I’ve covered the huge shortfall in US military recruiting here (2021) and here (2022), plus what that (and other factors) may mean for its ability to win wars in the future (2023).

And now it’s 2024 and things are no better. In fact they sound like they’re worse.

In one of the previous articles I referred to a former US infantry colonel who imagined what the next American President might do to fix this, and it’s pretty drastic:

Gentlemen, this is an orders briefing, not a decision briefing, meaning I am not asking for your input. I am telling you my intent, so be sure you understand it before you walk out of this room because Friday at 0900 we meet here for you to tell me – your Commander-in-Chief – how you have fulfilled my intent. If your answer is anything but an honest, ‘Yes, sir, I have fulfilled your orders,’ I will relieve you.

Effective now, we are out of the diversity, inclusion, and equity business. It’s over. Finished. Done. Every DIE program is terminated. Every Norwegian History Month or the like is ended. There are no more DIE classes, training, or any of this woke garbage. There are no drag queens on base and no men wearing women’s uniforms. It all ends. Make sure the curricula at the academies and war colleges are scrubbed of this poison. Make sure no officer reading lists includes racists like Ibram X. Kendi. The nonsense is terminated starting now. Oh, and you will strike any reference to ‘white nationalism’ and ‘climate change’ from any documents that presumes to list the strategic threats the United States military is facing. Do each of you understand my intent? Be here at 0900 Friday to confirm you have executed my orders. Dismissed.” 

(Title courtesy of early Kevin Bacon in National Lampoon’s Animal House)