Can the military survive on rural recruits alone?

The U.S. military is facing a recruiting crisis: 2022 and 2023 were the worst years for military recruitment since it became an all-volunteer force 50 years ago. Part of the problem? Recruits are coming from a smaller and smaller pool of applicants, namely: folks with family who served, rural communities (disproportionately in the South), or areas that have a military base (also disproportionately in the South). And the future doesn’t look much brighter — only 9% of 16 to 21-year-olds are open to the possibility of serving. In this week’s Stay Tuned, we dive deeper into the military’s relationship with one rural community in Louisiana, how it impacts the mindset of two young people who live there, and what it could spell for the future of the U.S. military.

Producer: Andrew Stern

My role: Senior Producer