Joint Force Quarterly
Abstract
The U.S. military faces a shrinking pool of eligible and willing recruits, driven by declining physical and mental health eligibility, lower propensity to serve, and reduced confidence in military institutions. This article considers three approaches to sustaining the combat effectiveness of the joint force under these conditions: improving the fitness and readiness of the recruit population, adapting military standards and expectations to the available population, and maintaining a smaller force augmented by advanced technology. The authors argue that broad efforts to change population health and behavior are costly and difficult to sustain, while simply lowering standards could reduce military capability. They conclude that a smaller, more technologically augmented force offers the most viable approach, using autonomous systems, artificial intelligence, and other technologies to reduce manpower requirements while preserving high standards for roles that demand greater physical or psychological performance. The authors note that such a force would also require strong Reserve components, international partnerships, and new technical skill sets to mitigate the risks of reduced force size and dependence on technology.
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