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Comment by jhelphenstine | Hacker News Reader

Missing in discussions about the US military recruiting problem is a discussion of the shift away from 20 year defined benefit pensions to the “Blended Retirement System.” When such a terrific deal slides off the table, economic incentives shift accordingly.

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I disagree, the high 3 wasnt a good system. The difference between 2.0 and 2.5 % is minimal when you can completely lose the whole shebang at anytime for reasons that have nothing to do with your competence at any time between day 1 all the way through day 7304.

Also the vast majority don't get their 20. It's like >80% leaving before 20 yrs.

The bigger contributing factors to declining enlistment are: general lack of support for the military among younger people (the latest round of forever wars didn't exactly help), better options in the civilian world (especially increasing benefits on student loan suppprt), and decreasing physical fitness (the increase in obesity rates directly lowers the available recruitment population).

People have different ideas about life. If you can get a 9-5 job that pays the bills why join the military and be deployed overseas for months on end not being a part of your family?

The civilian sector has the same problem with truck drivers and maritime shipping.

Yup exactly

> The civilian sector has the same problem with truck drivers and maritime shipping.

Hell, maritime anything. Even super local ferry work has a hard time recruiting.

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