This is a multifaceted issue.
Covid responses limited ftf contact between a recruiter and the biggest pool of potential recruits available: high school students.
Some areas have let the recruiters back into the schools, while others have not, but recruiting is still feeling a ripple effect from that.
Not only is recruiting suffering, but retention is suffering, too. Woke pro LGBT policy being force fed to the Mil isnt sitting well with most. A great many are leaving after one or two contracts because of that.
That severely retarded Covid immunization policy also helped to drive folks away, both on the recruiting and retentuon sides. People didnt want to willingly submit to that policy and a lot just simply got out. A bunch, like me, were eligible for retirement and went that route. But, end result is the retention dropped drastically.
The 'leaders' actually recognized this and changed the policy a bit, but it was too late. The damage had been done.
Couple the LGBT and Immuno policy together with the fact that approx 2 out of 3 people who serve are from conservative/republican states and familial backgrounds, it's no wonder recruit/retain is suffering. People from those background dont want to willingly enter into thatbtyoe of environment.
And to be completely fair, us Vets advising a different path isnt helping the recruit/retain effort. Iirc, about 4 out of 5 people serving have a relative who served. Presumably, those folks, along with prospective recruits, have gotten input from a relative before joining. Most likely a conservative minded relative who disagrees with the policy and direction.
While liberal/democrat leaning folks do join, most of those do so against the wishes of their family and friends. Most left leaning folks I've ever talked to about the military disliked me, in part, due to my military service. Those parents/relatives are also actively discouraging their children from joining.
Lastly, it seems like the left leaning folks who do join up and the ones who were taught liberal policy since birth, went to liberal universities, subsequently comissioned, and rose to major leadership positions.
Its been long argued that the Officer Corps was out of touch with what the Enlisted side needed or thought. Thwt they were out of touch with how their secisions affected the boots on ground folks. Its never been more true than in todays socio-political climate.
Now, there are some level headed officers in leadership positions who understand most of these things. However, when your promotions into the senior ranks are tied to the whims of those above you, being anything other than a yes man can end your career.
Fear is no way to demand compliance to anything.
Now, that last section should be taken with a grain of salt. Its simply drawn from some of my observations and is a very broad generalization.
Different services, and different branches within those services, may have a different view on this.
All these things tie into a force that overall has a declining morale, problems recruiting, and poor retention.
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