Before I start throwing numbers out to the masses, I respect nothing more than any man or woman who volunteer for the United States Military no matter which branch. In many cases it’s a thankless job as the Pentagon bureaucracy has forgotten why these souls enlisted for and abuses their patriotism for purposes our military was not intended.
That being established, and do not try to gaslight this author, the articles started popping everywhere in the media in recent months, and especially yesterday which caused yours truly to take pause:
Army recruiting hits record highs after Trump’s win – February 5, 2025 News Nation
Defense Sec. Hegseth Reports Surge in Military Recruitments – February 5, 2025 Legal Insurrection
Army recruiting shatters records after President Trump election win – February 5, 2025 Fox News
Army to meet 2025 recruiting goals in dramatic turnaround, denies ‘wokeness’ is factor – January 17, 2025 PBS
Recruitment Rises 12.5% Despite Ongoing Challenges – October 31, 2024 DoD News
Trump takes credit for Army recruiting surge, but it started a year ago – February 5, 2025 Task and Purpose
The last article is particularly important as before this year we heard nothing but how woke the military had become, which is a fact, and how absurd our officers corps had become. In fact it started long before Biden and the DEI officer corps took over per this graph via USA Facts:
So what do those circled areas have in common one might ask?
Let’s use our friends at FRED from the St. Louis Federal Reserve to perhaps provide the perspective that is needed, in this case just for men ages 16 to 24 years of age, the prime candidates for service in the US military services:
Wages throughout 2024 started to decline while inflation remained stubborn, weird eh? At the same time per the article above from Task and Purpose:
For the 2024 Fiscal Year, which ended in September, the Army met its goal of recruiting 55,000 active-duty soldiers — a major win for the service after missing recruiting targets the previous two years. Based on its success, the Army announced in October that it had increased its recruiting target for this fiscal year by 6,000 new soldiers.
And, whether due to Trump’s arrival, new recruiting tools or a combination of both, that trend appears to be continuing in early 2025. Since October, the Army has made 59% of its recruiting goal for the 2025 Fiscal Year, a service spokeswoman told Task & Purpose Wednesday.
Is this a trend with actual verifiable data? Not without surveying each recruit or applicant as to their reason for enlisting and detailing that data for public review (Hint: Isn’t happening). However, using the charts above, just before the start or very beginning of every major recession since 1976, there seems to be a surge in 16 to 24 year olds wanting to join the military as wages stagnate and the ability to find meaningful employment fades.
God bless them for serving, but the headlines and “patriotic” Trump pumping doesn’t pass the smell test. It appears to this author that once again, America is heading for a deep recession and the smart young men and women are seeking a steady paycheck, benefits, and training that the private sector can not provide.
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