Public confidence in the military is slipping

[Grand Vol]

And has been for several years.

Public Confidence in the Military Is Slipping

It's no secret that public trust in institutions is in free fall. In 1958, when Americans were first asked by the National Election Study about their trust in the government, 73 percent of respondents said they could trust the government to do the right thing always or most of the time. In 2021, that number dwindled to 24 percent. The military, meanwhile, historically went unscathed—until now.

According to the Pew Research Center's latest poll, only a quarter of Americans have a great deal of confidence that the military actually acts in the public's best interest, a drop of 14 points since November 2020.

The Ronald Reagan Institute found, for the very first time since it began its national defense survey in 2018, that "a minority of Americans—only 45%—report having a great deal of trust and confidence in the military." Probing further, it discovered that the most common reason behind why people had low trust in the military was due to political leadership, followed by service members and scandals within the military.

 

[Weezer]

The military of today seems extremely soft compared to the military of the past. No, I do not know that to be 100% fact which is why I said "seems". Just a personal observation.

 

[Velo Vol]

Troubling. Not the military, specifically--the fact that confidence in everything is tanking.

 

[AM64]

Troubling. Not the military, specifically--the fact that confidence in everything is tanking.

Like maybe the country has a wealth of egotists/narcissists to assume power, and as a whole fails to recognize and approve of leaders who would work to solve problems rather than preen like peacocks?

 

[Freiwillige]

Lack of trust makes perfect sense.

The purpose of a military is to deter wars and to (at least sometimes) win wars.

The current U.S. military leadership's purpose is to be the vanguard of wokeism.

 

[InVOLuntary]

I wonder if this guy has anything to do with it?

 

[OHvol40]

Maybe the endless wars of the past 7 decades coupled with DOD contractors robbing the American taxpayer in perpetuity has something to do with it. I doubt it’s actual lack of confidence in the military itself, rather lack of confidence in commander-in-chiefs and the military industrial complex.

 

[AM64]

Lack of trust makes perfect sense.

The purpose of a military is to deter wars and to (at least sometimes) win wars.

The current U.S. military leadership's purpose is to be the vanguard of wokeism.

It probably doesn't help a lot that we've been involved in several wars with countries that couldn't directly threaten our national security or even threaten us economically. Now if Iraq or Afghanistan shared a long porous border with the US like Mexico that would be a different matter. China is an economic threat, but how do you go to war over a problem of your own making ... our trade basically funded their military buildup - pretty stupid on our part.

 

[volfanhill]

Maybe the endless wars of the past 7 decades coupled with DOD contractors robbing the American taxpayer in perpetuity has something to do with it. I doubt it’s actual lack of confidence in the military itself, rather lack of confidence in commander-in-chiefs and the military industrial complex.

For the most part I agree. I would add that our inability, by our elected leaders choice, to allow them to battle the way they need to is a huge problem. It's war. Innocents die. If you aren't willing to stomach it then you should never have gone in.

 

[Bassmaster_Vol]

I wonder if this guy has anything to do with it?

Yes. Yes he does.

 

[OHvol40]

For the most part I agree. I would add that our inability, by our elected leaders choice, to allow them to battle the way they need to is a huge problem. It's war. Innocents die. If you aren't willing to stomach it then you should never have gone in.

Yeah, that’s a deeper issue. We all know that every conflict since WWII could have been won with the right tactics… the bigger problem is how many of those conflicts did we have no business being part of in the first place? I contend nearly all of them.

 

[NorthDallas40]

I wonder if this guy has anything to do with it?

That guy is the first CJCS that I can ever remember seeing depicted in makeup and wigs in a less than macho military view. And it’s a result of his own pandering to all the various polits distracting away from our military’s sole reason of existing. To be ready and able to extinguish any external threat to our nation with extreme violence and prejudice and in rapid fashion. I think he’s done a major blow to the image of our military leaders as a whole but for sure it began before he assumed chairman.

 

[AM64]

Yeah, that’s a deeper issue. We all know that every conflict since WWII could have been won with the right tactics… the bigger problem is how many of those conflicts did we have no business being part of in the first place? I contend nearly all of them.

Korea was very likely a correct decision for several reasons. Vietnam is questionable, but the thinking about Sino/Soviet aggression throughout the world at the time probably forced the issue. Pretty much anything since those two hasn't made much sense at all unless you are big on chest beating - and we left without much of that to brag about. After WW2 our resolve to fight the battle to win appears to have evaporated - along with confidence and trust. Don't put people at risk if you don't intend to walk away a winner.

 

[Weezer]

It doesn't help that the poll was taken after the debacle of our withdrawal from Afghanistan. Nothing about that fiasco, and leaving Americans behind, inspires confidence.

 

[Weezer]

Yeah, that’s a deeper issue. We all know that every conflict since WWII could have been won with the right tactics… the bigger problem is how many of those conflicts did we have no business being part of in the first place? I contend nearly all of them.

Seems like we may be on the verge of another conflict we have no business being part of.

 

[OHvol40]

Korea was very likely a correct decision for several reasons. Vietnam is questionable, but the thinking about Sino/Soviet aggression throughout the world at the time probably forced the issue. Pretty much anything since those two hasn't made much sense at all unless you are big on chest beating - and we left without much of that to brag about. After WW2 our resolve to fight the battle to win appears to have evaporated - along with confidence and trust. Don't put people at risk if you don't intend to walk away a winner.

