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The US Department of Defense has called for a “broadening of the recruitment pool” as the country pushes to meet voluntary enrolment goals and create innovative national security solutions.
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Department officials must broaden the recruitment pool to “reflect all of the United States, including historically marginalised communities, and promote a diversity of backgrounds and experiences”, according to acting US Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Ashish S Vazirani.
US Under Secretary Vazirani made the comments during the “America’s All-Volunteer Force: The Next 50 Years” conference, hosted at the Institute for Defense Analyses in Virginia, USA, on 29 January.
The reasons for recruiting shortfalls have been well studied, documented, and are complex after the department missed its fiscal year recruiting goal by 41,000 recruits, according to Vazirani.
The greatest challenge to recruiting is the lack of familiarity with the military among young people, he said.
“Young people aren’t saying no to military service, but rather, they simply don’t know much about it. And what they do know is probably incomplete, mischaracterised, or inaccurate,” according to US Under Secretary Vazirani.
“This is a missed opportunity because the military embraces many of the values these young people seek in life and in a career. Young people want options and opportunity to drive impact.
“This is a generation that wants to engage with the world, not shrink from it.”
The department will make efforts to inspire younger generations to serve by promoting ethical leadership, training, education, department benefits, preparatory courses, professional career options in the military, support, services and resources to achieve professional, education, and life goals.
“The best recruiters with the best tools cannot assemble a high-performing force without the support of national leaders, such as government leaders, community leaders, parents, veterans, business leaders, teachers and other influencers, in talking about public service and military service with youth(s) in their communities,” US Under Secretary Vazirani said.
Stephanie Miller, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Personnel Policy, said recruitment through traditional methods such as increasing the number of recruiters, bonus authority and increased marketing and advertising have not necessarily resulted in attaining recruitment gains.
Defence leaders should be asking how the military can connect with and motivate this new generation to serve, she said.
Is it through intangible benefits of service, such as the opportunities for leadership and travel? A sense of belonging and community pride? Selfless service to a greater cause? Pay and benefits that greatly exceed the market value of commensurate civilian work?
“We need to reframe that narrative (of military service as a last resort), such that Americans understand that military service is a pathway to greater education and opportunity for those who may be less inclined to pursue college, initially, after graduation from high school,” she said.
It’s no secret that the Australian Defence Force is facing its own recruitment shortages, after the release of the federal government’s Defence Strategic Review (DSR) in early 2023.
The DSR recommended an increase in recruitment speed from application to enlistment and the process of recruitment should be achieved in days, not months.
It also recommended changes be made to Defence’s recruitment framework, a comprehensive strategic review by 2025 of the ADF Reserves, and consideration of the reintroduction of a Ready Reserve Scheme. The previous federal government announced a target of growing Australia’s armed forces to 80,000 uniformed personnel by 2040 to operate newly purchased military equipment.
Recruitment changes are already in the works with Royal Military College – Duntroon reportedly trialling a new approach to officer training by shortening the current 18-month program to 12 months this year.
Australian Defence Force Academy students will have completed the six modules in command, leadership, warfighting and military planning in a shorter run of the course between January 2024 and 2025 before graduating as lieutenants.
“The program design presents an opportunity to increase the speed-to-capability for generalist officers and inform a training design to benefit other audiences.”
The USA’s near peer adversary, the People’s Republic of China, has also announced changes to military recruitment for 2024.
PLA military recruitment this year has been declared a focus on college students, with emphasis on bilingual and higher educated applicants between the age of 18 and 26.
