A new poll indicates that a significant majority of Americans would not recommend military service to their family members, citing dangers and distrust in the military.
A recent poll conducted by Defense Priorities/YouGov has revealed that 63% of Americans would not advise their family members to join the military, with only 37% showing encouragement toward military service. This data comes as various branches of the U.S. military grapple with ongoing recruiting and retention challenges, raising concerns about the future of military enlistment.
The poll, conducted between July 18 and July 24, gathered responses from 1,000 American adults. The findings indicate that a majority of those who discourage military service are motivated by concerns over safety. Specifically, 57% of respondents cited the inherent dangers of military service as their primary reason for advising against it. Additionally, 45% of those opposed referenced the “failed wars in Iraq and Afghanistan” as influential factors in their stance.
NEW POLL—Defense Priorities commissioned a survey to assess the general public's feelings on pressing foreign policy issues.
— Defense Priorities (@defpriorities) August 8, 2024
The data reveals a disconnect between Washington's policies and the preferences of the American people.
View the results here: https://t.co/rGVpOXtQCg
Recent years have seen the military struggle to meet recruiting targets, a problem exacerbated by declining public confidence in military leadership. Only the Marine Corps and Space Force successfully met their recruiting goals in fiscal year 2023, while the Army, Air Force, and Navy fell short by thousands of recruits, according to a report from Military.com. The Navy, in particular, is expected to miss its recruiting target again in fiscal year 2024, according to Military Times.
The poll also highlighted other reasons for the reluctance to encourage military enlistment. About 28% of respondents pointed to the frequency of deployments as a significant deterrent. Additionally, 22% expressed concerns over the perceived political correctness within the military, and 41% reported a general distrust of the military as reasons for their stance.
The poll’s results are consistent with previous findings, such as a 2018 Pew Research Center poll indicating widespread belief among Americans that the U.S. failed in the Iraq War. Similarly, a 2022 Gallup poll found that 50% of Americans considered the war in Afghanistan a mistake.
As the Pentagon continues to seek solutions to these recruitment and retention issues, the poll underscores the growing skepticism among Americans regarding military service. Despite efforts to address these challenges, the Defense Priorities/YouGov poll reflects a significant shift in public perception of the military’s role and the risks associated with service.
The Pentagon did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the poll’s findings.