Korea was, in large part, Stalin’s doing. A provocation indeed, and given the atmosphere at the time it’s hard to fault our involvement there, I agree. Vietnam was the first of a series of useless ventures. “Counterinsurgency”… gross. Stop stealing our money in the guise of safety.

 

[AM64]

Seems like we may be on the verge of another conflict we have no business being part of.

Right now there's a Global Hawk cruising around over Ukraine and a RC-135V Rivet Joint bopping around over the Black Sea. The Global Hawk ADS-B code is disguised (wasn't a couple of days ago), but not hard to figure out what has been flying haphazard orbits for hours at 50 to 55 thousand feet and a bit over 200 knots. Hard to tell what else we have in the area since fighters and a lot of other stuff don't show up. Tankers only seem to show up on ADS-B in areas near commercial airspace.

 

[AM64]

Korea was, in large part, Stalin’s doing. A provocation indeed, and given the atmosphere at the time it’s hard to fault our involvement there, I agree. Vietnam was the first of a series of useless ventures. “Counterinsurgency”… gross. Stop stealing our money in the guise of safety.

In a way during the Cold War period we were at a disadvantage. The Soviets were supporting endless "wars of liberation" - basically induced civil wars to convert counties destabilized by the end of European colonization (sometimes a forced end). It was a threat to the free world as a matter of perception and of trade and access to resources. I think we and others in the free world were basically in a bind over that. It's hard to win that kind of war (like Vietnam), but in any case we lacked the resolve to do it right which made involvement a poor choice.

 

[Grand Vol]

Maybe the endless wars of the past 7 decades coupled with DOD contractors robbing the American taxpayer in perpetuity has something to do with it. I doubt it’s actual lack of confidence in the military itself, rather lack of confidence in commander-in-chiefs and the military industrial complex.

I agree with you for the most part, but I also think the feelings will trickle down into the rank and file as well. Also, I think Americans saw the NG troopers being deployed in the aftermath of Jan 6th and saw it as more of a political move rather than a practical one. Especially keeping them in DC long after they were truly needed. It was one of the first times since 9/11 the people saw the military deployed CONUS side for a security op rather than a humanitarian one. And, in truth, against our own citizens that really didn't cause the ruckus people thought they did.

But the woke-ism ongoing in the military is probably souring a lot of people more than just endless wars and corrupt contractors. The ordinary people know military members that are getting fed up and getting out of the military because of what's going on. Yeah, that starts at the top and when you replace a warrior ethos with one of social justice, those warriors are going to grumble once they get out.

You're certainly not wrong in your statement about the endless wars, but it's way deeper than that. It's a cultural issue that's causing the shift in my opinion.

 

[hog88]

I still have a great deal of confidence in the US soldier, when tasked with a mission they will get it done if allowed. What I do not have any confidence in is the officer corp and civilian leadership. They are more concerned with social issues and playing politics than they are in training for war. I would try to discourage any young person from enlisting at this time.

 

[YankeeVol]

The military of today seems extremely soft compared to the military of the past. No, I do not know that to be 100% fact which is why I said "seems". Just a personal observation.

You aren't wrong

 

[ButchPlz]

Lack of trust makes perfect sense.

The purpose of a military is to deter wars and to (at least sometimes) win wars.

The current U.S. military leadership's purpose is to be the vanguard of wokeism.

And to be a cash cow for defense contractors at the behest of a corrupt Congress.

I sincerely hope we don't end up in a conflict with Russia. Large defense contractors have failed to update many of the critical systems we'd need in that conflict, as the longer they drag out development the more they get paid. I personally have experience with one of these systems, in development now for over a dozen years, that's only produced two prototypes- both of which failed in the field. The currently deployed version of this vital system is 40+ years old and parts are scarce and expensive.

This story is repeated everywhere. Until the military brass stops acting like they run the DMV (unlikely), the lack of trust is more than warranted.

 

[OHvol40]

I agree with you for the most part, but I also think the feelings will trickle down into the rank and file as well. Also, I think Americans saw the NG troopers being deployed in the aftermath of Jan 6th and saw it as more of a political move rather than a practical one. Especially keeping them in DC long after they were truly needed. It was one of the first times since 9/11 the people saw the military deployed CONUS side for a security op rather than a humanitarian one. And, in truth, against our own citizens that really didn't cause the ruckus people thought they did.

But the woke-ism ongoing in the military is probably souring a lot of people more than just endless wars and corrupt contractors. The ordinary people know military members that are getting fed up and getting out of the military because of what's going on. Yeah, that starts at the top and when you replace a warrior ethos with one of social justice, those warriors are going to grumble once they get out.

You're certainly not wrong in your statement about the endless wars, but it's way deeper than that. It's a cultural issue that's causing the shift in my opinion.

While I don’t share this perspective, I acknowledge the validity in it for some Americans. I would offer that mistrust in American defenses has been a cumulative, deep seeded one built over generations now rather than over the last year-or-so.

 

[Velo Vol]

Like maybe the country has a wealth of egotists/narcissists to assume power, and as a whole fails to recognize and approve of leaders who would work to solve problems rather than preen like peacocks?

That's your explanation for why people are leaving churches, too? This phenomenon is across everything.

 

[Grand Vol]

While I don’t share this perspective, I acknowledge the validity in it for some Americans. I would offer that mistrust in American defenses has been a cumulative, deep seeded one built over generations now rather than over the last year-or-so.

Maybe not generations, but probably since the 90s. I suppose 30 years could be "generational"