3 reasons why Gen Z is rejecting military service

[@griffithd05]

As an 80s baby and former Marine, I'm with Gen Z. The only thing worth it was the social programs like GIBill and free medical and I just want people to have that without joining. There are DOZENS of us socialist/lefty veterans, I swear. Also, being stereotyped as conservative because I was in the military is hilarious and gross. I did it all for the free stuff boomer! :)

[@mvend10]

I’m gen z and I’ve loved my past 9 years in the army.

[@mgauci45]

Right? I mean, I'm not against national service, however I think there should be other options than the military. Maybe there could be a govt civilian organization that runs alongside the military, providing services that would free up service people for combat related roles. Germany has this. Everyone does 2 years. You get the option to stay or leave. After that, you can go to university to your hearts content.

[@mgauci45]

As a 20 year veteran, I can tell the young folks to ask this: When the recruiter starts talking to you, ask about how theyd be treated after they serve.

[@azzamziply3039]

That's assuming they'll survive... I'd rather ask what's the mission even for and why

[@k5ive4]

@@azzamziply3039people don’t realize there’s jobs in the military where you don’t get shot at or are in harms way at every moment

[@gavinoreilly1501]

It’s hilarious how people truly think that “If I join the military I’m going to die!!!!1!1”. We lost less people in the total 20 years of fighting in Afghanistan than we did in 9/11.

[@mgauci45]

@@k5ive4 It's not just combat related injuries. All trades are expected to meet minimum military soldier standards. At least in Canada it is. We say up here "Soldier First, Tradesperson Second" or as I liked to say "I kill people Sir, then I get on the radio and tell someone about it!" :p Many people, especially tradespeople, suffer injuries that are trade specific. My working in Army Comms, my ears are shot. Tmj, tinnitus, about 35% hearing loss in both ears. Not to mention you're hard pressed to find anyone that was in the military who does not have arthritis.

[@avryotter9252]

This is not a country worth dying for.

[@chevyboyforlife4234]

This country is most definitely worth dieing for...the government on the other hand...not so much

[@matthewchristopher4139]

Then leave it. Find a better one. You wouldn't defend that one either would you ? It's not about defending your government but ,defending your way of life. Please leave our country because there are people who love this country and want it to change for the better. I at least had the balls to enlist

[@Screwdriver3478]

@@matthewchristopher4139 this is true but why are you being aggressive nobody will listen to you if your mad at them

[@zomerhalpme9787]

@@matthewchristopher4139 we shouldn’t have to defend our way of life by tossing people into a bloody warzone to die for corrupt politicians.

[@azzamziply3039]

​@@matthewchristopher4139you had the balls to admit that you were tricked to enlist for defending the US soil.... in reality you're just a number, a pawn, to protect what? The country? 😂😂😂 from what threat? There hasn't been an attack on US soil since the Civil War. Wars outside of a country isn't protecting a country, it's called an invasion.... good job, I hope the government will pay for your PTSD meds

[@haveaday1812]

A 4th reason is ME. I’ve been screaming at these kids for 20 years to stay the F out.

[@TheAcidBunny04]

And I quote, as a veteran with mental health issues prior to service: "There's a waiver for everything." - MMA1 Mansavage

[@TheAcidBunny04]

but yeah I never should have joined.. But at least my husband is in the air force! 😂

[@sofia.eris.bauhaus]

maybe people value their life more…

[@sofia.eris.bauhaus]

​@TommyyHockey do you think it's good to side with the powerful?

[@cerbera_22]

Im not dying for a country that doesnt even have free healthcare

[@TempName525]

Low bar

[@Jamhael1]

​@@TempName525 and that is the point - why should anyone fight for a country that cannot even provide the MINIMAL BASIC? The US government are looking more and more like a dead-beat dad or a tacky ratchet scandalous woman everyday that passes...

[@gavinoreilly1501]

Free healthcare will raise taxes and decrease the quality of care. Look at Canada.

[@mvend10]

Some gen z kids don’t even know what their own gender is. They wouldn’t consider military service because their gender is always on their mind.

[@AboveTheNoise]

Yeah, crazy to see young people these days thinking a lot about things like who they are and who they love....smh.

[@mvend10]

@@AboveTheNoise can’t argue with that though

[@ummerfarooq5383]

Gen z going to be hunted down by army bots, and cleaned

[@sofia.eris.bauhaus]

u ok bud?

[@straberryshinigami15g97]

1) because murder is immoral.

[@Leviathan762-zh4lq]

That has little to do with it

[@CapybaraHunter187]

what if someone wants to murder you and your way of life? everything that you and your ancestors have built?

