A new report issued by the Pentagon indicates that four of five recent recruits to the U.S. armed services has had (or has) a close relative who has previously enlisted.
With the days of ‘being drafted’ gone for over 40 years, the entry route into the armed services is based much more on what previous family members have done than any other factor. As to who will sign-up in the future, family relationships with the military is the most important marker.
The Pentagon information shows that 80 percent of recent troops have come from a family where at least one parent, grandparent, aunt or uncle, sibling or cousin has previously enlisted. In terms of the family member with the greatest influence, some 25 percent of recruits have a parent who has previously served.
There was a slight variation throughout the main military services:
86 percent of new Air Force airmen had a close relative who had served;
With the Navy the rate is 82 percent;
For the Army it stands at 79 percent;
For the Marines, 77 percent.
According to Time magazine, the matter was recently discussed at the Senate Armed Services Committee subcommittee. The issue is causing concern among the heads of the military because, over time, the pool of potential recruits will shrink if family ties remains the foremost reason for enlisting.
At the hearing, Senator Angus King (I-Maine) is quoted as saying: “This going to put more pressure on the non-family member recruiting. We’ve got to reach outside the bloodlines.”
