Hot Job Market, Shrinking Pool of Qualified Youth Hampers Military Recruiting Efforts, Officials Say

The United States armed forces report record retention rates of veteran noncommissioned officers, but with the military’s three largest branches falling short of recruitment goals, there’s growing concern there could be “too many chiefs and not enough Indians” in the ranks.
The Army, Navy, and Air Force say a red-hot labor market and a shrinking pool of eligible, capable recruits are among their most significant challenges in reversing a trend that threatens the nation’s readiness.
But in a March 22 Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, undersecretaries of the three branches offered more subtle reasons why young Americans are increasingly disinterested in military service….}