The U.S. military is experiencing one of its worst recruiting crises since Vietnam, and it's almost entirely because Gen Z isn't interested. In 2022, military enlistment hit an all-time low—just 128,000 new recruits total across all branches. The Army missed its FY22 recruiting goal by 25% and its FY23 goal by 10%.

Corporate recruiters might be thinking, "That's a military problem, not my problem." Wrong. This is your problem too, and you're about to find out why.

Why Gen Z Isn't Enlisting (and Why That Should Scare You)

Gen Z is the least likely generation to enlist, with fewer people than ever before feeling an obligation to serve their country. But it's not just about patriotism. There are structural reasons Gen Z is opting out:

Only 23% of people aged 17-25 are eligible to enlist in the military without a waiver. High school dropouts, mental health challenges, drug use, criminal records, obesity, and medical issues have all reduced the pool of eligible recruits.

But even among those who are eligible, most aren't interested. Why?

1. They don't see the value proposition. The military used to offer education benefits, stable income, and career advancement that were hard to get elsewhere. Today, Gen Z has access to online education, remote work opportunities, and gig economy flexibility. The military's traditional benefits don't hit the same.

2. They prioritize mental health and work-life balance. The military is the opposite of work-life balance. Gen Z grew up watching Millennials burn out in corporate jobs and decided they're not doing that. The idea of signing your life away for 4-6 years? Hard pass.

3. They don't trust institutions. Gen Z is the most skeptical generation about institutions—government, corporations, traditional career paths. "Join the military and we'll take care of you" doesn't land when you grew up seeing veterans struggle with healthcare and benefits.

4. Better options exist (or at least they think they do). Tech jobs, content creation, remote work, entrepreneurship—Gen Z believes they have more paths to success than previous generations did. Whether that's true or not doesn't matter. Perception drives behavior.

What This Has to Do with Corporate Recruiting

Everything. Because the same forces making Gen Z opt out of military service are making them opt out of traditional corporate careers.

In 2025, nearly 7 in 10 organizations (69%) are reporting difficulties recruiting for full-time regular positions, and 45% of employers say they struggle to find qualified candidates. This isn't a temporary labor shortage—it's a fundamental shift in how the largest incoming workforce generation views employment.

Here's what the military recruiting crisis is telling us about Gen Z and work:

They Don't Want Long-Term Commitments

The military asks for 4-6 year commitments. Gen Z says no. Your company asks for "career-oriented candidates willing to grow with the organization." Gen Z also says no to that.

With 72% of employees looking to change jobs this year, the era of employees staying at one company for a decade is over. Gen Z views job changes every 2-3 years as normal career progression, not job hopping.

If your recruiting pitch relies on "we're looking for someone to build a long-term career here," you're already losing Gen Z candidates.

They Expect Immediate Value and Flexibility

The military offers delayed gratification: serve your time, get your benefits, build your career. Gen Z wants immediate value: interesting work now, learning opportunities now, flexibility now.

Flexible work arrangements have shifted from a trend to a standard expectation, and companies that offer remote or hybrid work models attract and retain more talent. If your company is mandating return-to-office while competitors offer remote flexibility, you're losing the talent war before it starts.

They Don't Trust Your Employer Brand

The military spent decades building a reputation as an employer of discipline, honor, and service. Gen Z looked at that brand and said, "Yeah, but what about the veteran suicide rates and lack of mental health support?"

They're doing the same thing to your company. Your careers page says you value work-life balance and employee development. Your Glassdoor reviews say you have toxic managers and no promotion opportunities. Gen Z believes Glassdoor, not your PR.

88% of candidates say employer branding influences their decision to apply. But Gen Z doesn't trust curated employer brands—they trust peer reviews, TikTok videos from current employees, and Reddit threads about your company culture.

The Eligibility Pool Is Shrinking

Remember that stat about only 23% of 17-25 year olds being eligible for military service? The same factors are affecting corporate hiring.

According to McKinsey, 87% of companies will experience skills gaps in key areas by 2025—which is literally right now. The talent pool isn't just competitive; it's structurally smaller than it used to be.

