An Cosantóir

www.military.ie THE DEFENCE FORCES MAGAZINE | 21 New Navy recruits are sworn in at ceremony at the Indianapolis 500. Recruits from all branches are sworn in at ceremony at the Indianapolis 500. Quartermaster 1st Class Christian McGhee inspects recruits during a uniform inspection at Navy Recruit Training Command. to enlisting; five years ago, no waivers were given for marijuana usage. The head of army recruiting, Major General Jeff Snow, explained last year: "Provided they understand that they cannot do that when they serve in the military, I will waive that all day long." Illegal drugs are not the only disqualifying substances. Some ADHD medication, anti-depressants, and other prescription drug use at any time during childhood can also prevent enlistment. With the government's Center for Disease Control reporting that 5.2% of 2 to 17-year-old Americans are currently taking medication for the treatment of ADHD, many become instantly ineligible to serve. While 71% are disqualified from service, even fewer have an inter- est in enlisting. Only 12% of 18-year-olds in 2018 showed an interest in joining the military. This varies by branch of service, with the Air Force currently at 7%, the lowest it has been since before the recession. The propensity surveys carried out by the Department of Defense showed that interest in joining the Air Force was highest, at 11%, in the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. As the job market, salaries, and the overall economy improve, interest in joining the military usually decreases – they are inversely correlated. For example, one study by the RAND Corporation found that as unemployment increases by 1%, recruitment of high-quality candidates increases by about 0.5%. While the economy remains strong, the benefits of joining the military become less appealing. In a 2017 Department of Defense study the top reason given by participants as their reason for potentially joining the military was to pay for further education (49% of participants gave this as one reason), and 'pay/money' was third on the list of top 10 reasons (with 44% of participants giving this as one reason). 'It is my duty/obligation to my country' was in eighth position on the list (with 28% of participants giving this as a reason). Unemployment rates are at recent record lows, meaning there is job opportunities open to young people without them needing to enlist. There are also more career pathways in a strong economy that do not require college degrees. Fully paid college tuition after four years of military services loses effectiveness as an incentive when potential recruits do not see the need to attend college. For those who see the value in college, the military has to con- vince them that they should enlist first and delay college until they complete their service. This is not always an effective sales pitch. The various branches of services are not just competing against themselves or colleges; they are also competing against every private company in the ongoing talent war. "You have fewer people who can serve, they have more oppor- tunities in the job market, that makes it very hard on the army," explained Beth Asch, a senior economist at the RAND Corporation. As detailed by Admiral Robert Burke, the vice chief of Naval Operations, the war for people is also enticing service members out of the military. "Talent is tough to draw in and even tougher to keep," Burke explained. "Just like corporate businesses are adapting, the navy must adapt to modern personnel policies as well." The current active duty force being stationed at remote bases or concentrated in specific areas can lead to a military-civilian divide. In the mid-1990s, 40% of potential recruits had at least one parent who served in the military. That percentage has more than halved. Lack of interactions with members of the military can lead to mis- conceptions about service. Lernes 'Bear' Hebert, acting deputy assistant secretary of de- fense for military personnel policy, illustrated why this is a problem. "While there is great support for military servicemen and women, we do find that misperceptions about service have taken a toll on the propensity to serve," said Herbert. Even though service members who see combat are in the minor- ity, 63% of young people think it is 'likely' or 'very likely' that people leave the military with psychological or emotional problems. Closer connections with members of the military may not only help to clear up some of the misconceptions created about the mili- tary from television, movies, and videos, but a 2018 RAND study on the life of new soldiers, found that almost 21% of soldiers in their research group were influenced by a friend or significant other to join, compared to just over 8% by a military recruiter. To combat the issues that military recruiting is facing, the army increased the number of recruiters by 800. The navy raised special duty assignment pay, allowing recruiters to collect up to $525 extra per month. They also increased the number of recruiters from 2016 by 16% to almost 3,400. The Army has set aside $450m for bonuses to assist with recruit- ment and retention. These may be specific to the occupation, such as the $11,000 bonus for joining the infantry, or time-based, such as a $20,000 quick-ship bonus for leaving for training within 30 days of signing their enlistment contract if there are spaces to be immediately filled. About the Author: Shane McCarthy is the chief marketing officer of Sandboxx, a platform that supports over a million United States service members and their supporters throughout their military journey via content, technology, and products enabling the military ecosystem to thrive. He has also briefed and advised numerous military recruiting commands.

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