Why Gen Z is Turning Away from Military Service in Record Numbers

Gen Z is showing a significant decline in interest in military service, and this trend has been growing rapidly. Various factors such as changing social values, economic opportunities, and perceptions of the military's role are influencing this shift. Understanding these reasons is crucial for addressing the challenges in military recruitment and adapting strategies to connect with younger generations. This analysis delves into the core reasons behind Gen Z's turning away from military service.

Boston Brand Media brings you the latest news - The Australian Defence Force is experiencing a severe recruitment crisis. Currently, only 80% of the required 69,000 personnel needed to address future challenges have enlisted. In response, the government has announced that recruitment will now include some foreign citizens to bridge this gap.

The Australian military is not only failing to achieve its planned growth but is also shrinking, as Defence Chief General Angus Campbell reported to a Senate inquiry in February.

Two main reasons contribute to the current recruitment deadlock. Economically, low unemployment rates and the perception of better opportunities, work conditions, and future prospects in the private sector are significant factors.

Culturally, there is a declining willingness among Gen Z to identify with and fight to defend their nation.

Regardless, the solution to the recruitment crisis hinges on understanding the motivations of today's primary pool of potential recruits: Gen Z.

In a study funded by the Australian Defence Force, we interviewed 19 serving Australian soldiers from various demographics (including two Gen Z members) and across different military branches. Our goal was to uncover what drives Gen Z recruits and to determine how the force can better persuade more of them to serve their country.

Enter the ‘anxious generation’

Researchers analyze each new generation to predict future trends, from baby boomers to Generation X (like the authors of this article) and millennials. However, none is more distinctive than Generation Z, or Zoomers—those born roughly between 1997 and 2008.

Zoomers are the first generation to grow up with smartphones and social media. In his bestseller, "The Anxious Generation," social psychologist Jonathan Haidt discusses the profound impact of this technology. He asserts that the significant rise in depression and anxiety among young people is directly linked to unsupervised social media use during adolescence.

Zoomers' mental health presents a barrier to military service, as highlighted by US Marine Corps Lieutenant Matthew Weiss in his book on Gen Z military recruitment.

Boston Brand Media also found that a military career can negatively impact psychological wellbeing, as evidenced by Australia's Royal Commission into Veteran Suicide. The military's stringent mental health entry standards might have reinforced this perception.

The soldiers we interviewed acknowledged mental health as a significant recruitment issue. They agreed that military service is mentally challenging and that younger soldiers are more psychologically vulnerable. However, they also noted that the military's mental health support has been improving, which is a positive step forward. Media coverage of veterans' mental health issues may deter Zoomers from considering enlistment.

Weiss argues that private sector jobs, with their higher salaries, offer more online clout than military service. Our interview respondents agreed, noting that younger recruits are very aware of pay and conditions.

Waning national pride

People who join the Defence Force are motivated not only by economic reasons but also by a deep love for their country.

If love of country diminishes from generation to generation, military recruitment is likely to decline as well. Weiss suggests that in the United States, low patriotism partly explains Gen Z's reluctance to enlist.

Our interviewees mentioned that traditional nationalism played only a modest role in young people's decision to enlist. They noted that a lesser sense of obligation and service is a factor, as well as the blurred image of "my country right or wrong" following media coverage of alleged Australian war crimes in Afghanistan.

Evidence supports the decline in national pride among young Australians. We analyzed publicly available data from the World Values Survey, a comprehensive poll of people's values worldwide conducted since 1981. It reveals that in 1981, 70.3% of Australians were "very proud" of their nationality. This percentage dropped to 60.8% in 2018, the first year to include Gen Z members in the survey. That year, only 41.6% of twentysomethings (including some millennials) were very proud Australians – the lowest proportion of any Australian age group in any year since the survey began.

All else being equal, older adults tend to be more nationalistic, as shown by surveys across different periods and countries. However, the nationalism gap between older and younger generations has widened with Gen Z.

According to survey data, in 1981, 69% of Australians in their twenties were willing to fight for their country, a slightly higher proportion than the 65% of over-70s. By 2018, this trend had reversed, with only 44% of Australians in their twenties willing to fight, compared to 59% of over-70s.

The moral imperative

Our interviewees suggested that if nationalist values motivate Zoomers, it is primarily in terms of “doing the right thing.” This presents an alternative opportunity for recruiters: the evolving role of the military towards peacekeeping and disaster relief appeals to those with humanitarian values.

Zoomers fall into this category. Research shows, and our interviewees agreed, that Gen Z cares deeply about the environment, diversity, equity, and inclusion.

This is also reflected in their attitudes toward work. Zoomers seek a calling rather than just a career (or merely a job). According to our interviewees, young recruits place greater importance on the intrinsic aspects of work, such as learning skills, experiencing adventure, and facing challenges.

So how do we boost recruitment?

Our research, along with others, suggests that Gen Z is strongly motivated by factors that support their own growth and wellbeing, both materially and spiritually, rather than a sense of duty towards others. Researchers label these as “pro-self” motivations.

Zoomers may be difficult to recruit, especially given the increasing competition for talent, but they have much to offer the military. They may be the most success-oriented generation in recent times and possess an unprecedented ability to handle digital technologies, which are becoming increasingly crucial in the military.

The inaugural National Defence Strategy unveiled in April has acknowledged “the need for a fundamental transformation of defence’s recruitment and retention system.”

Many proposals to boost military recruitment in Australia are broad. For instance, the government recently increased pay and bonuses for the defence force. Other measures include simplifying the recruitment process, implementing an opt-out system for military service, reducing medical requirements, increasing the maximum recruitment age, and encouraging junior military leaders to change outdated traditions that hinder recruitment.

Our research suggests that building a force that aligns with Gen Z’s social values and intrinsic motivations is the way forward. Recruitment strategies need to be tailored to appeal to these factors.

For questions or comments write to writers@bostonbrandmedia.com

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