Trump's Military

Why was Trump so opposed to Obama having troops in the Middle East when now that Trump is the Commander in Chief, he has budgeted more money and troops in the military than ever before? President Trump wants an even bigger Army. He has ordered the largest single year increase in recruitment targets in the history of the armed services. The United States Army has been told to enlist 80,000 new troops this year which is up from 68,000   troops last year. Why? Is he preparing for yet another major war? It is a challenge that will be hard to meet.

The military are using incentives and new hiring tactics in order to achieve their goal of so many new recruits in the military. Trump’s Army will have looser standards. Is that a good idea? In Kentucky alone 900 new young folks were quickly signed up to the military service. Fort Knox, Kentucky is the center for the new recruitment push. A lot of the new young people signing up are because of the high unemployment rate in Kentucky. Of those who apply,   32% will be excluded because of health problems. There will be about 27% who can’t pass the physical fitness exams. Some, about 25% won’t have enough education. 10% will not be accepted because of a criminal record. The rise in obesity will exclude a lot of applicants. After two decades of war, not many young people want to sacrifice their lives knowing that there are many dismembered disfigured Veterans with untreated mental illnesses and homeless  Veterans.

To find all these people Trump wants signed up to serve in the military the government has hired 1,000 recruiters to find potential soldiers. We, the taxpayers  are paying for an increase in recruitment bonuses and pay. Advertising is done on Facebook and Instagram. It is hard to find young adults who have the job requirements and who can last through basic training. The anger over 911 fueled a desire to serve and get those bad guys.. Not so much now. Young people are sick of war. After World War II the American soldier came home to waiting loving husbands and wives. Now with requirements of soldiers to serve as much as 4 tours of duty, they might not return to civilian lives for 10  years and by then their loved ones moved on to new relationships. Marriage doesn’t necessarily last a lifetime any more. After World War II there was the GI Bill that provided Veterans good healthcare, affordable housing and the war was over so everyone returned a hero to a warm welcome and parades provided by towns and the U.S. O.  Now many soldiers  don’t even return to a home and no one meets them at the airport. No one even knows that they just competed 10 years of service but them. Times have changed.

Hopefully all the new recruits won’t feel like just a number to satisfy Trumps desire for Military Parades and accolades. To attract recruits the military has relaxed standards. Now you can join with less education. The recruiters are required to sign up 17 new soldiers each week. Now they will waiver a drug conviction to sign people up. It is now easier for people with past mental illnesses to enroll as long as they promise to take their medication. They have now lowered the requirements for body fat regulation. You can now sign up with 30% more body fat which is obese but they hope that you can lose the weight in basic training. No one knows what the difference these new lax standards will make that used to disqualify folks in the past. All we do know is that Trump’s military will be very different than past recruits. God Help America.