As recruiters struggle, Air Force seeks lift from 'Top Gun'

*“ All services are having problems finding young people who want to join and can meet the physical, mental and moral requirements. “*

Physicality, mentality and morals – People always forget about these three. Thousands wanna join, the interest was always there but(!) nowadays we’re living in a divided world, living unhealthy lifestyles and surrounded by technology. So yes, it’s not easy to find these young people. Btw; Top Gun: Maverick – what an amazing movie that is.

There is no lack of patriotism in the USA.

There is a problem with tyranny, and vaccine mandates.

rcchToday  10:13 am JST

“ All services are having problems finding young people who want to join and can meet the physical, mental and moral requirements. “

Physicality, mentality and morals – People always forget about these three. Thousands wanna join,

I can tell you as a veteran that the first two factors are easy to pass but the 'moral' requirement hardly ever counts, unless you are trying to enter as an officer. Officers are held to higher moral standards.

StrangerlandToday  11:34 am JST

There is no lack of patriotism in the USA.

That's right. Well-regulated militias like the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers are on patrol, as patriots. Protected by the constitution.

Terrorists and traitors are not protected by the Constitution. And xenophobia isn't tolerated in the Armed Forces. As for 'patriotism', many may feel what for? The wasteful wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, Haiti, etc. And as for military bonuses, at least Joe restored them after his unpatriotic predecessor stole the funds for his hateful wall.

the Navy expanded its waiver policy for some prior marijuana use and for tattoos — allowing recruits to have visible ones in more places, such as the neck. 

That wasn't an issue when I was in the Navy during the 80s. However, nobody I knew in the Navy had a neck tattoo. But tattoos on the arms weren't uncommon. I had a roommate who was tattooed everywhere except the head, neck, hands and feet and that was permissable.

The film is even less realistic than the 1986 original. Whoever does join the Navy or Air force because of this just isn't doing their homework.

Well, that's what "woke-ism" does to your military.

Instead of focusing on their primary goals, ie, to learn how to defend their country, they waste their time on mandatory "woke" classes.

Anyone who voluntarily joins the military now is suspect to begin with given all the other opportunities out there today for young people. Since the failed Iraq invasion under Bush the standards have been dropping every year dramatically to join up as so few with ability want to do so. Maybe if there is a family tradition of some sort going on it makes sense but most recruits into the Armed Forces today are simply not the shiniest of pennies. Some comments above clearly bear that out.

Kudos must be given to any country's people who begin to understand that sending their children to be trained as organized and obedient killers is maybe a BAD IDEA. If all militarys of the world were to suffer the same difficulty, Humanity might be closer to being on the right track. That the most militaristic and aggressively destructive nationality in the world should have this difficulty is at least a glimmer of hope for Mankind. Unless, of course, one is PRO-WAR and mass murder for LIES...take it from an exMarine...

Maybe if there is a family tradition of some sort going on it makes sense but most recruits into the Armed Forces today are simply not the shiniest of pennies. Some comments above clearly bear that out.

It's a different era now. WW2 was a world war against the fascist Axis Powers of Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Croatia, Slovakia, Thailand, Argentina, and puppet states who were a true menace to people all over the world. After that was the Cold War against Communism which also was a major world menace, this time with the danger of a nuclear suicide that thankfully didn't happen.

When the Cold War ended in late 1989 there was the unrelated Panama war. Then in 1991 war became a TV (and radio) spectator sport with Desert Storm. Even the horrible Yugoslav genocides were used strategically for political purposes by US POTUS. Other wars like Iraq were based on lies and completely wasteful, and Afghanistan was a nowhere war that lasted even longer than Vietnam did. War has become so common and so neat and painless for Americans there's no real reason to end them. Iraq led to the rise of the monster ISIL, the Haiti wars were kept in the dark and so on. And we were LIED to.

The US doesn't truly have a 'superpower' opponent or an enemy, hasn't had one for over 30 years yet who truly wants to go to these 'little wars' that may not only be unattainable but unwinnable. And like I mentioned, the military even in the 80s didn't have 'the shiniest of pennies'.

WesleyJuly 23  02:23 pm JST

Well, that's what "woke-ism" does to your military.

Instead of focusing on their primary goals, ie, to learn how to defend their country, they waste their time on mandatory "woke" classes.

There never was/isn't 'woke' classes in the Armed Forces but in recruit training they make it CLEAR that prejudices were not tolerated there and there's no use for it there. I served with a number of blacks (Americans and Haitians), Native Americans, Hispanics, Arabs, ethnic East Asian Orient and plenty of Filipinos. It's not/never was a 'woke' thing, it's common decency and maturity.

Awesome movie.

And if you can go in as an officer it is an awesome opportunity and an awesome lifestyle.

When the military became voluntary is when the recruit quality began to drop like prices at the fair in the last 30 minutes of the day. A draft is what the USA needs but the rich do not want their kids fighting the wars that they start to make money for themselves. The people who volunteer in the enlisted ranks are not from the rich, again unless there is a family tradition of some sort like the late Senator John McCain.