US Military Claims “Wokeness” Makes People Feel Good

Concerns have been raised that the US military may not be able to defend itself in the event of a war in the near future due to declining recruiting levels. The Army fell short of its 2022 target by 15,000 new recruits, while according to Defense One, the Air Force fell short of its yearly recruitment objective by around 10%. Military officials, however, stress that the issue is unrelated to the new adoption of “woke” policies. They assert that “wokeness” gives people a positive feeling since it makes them feel included.

On March 23, the House Armed Services Committee convened a hearing to discuss the effects of these policies on the readiness and efficacy of the military. In the end, military authorities said that recruiting was positively affected by diversity, equality, and inclusion procedures rather than negatively.

The commander of the Air Force Recruiting Service, Maj. Gen. Ed Thomas, believes that negative public perceptions of specific branches are the real problem. For instance, he thinks that the recent changes to the Air Force’s stringent tattoo regulations may increase the number of recruits. Inclusion of more competent applications may be aided by adjustments to the body composition requirements, he continued, and the legalization of marijuana in 38 US states may also make joining the military more alluring to prospective recruits.

Some officials blame the economy. Low unemployment rates, a thriving gig economy, and decreases in American manufacturing, according to Dr. Beth Asch, an economist and expert on military recruiting, are contributing factors. The opioid epidemic may also have had a role, and following the 2020 lockdowns, individuals may have begun to view work-life balance differently. These and other factors may have led to a decline in enlistments.

Conservatives generally disagree. They believe that the decline in new recruitment is solely attributable to “wokeness.” Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi (R) specifically criticizes the Biden administration. Others are still “examining programs” to see if the armed forces might be better off without them, he claimed, telling the Washington Free Beacon that progressive policies are transforming the Department of Defense into an organization that promotes “toxic social policies instead of restoring military strength.”