[@billybarnett2846]

Nobody has ever fully trusted the military. As a 70s baby and former Army, they would always do something sketchy.

[@briangulley6027]

The military is an extension of and takes orders from the government. Now if you don't trust the government then I'm with you.

[@napoleon3026]

Of course obese people are automatically disqualified The tatoo rule on specific places doesn’t surprise me either Face tatoos can get you rejected from Job interviews as well.

[@MorganBoykin]

I tried to join yjey said my kneck was too small and i had flat feet lol i said forget it after that

[@williamstara60able]

I tried to sign up for turned away 4x. Like bye

[@christopherheselton9421]

This isn't anything new. The military had the same struggle 20 years ago with millennials.

[@briangulley6027]

True in joined the AF in 1977 a few years after Vietnam when enlistments were way down. Reagan came in and restored American pride and rebuilt the military. We need a Reagan now.

[@098chaze]

THEY MUST NOT KNOW THAT ITS ONLY BECAUSE OF OUR BRAVE SERVICE MEMBERS THAT THEY CAN JUST SIT AT HOME ON THEIR IPADS ALL FUCKIN DAY.

[@ExarKush]

Lujan fixin it on her own

[@jim4859]

i served in the 1970s. If you think about the kind of folks you want servicing and SR71, maybe that explains why the military can be picky about who gets in. As for the all time low level of trust in American institutions, I suggest they get out of facebook and tick tock and read some actual news papers. Then start voting.

[@mattsaab4903]

Not really a good thing but conscription would be a good way to start getting better numbers.😂

[@thomasr.jackson2940]

Good summary. Re: #2, this is largely a perceptual issue. While the risks exist and the military is one employer who actually explicitly asks people to risk their lives, US military service is rather safety conscious, even during combat. During the height of the combat in the Iraq and Afghan wars, the rate of violent death for male US troops 18-25 was actually lower than with US civilians of the same demographic. This is largely do to doctrines developed after Vietnam with the advent of an all volunteer military. Now the US military invests heavily in its troops and does not treat them as expendable, but rather long term investments. One result is that for the fist time in almost two centuries of records, during the Iraq war saw a a decrease in deaths due to battle injuries (about a 75% reduction), which were themselves greatly reduced. The military remains an excellent way to both serve and benefit one’s self, objectively speaking. This doesn’t invalidate the observations in the video.

[@frankcastle5737]

I highly doubt it invests much in its troops.

[@thomasr.jackson2940]

@@frankcastle5737 it costs $65-90k/troop from recruitment to first unit. That is just the most basic of investment costs. The investment continues with ongoing training, schools, non pay stub support like food and housing, family healthcare. A deployed infantry soldier can have $250k of training. The modern US military is a high skill level profession.

[@azzamziply3039]

​@@thomasr.jackson2940high skill? Nah just high investment....

[@CapybaraHunter187]

@@frankcastle5737where do you think the trillions the us invest into its military are going? stop staying ignorant lmao

[@macadamia668]

As a Gen Z in the ranks. I can tell you that Gen Z "weakness" thats driving them away. Its the whining boomers and Sad Millenials that need someone to harass their power on.

[@AmandaHolcomb-z6e]

Look up the word professionalism.....

[@poduck2]

You forget that the military has often been looked at as a masculine thing to join. That is no longer the case, due to several changes in policy, and marketing.

[@azzamziply3039]

It's mostly the cause, there's no threats on US soil and there's no need for an oversea invasion

[@sugardolly8479]

Watching this video as I'm signing👀

[@azzamziply3039]

Run. Don't. Not worth jt

[@gavinoreilly1501]

But it is worth it, the United States is worth protecting. I hate people who say it isn’t because without the military, the freedom that you enjoy wouldn’t exist. It is worth it.

[@KeithMee]

​@@gavinoreilly1501have you been told that or independently decided that?

[@gavinoreilly1501]

Independently decided.

[@SuzysRedStripes]

Interesting

[@Based_location]

Gen z is weak

[@AlystraCurrentlyAFK]

Weak is an understatement. As a Gen Z, I Look around at my generation and I think they’re just plain pathetic, but Gen Alpha is far worse I’m telling you…

[@CapybaraHunter187]

@@AlystraCurrentlyAFKyep western society is doomed if this continues. our enemies are getting stronger while people here in the western world cry about someone assuming their gender😂

[@75thwasanightmare]

@@AlystraCurrentlyAFK YOURE NOT WRONG, LIKE FREAKING SKIBIDI TOILET, YOURE KIDDING ME

[@doesntmatter7560]

You can say the same to Hippies in the 80s

[@doesntmatter7560]

Thats not gonna encourage people to join