The US military is facing a staffing crisis

The US military is facing a shortage of recruits due to the declining prestige of military service among American youth.This was reported by The Wall Street Journal on Friday, citing Pentagon statistics. Only 9% of young Americans aged 16 to 21 expressed a desire to serve in the army, while before the coronavirus pandemic, this figure was 13%. The reason for the decline in the popularity of military service, according to the newspaper, was 20 years of the US war in Iraq and Afghanistan without major military victories, as well as scandals due to the poor quality of housing and medical care for soldiers, low salaries for lower ranks, as well as more frequent cases of post-traumatic stress disorder and suicide among military personnel.
 
The newspaper clarifies that 80% of recruits are relatives of American military personnel, however, they are less and less likely to choose a career in the ranks of the armed forces. "Those who can influence them tell them not to join the army. Moms and dads, uncles, coaches and pastors don't think it's a good idea," said Mike Mullen, former chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff.
 
According to the statistics of the US Department of Defense, the recruitment of 2022 has become the most difficult in recent times. The Army lost 25% of its recruits, the biggest shortage of new recruits since 1973. It is expected that in 2023 this branch of the armed forces will receive less than 15 thousand recruits against the declared figure of 65 thousand people. The US Navy assumes that it will be short of 10 thousand people out of 38 thousand, and the air force - 10 thousand out of 27 thousand. The problem is so acute that the absence of its solution will force the Pentagon to reduce the number of personnel of the Armed Forces, notes WSJ.