Education quality is inconsistent. Mental health issues are rising. Drug use (especially marijuana in legal states) disqualifies candidates from roles with background checks or federal contracts. The "qualified candidate" pool is shrinking, and Gen Z makes up an increasingly large portion of that shrinking pool.

What the Military Is Trying (and Failing) to Do

The military has tried everything to attract Gen Z:

• Higher signing bonuses (up to $50K for certain roles)
• Social media campaigns featuring young, diverse service members
• Relaxed physical standards and appearance regulations
• Emphasizing skills training and career benefits
• Partnering with influencers and gaming communities

None of it is working at scale. Because the fundamental issue isn't marketing—it's the value proposition and the misalignment with what Gen Z actually wants.

Sound familiar? Corporate recruiters are doing the exact same playbook: bigger hiring bonuses, social media employer branding, relaxed dress codes and work requirements, emphasizing learning and development, partnering with campus influencers.

And it's not working at the scale needed either.

What Actually Might Work

The military probably can't fix this problem without fundamentally restructuring how service works. But corporate employers have more flexibility. Here's what the Gen Z recruiting crisis is telling us to do:

Stop Selling Long-Term Careers, Start Selling Immediate Growth

Gen Z doesn't want to hear about your 10-year career path. They want to know what they'll learn in the first 6 months and how that positions them for their next opportunity (which may or may not be at your company).

Frame opportunities around skills development, not tenure. "You'll build expertise in X, work with Y technologies, and develop Z capabilities" beats "we're looking for someone to grow with the company long-term."

Make Work Actually Flexible (Not Fake Flexible)

"Flexible work" that means "you can work from home on Fridays if your manager approves" isn't flexibility. Gen Z sees through performative flexibility immediately.

Companies that offer genuine remote or hybrid work models are attracting and retaining significantly more Gen Z talent than those mandating in-office presence. If the work can be done remotely, let it be done remotely. If you can't, be honest about why instead of making up reasons.

Build Employer Brands on Authenticity, Not Polish

Gen Z trusts messy authenticity over polished PR. They'd rather see real employee testimonials (even if imperfect) than glossy recruitment videos that look like stock footage.

User-generated content from actual employees, transparent Glassdoor responses, honest discussions about challenges and growth areas—that's what builds trust with Gen Z. Perfection is suspicious. Authenticity is valuable.

Embrace Skills-Based Hiring

Close to two-thirds (64.8%) of employers now use skills-based hiring practices for new entry-level hires. This is especially effective for Gen Z, who may not have traditional credentials but have developed real skills through online learning, side projects, and non-traditional paths.

Dropping degree requirements and focusing on demonstrable skills widens your talent pool and appeals directly to Gen Z's preference for meritocracy over credentialism.

Compete on Mission, Not Just Compensation

Gen Z is willing to trade some compensation for meaningful work. 68% of senior candidates prioritize meaningful work over maximum compensation when comparing similar offers.

If your company has a mission beyond "make shareholders money," lead with that. If you don't have a mission, create one. Gen Z wants to work somewhere that stands for something.

The Wake-Up Call

The military's Gen Z recruiting crisis is a canary in the coal mine for corporate recruiting. The largest incoming generation of workers is fundamentally skeptical of traditional employment value propositions, and they have enough options (real or perceived) to opt out of opportunities that don't align with their values and priorities.

Seven of the top eight positions organizations have had the most difficulty filling in the last 12 months were in the top eight most difficult to fill nine years ago. The talent shortage isn't temporary—it's structural.

Employers that adapt to Gen Z's expectations around flexibility, transparency, skills development, and meaningful work will attract talent. Those that try to force Gen Z into traditional career models will struggle to fill roles and watch competitors poach their people.

The military can't easily change what military service entails. Corporate employers have more flexibility to adapt. The question is whether you'll adapt before your recruiting pipeline dries up completely, or whether you'll keep doing the same strategies and wondering why Gen Z isn't responding.

Because they're not joining the military, and they're increasingly not interested in your traditional corporate roles either. The Gen Z recruiting crisis is everyone's problem now.