Lt. Gen. Daniel L. Kabule, commander of the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, took the oath of service to eight new Army soldiers at the "Swearing-in Ceremony for Future Soldiers" on October 20, 2023. (U.S. Army photographed by Ronald Bailey**).
According to a new study published this week by the RAND Corporation, most Americans would discourage young people around them from joining the military, but the vast majority would encourage them to join the military.
The study found that 54Four percent of respondents would discourage a 17-year-old relative from joining the military as an enlisted member, although nearly two-thirds of Americans would encourage them to go the officer route, through a service academy or the Reserve Officer Training Corps (also known as the ROTC).
The study comes at a time when the All-Volunteer Army is in one of the worst conscription periods known, with most branches failing to achieve their goal of getting Americans to sign up for service. At the same time, RAND also analyzed the public's perception of veterans, which the report said were "overwhelmingly positive."
The current recruitment crisis across the services reflects the public's perception of the military, declining confidence in the armed forces, the end of the war in Afghanistan, the politicization of the military and the polarization of the public, all of which are reasons for the shaking of respect for a typical bulletproof institution, the report said.
"At the same time, as the number of veterans declines, military propensity — the possibility of young Americans joining the military — and general confidence in the military are declining," the study said. ”。With more than two years to go before the end of the longest war in U.S. history, these trends raise important and pressing questions about the public's perception of the military and uniformed services. ”
The study found that Democrats were less likely than Republicans to encourage young people they knew to join the military, but the two were relatively consistent in encouraging them to join the military through the officer route.
RAND also found that negative views of veterans were associated with lower odds of encouraging young people to enlist. Respondents who have served in the military themselves are more likely than civilian workers to believe that most Americans look down on the armed forces, according to the study.
It measures certain veteran stereotypes, both negative and positive.
Some positive stereotypes include veterans who are self-disciplined, loyal, pragmatic, and responsible. Negative stereotypes include being "aloof," capricious, and unsociable. Based on measured stereotypes, a majority of Americans support a positive view of veterans, although responses vary by age and demographics.
Nearly 80 percent of respondents said veterans were self-disciplined, and 20 percent said veterans were aggressive.
"Negative stereotypes lead to stigma and discrimination, and that's how this belief behaves," the study said. ”。For example, if a veteran is believed to have a war-induced mental illness, then the individual may avoid interacting with them. But stereotypes don't just affect the perceptions and behaviors of people who hold stereotypes; They can also influence the stereotypes themselves, ultimately leading to self-stigmatization that is most problematic. ”
RAND's report is somewhat inconsistent with another study published last month by Ronald Reagan and the Institute. It says a very small number of Americans would encourage friends and family to join the military.