America's veterans can inspire the next generation to serve

Since the first brave Americans took up arms to claim their freedom in the War of Independence, our proud military tradition has sustained our nation and kept us safe. Today, by some accounts, this tradition is in danger of dying out. 

Some of the loudest alarm bells are coming from the armed forces themselves. The Wall Street Journal reports that most branches expect to miss their recruitment targets this year by significant margins – 15,000 for the Army, 10,000 for the Navy and 3,000 for the Air Force. The Marine Corps is on track to meet its quota, but Marine officials still described a "challenging" recruiting climate. 

There are a lot of theories about why this may be, but according to the Pentagon, the "foundational challenge" is "a lack of familiarity with the military." Put another way, young people are not being exposed to positive role models or fellow community members who have served, and therefore see service itself as entirely foreign. In fact, only 8% believe that military members "share a lot in common with me." 

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin administers military oath of office to new recruits. (Fox News)

Up to this point, we have been able to count on our military tradition being passed down by exposing young people to others who have served, beginning with parents. In 1995, about 40% of the entire U.S. population had a parent who served. As two people raised in military households and whose fathers both served, we represent that 40%. Today however, that number is down to 13%.

OUR MILITARY RECRUITMENT CRISIS ROBS TODAY'S YOUNG ADULTS OF THESE LIFE CHANGING OPPORTUNITIES

Meanwhile, young people are also less exposed to the veteran community more generally. In 1995, the veteran population sat at 27 million, whereas today it sinks below 17 million. Veterans are not simply disappearing within the family, they are disappearing from our communities at large. 

Both of us were born to fathers who served in the military. We saw the ways in which exposure to a life of service impacted our own decision-making. One of us would go on to become a career Marine and the other would remain a civilian who ultimately chose a life of public service. It is not lost on us that there are fewer and fewer Americans who share this history in common with us. 

A generation or two ago, young people grew up surrounded by veterans, even if they weren’t relatives. They might have had a teacher or coach who served, or it may have been the family doctor or the owner of a local store. 

Veterans were naturally a bigger part of their communities, simply because there were more of them around. In that way, they were able to inculcate their values of honor and selflessness and inspire the next generation to serve. 

But as this becomes less and less common, it’s hard to wonder why the percentage of American youth who feel they have something in common with service members is only in the single digits. 

DEPLOY AI TO SOLVE THE MILITARY'S RECRUITING CRISIS

And we know that exposure to a veteran significantly impacts the likelihood of wanting to serve oneself. In fact, today some 80% of U.S. Army soldiers have a relative who wore the nation’s uniform. So, while fewer and fewer Americans have a parent who served, the ones who do have a family member in service are far more likely to consider service themselves. 

This begins with exposure to positive role models who have chosen this path. Veteran service organizations like the ones we lead are working to provide the benefit of positive veteran role models to young people throughout the country. 

One of the key initiatives of the Travis Manion Foundation is to connect veterans with our nation’s youth, showing them how to lead with their strengths and positively impact their communities. We’ve reached more than half a million youth with this message. 

As a country, we must build back the kind of community where veterans are always present to inspire those around them. What our shared upbringing taught us – and what adult experience later verified – is that the contributions made by our service members are critical to the success of our nation, both within the context of national defense and outside of it. 

And while there may be statistically fewer veterans around these days, the service they have to offer their communities is needed more than ever.  Thus, connecting them with their fellow community members – and youth in particular – is essential to addressing the "foundational challenge" the Pentagon points to. 

And we need not approach this national effort with an eye toward military recruitment exclusively. Rather, the goal is to open young adults up to a life of character and civic engagement more generally. 

We all share an innate human desire to be a part of something bigger than ourselves, and the military community is a perfect representation of how to fulfill that desire. The values our veterans teach and model – like service, sacrifice, leadership and courage – can inspire others to help their community and country in many different ways. 

By reinstating a culture of giving back to a country that has given all of us so much and by exposing young people to a life of service – whatever form that takes – we will not just see improvements in recruiting numbers organically. We will also see the growth of other service-oriented careers and a generation of young people inclined toward selfless service over entitlement. 

The data confirms that the military recruiting crisis is getting worse, not better. And we shouldn’t expect anything to change if we aren’t prepared to act. The powerful action of connecting strong veteran role models with local youth may be exactly what our country needs to reinvigorate a culture of selflessness and service – both in uniform and out. 

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Ryan Manion lost her brother to war and her mother to cancer, and she’s the daughter of a retired Marine. Manion is president of one of the nation’s leading veteran service organizations – the Travis Manion Foundation. Manion works to empower veterans and families of fallen heroes to inspire future generations to change.

Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr. is a retired U.S. Marine Corps four-star general and was the 19th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.