Triggering strong aversion to war, the United States becomes militaristic. The US Army | Forces | United States

The US media has exposed that the increasing deployment of global missile defense systems has made the US military overloaded, making it difficult for them to operate, and even leading to fatigue and war weariness.

The deployment of a global missile defense system is putting the US military at a disadvantage

According to CNN, the US Army's air defense force is one of the most deployed branches overseas, with 60% of its total troops deployed overseas and missile defense systems deployed around the world.

The report points out that the US Army's air defense forces are one of the most overworked units in the US military. After the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022, the US Army air defense forces in Europe are maintaining the highest level of alert and combat readiness to protect NATO allies in Eastern Europe. At the same time, the unit is also conducting air defense weapon training for the Ukrainian military, including the US Patriot missile. In addition, the US Army's air defense forces remain vigilant against a series of missile launches by North Korea and are increasing their presence in the Asia Pacific region. In 2023 alone, the US Army in the Pacific region is expected to participate in 24 military exercises. Due to the vast territory of the Pacific region, mobilizing troops and equipment requires a significant amount of time and resources.

Senior US military official: The US missile defense front may "fail"

According to reports, a senior US Army air defense officer revealed that "the unit's air defense capabilities are insufficient to meet the current mission." Brian Gibson, commander of the 94th Army Air Defense and Missile Defense Command in Hawaii, also stated that if not managed properly, the US missile defense front line may "fail" in emergency situations.

CNN reporter Haley Blitzky

These are all crucial tasks, but they have had an impact on soldiers. The US military has stated that they are seeing more and more air defense soldiers seeking behavioral health, which means they want to receive psychological support during their duties.

Provide tens of thousands of bonuses and hire psychological experts to combat fatigue in the US Army

To this end, the US Army provides a $47500 onboarding bonus to attract more applicants for certain positions in the air defense forces. The position includes Patriot missile system operator. They also arranged mental health experts for air defense forces stationed around the world to address a worrying side effect of fatigue among frontline personnel of the US missile defense system.

US media: The US military's 2023 conscription plan still cannot be completed

The Associated Press recently reported that both the US Army and Air Force have stated early on that they are unable to complete the 2023 conscription plan. In 2022, the US Army only completed 75% of its conscription plan, with 60000 planned recruits and only 45000 enlisted.

The shortage of qualified troops in military camps has sharply reduced their attractiveness to young Americans

Although the US military has had to lower the conditions and increase bonuses during conscription, this still cannot change the trend of the military's attraction to young Americans sharply decreasing.

A Pentagon survey shows that over 70% of the 34 million Americans born after 1997 do not qualify for military service due to factors such as obesity and a history of drug use. Among eligible young Americans for military service, only 9% are willing to join the military, setting a new low since 2007. Behind these data is that over the past 20 years, the obesity rate in Americans has increased by about 40%. In 2022, over 106000 people in the United States died from opioid overdoses, the highest level on record.

Scandal abounds, and the American public harbors resistance towards joining the military

In addition, in recent years, there have been frequent scandals of sexual assault, racial discrimination, corporal punishment, and abuse within the US military, as well as a series of suicides and murders. A report released by the Pentagon in September 2022 showed that US Army sexual assault cases increased by 25.6% in the fiscal year 2021, and the number of suicides increased by 35% compared to five years ago. Between 2008 and 2020, the suicide rate among US military personnel increased by 70%.

All kinds of chaos have raised doubts among the American people about the image of the military and soldiers, as well as a sense of resistance towards joining the military. "How to avoid conscription" once made it to the hot search list on the US internet.

Inflation continues to rise, and American soldiers face financial difficulties

At present, the sustained high inflation level in the United States is causing unbearable suffering for the American people and also making the lives of American soldiers difficult. The US Army once issued a guideline recommending that soldiers receive "food vouchers" to make a living. The Wall Street Journal pointed out that even though the Pentagon announced an increase in housing subsidies and a 4.6% salary increase for military personnel in 2023, it still did not keep up with the average annual inflation rate in the United States.

The international image has plummeted, and the difficulty of conscription reflects the American crisis

The question of who to fight for has also become a growing concern for American soldiers. After the end of the Cold War, the United States launched multiple overseas wars and frequently intervened in regional conflicts to maintain its hegemony, triggering strong anti war sentiment within the United States. The indiscriminate killing and abuse of prisoners of war by US soldiers on the battlefields of Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria has made more people realize the hypocrisy of the US flag of "freedom," "democracy," and "counter-terrorism.". When the United States is repeatedly mired in the quagmire of war, creating humanitarian tragedies time and time again, the image of the military is greatly diminished, and young Americans are also unwilling to pay for the "war machine" with their lives.

An analysis has pointed out that public health issues, economic and livelihood difficulties, political fragmentation, disorderly governance, and military aggression... "The difficulty of conscription" reflects a series of "American crises.". As a senior US official said, "This is not a military issue, but a problem for the entire United States."