The Department of War (DOW) is receiving well-earned praise for reversing the military’s recruitment crisis. In FY2025, all the branches of the military met or exceeded their recruitment goals.
(The problem) is America’s retention crisis. Given the immensely complex tasks we demand of experienced enlisted service members and officers, the time and money it takes to replace the expertise required to perform these tasks, and how central this expertise is to modern warfighting, we cannot afford to keep hemorrhaging essential talent.
Despite spending nearly six billion dollars on recruiting and retention in recent years, including giving over 70,000 people retention bonuses, people are leaving the military at some of the highest rates of the last decade. For instance, 7% of Air Force officers and 11% of Airmen now leave the service each year, 350% and 550% above the national average, respectively.
Unsurprisingly, the more specialized and in-demand an officer’s skill-set is, the more likely the military is to lose them to the private sector. Four thousand troops left cyber jobs in 2024, despite DOW facing a 16% cyber position vacancy rate. While DOW does not publicly track how many AI experts it employs and loses each year, Georgetown University reports an intense shortage of uniformed personnel who understand both the mission and the emerging technology.
Unsurprisingly, the more specialized and in-demand an officer’s skill-set is, the more likely the military is to lose them to the private sector. Four thousand troops left cyber jobs in 2024, despite DOW facing a 16% cyber position vacancy rate.
Yup. DoD pay sucks, and private sector benefits have pretty much caught up. I know people who left government positions for raises of 15%-33%. Government used to be able to pay less but still keep people due to the promise of stability, but those days are long gone.
Idk, now that we’re planning invasions on our home soil maybe some people look at it differently now.
Plus, it’s department of defense.
This is true having talked to a few enlisted they are wary of re-enlisting when their contract is up. Anecdotal I guess but at least some people really don’t like where things are going.
Apparently it’s unpopular to call it the DoW, and while I realize that Congress has yet to officially change it, I think it’s a much more appropriate, and accurate, name.
When was the last time the DoD was engaged in a defensive war?
So unless they plan on further changing it to the Department of War Crimes, I think DoW is as good as we can hope for a name that aligns with their actual purpose.
It’s actually department of war. It was changed to stop pretending.
The U.S. Department of Defense is now also referred to as the Department of War, following an executive order signed by President Trump in September 2025. However, the official statutory name remains the Department of Defense until Congress makes a formal change.
That’s given, of course, that the laws mean anything anymore
dont be a bootlicker.
I understand the point you’re making but refuse to give them the satisfaction.
Also let’s be real, there’s a distinct possibility it was changed because these dumbfucks can’t spell ‘defense’
This is called having morals, good people don’t do evil things. The current US regime is nothing but evil.
maybe stop invading and doing genocides.
It’s almost like people join the country to defend it, not to go to war… They should have a department for that!
defend from what?
Theoretical defense, war is an institution and if not maintained you may be caught wrong footed when it comes a knocking. How many empires, kingdoms, or city states have been utterly annihilated because they forgot how to truly conduct warfare.
Obviously from all those plucky little 3rd world countries we democratized in previous wars, silly! In other words, we’re just defending ourselves from the consequences of our actions; totally normal and rational and okay to call it defense.
In case I’m not clear: the US has been the hotdog costume guy for a long time, but we don’t drive a car into the shops we’re robbing, we bring tanks.
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To defend rich people’s interests. In a capitalist country that is usually fossil fuels and ocean shipping lanes.
Need to be able to ship in oil from the middle east and everything else from China.
Poor people have to worry about cops. Rich people have worry about their revenue streams. The military and cops protect those “interests”.
Remember kids, politicians use the military when those politicians failed at their job but refuse to step down. The military is a weapon not a tool.
Retirement is 20 years after signing up. 20 years ago was 2025; there was such an enormous push for recruitment then. Expect this trend to continue well into 2028 when the surge ended.
Can’t imagine why
How odd.
A sped up license reciprocity system sounds great and may help with military family unemployment but it isn’t going to make a six figure private sector tech job disappear. People use the military to get education and training. Once they have it they leave. Especially if the grass is greener on the other side.
NAWW!!
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Marines hit retention goals already. Typical Marine Corps being the most capable and competent branch.
