Fox has this story:
To mark the 50th anniversary of the all-volunteer force, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin traveled to Fort Meade, Maryland by Black Hawk helicopter on Wednesday to administer the military oath of office to 85 brave young men and women. 67 of these new recruits shipped out to basic training just hours after the ceremony, leaving for bases all across the country, including Parris Island, South Carolina and Fort Moore, Georgia.
Secretary Austin’s visit comes as the U.S. military continues to face a recruiting crisis, resulting from the robust job market, the end of wars overseas and high rates of PTSD. Recruiters did not have access to college campuses or high schools during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, losing crucial face to face time with potential recruits.
College has also become a more popular option for high school graduates, with 62% of high school seniors pushed to go directly to college. Another reason for low recruitment numbers is the perception among some that the military has gone “woke.” The nation is also facing a health crisis among young people with 77 percent of America’s youth not eligible to serve, according to a Pentagon study.