed markedly over the last decade.

My concern is not that we'll be able to sustain an all volunteer military. My concern is that we will do a significant change to our defense-planning model that is driven by our resources and not the threat (classic example of 'the tail wagging the dog').

Response by SFC Casey O'Mally made Apr 17 at 2023 10:58 AM

2023-04-17T10:58:36-04:00

Yes, but.....

We need to stop policing the world. We cannot continue to be the main enforcement arm of NATO AND the UN. Has there been a NATO mission yet that was not AT LEAST 50% US? There may have been, but I cannot think of any. There have been smaller UN missions, I am sure, which did not involve the US at all. But, there again, the UN has to rely primarily on the US to keep others in line. We cannot be the stick most nations rely on to threaten potential aggressors.

If we downsize our global commitment, we can sustain a competent fighting force capable of closing with and destroying any enemy we face.

If we return the Department of Defense to actually being DEFENSE, and stop being the department of OFFENSE, or "force projection," then we can EASILY maintain an all-volunteer military, even trim some of the fat (both literally and figuratively).

But at the CURRENT commitment (and cultural atmosphere) I do not think it is possible. Tobsustaon an all-voluntary force at current commitment levels, we will need a cultural shift to the military being both honorable AND not special. Over the last several years, the military reputation has taken a hit for MANY reasons, both "woke" (e.g. transgender policy, hunt for "extremists") and "not woke enough" (e.g. handling of sexual harassment and assault). On top of that, we have created a mythos the military service is a thing only special people can do. Don't get me wrong, I am happy civilians are no longer spitting on Soldiers as their welcome home from war. But the pendulum has swung too far the other direction, and now EVERY servicemember is a "hero." And if you do a self-evaluation and believe you are not "hero material," you screen yourself out without even trying. So those who CAN make it are not applying at nearly the rate they used to. And the ones who DO apply don't have what it takes at nearly the same rate as they used to.

Response by SGM Mikel Dawson made Apr 17 at 2023 11:34 AM

2023-04-17T11:34:39-04:00

From what I hear and read, much of the recruitables are either over weight, low I.Q., can't meet the standards. Will be a trick to maintain.

Response by SSgt Christophe Murphy made Apr 17 at 2023 11:55 AM

2023-04-17T11:55:06-04:00

There is always a slump after any long term engagement. I think that the low numbers are concerning but more concerning would be the start of a new draft. I think we would see some serious issues with that and they would quickly surpass anything we see with low recruiting numbers in some of the branches.

This isn't something you can just buy away with signing bonuses or something you can be woke enough to solve like that awful recruiting campaign the ARMY did a while back. The Marine Corps meet's it's goals and they don't offer much to new recruits other than a keychain, shirt and a chance to be one of the Few/Proud. Marine Recruiters have always been pretty rough to applicants in comparison to the other services. Applicants see the theater of it and know when they are being shined.

Response by SMSgt Keith Klug made Apr 24 at 2023 6:42 AM

2023-04-24T06:42:13-04:00

Sure it can. As long as you don't mind the communist uniforms the new recruits will want to wear, and probably approved for wear by today's leaders.

Response by SSG Harry Herres made Jun 16 at 2023 5:09 AM

2023-06-16T05:09:37-04:00

Sadly we have become a nation of me, not us! Somewhere we lost what used to be America the new generation is what is in it for me? The old saying, "Ask not what can America can do for me, but, What Can I Do for America" is long gone! At 74 if called I'm there for America!

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 17 at 2023 8:00 AM

2023-06-17T08:00:06-04:00

Not going to lie Sir, I feel like if we don't get overly involved in the Ukraine/Russia Conflict and if we eventually complete our mission in the OIR areas. There's a high chance that we will go back to a downsize of our active forces. We've seen downsizes happen multiple times over the years. I'd be afraid of a draft, many of the Soldiers, Marines, Sailors and Airmen we get today very quickly become dissatisfied with serving. Those are volunteers, imagine the difference with draftees. It's a tough road ahead, my hope leans towards the volunteer force with a slight downsize due to less war. (Fingers crossed for some peacetime)

Response by SGT Mike Adams made Jun 27 at 2023 10:41 AM

2023-06-27T10:41:17-04:00

I think that people like Austin, Milly and Air Force CoS Brown has ruining our military. Sense the conception of our country Anglo Europeans have shed ten times the amount of blood all others combined. Now they want to kick patriotic white men out of the service. They just want to make it easy for China to roll over and rule us.