Jeff Stoffer, Director of Media and Communications for the American Legion, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to talk about a few stories found in May’s edition of the Legion Magazine.
When the American Legion began to research the declining number of Americans joining the military, they found some interesting statistics. The data is shared in an ongoing 10-part report in the Legion Magazine. May includes the third installment of the report.
Stoffer shared that their research found that the number of children of veterans joining the military is much lower than previously seen. He said multiple factors are involved with the declining recruitment rates, including a battle for talent. Stoffer said the younger generation is now joining the trades and getting other quality careers encouraged by high schools. The change in the relationship between high schools and the trades is a new development in recent years. He said this change has been significant, but the military must adapt their efforts to reach future recruitment goals, especially among children of current military veterans.
Stoffer continued by discussing two other stories from May’s edition. The first focused on a new proposal for a memorial to those involved in America’s global war on terrorism. He discussed the process required for the monument to be placed on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., which is expected to have a finalized design in 2025. The final story covered by Stoffer was his own, At Home in Dripping Springs, a story centered on how a request for a small home for the Legion and VFW members to meet in the Central Texas town turned into a 10-acre, $10 million campus known as Patriots’ Hall.
Hear more about the upcoming edition of the Legion Magazine by listening to the episode above.