(NewsNation) — As the U.S. military branches continue to report shortfalls in recruitment, one veteran says politics is partly to blame.
Alex Plitsas, an Army veteran and now a senior fellow with the Atlantic Council, said Tuesday on “Elizabeth Vargas Reports” that the decreasing force numbers are impacting readiness.
“The segment of the population that’s eligible to serve and that is physically qualified has increasingly shrunk over the decades as people are further out of shape, then you combine that with … the denigration of the military and the overpoliticization of our military forces … and you end up with a force that is smaller that affects readiness,” Plitsas said.
Across the military, services have faced challenges convincing young Americans to join up.
In response, most branches have made changes to attract recruits. Those include raising the age for enlistment, modifying requirements to join and creating programs designed to help prospective service members get into shape ahead of enlistment.
Plitsas is concerned that a smaller military will embolden adversaries around the globe.
“If the recruiting crisis continues and it affects readiness, then, yes, there’s a potential impact on national security down the road,” Plitsas said.
NewsNation digital producer Stephanie Whiteside contributed to this report.