Young Americans reluctant to join army due to traditional concerns: media

WASHINGTON, US - Young American people are less likely to sign up for military service because they do not see the army as a safe place or a good career path, U.S. media reported.

Government data shows the army fell 25 percent short of its goal in 2022 to recruit 60,000 new soldiers, the Voice of America reported on Monday.

A senior army official said the top three reasons young people give for rejecting military service include fear of death, worries about war-caused medical conditions and leaving friends and families.

Army officials have taken steps to bring recruitment numbers back up, including launching newly established programs, advertising campaigns and incentives, the report said.

Opinion polls involving some 600 people aged 16 to 28 showed that about 13 percent of the responders believed women and minorities would face discrimination and not get the same chances in the army. - XINHUA