While the Department of War highlights an increase in military recruits under the current administration, they are overlooking specific groups within both the present cohort of service members and upcoming generations who are being discouraged from joining.
Why? Because, despite numerous warnings from service members and veterans to President Donald Trump and War Secretary Pete Hegseth, they continue to neglect the issue of accountability related to the “unlawful as implemented” COVID-19 shot mandate.
In the fall of 2023, with Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin at the helm of Department of Defense (DoD), J.M. Phelps carried out an independent survey targeting both enlisted members and officers of the various branches of the military.
One of the key issues addressed in the anonymous survey was the probability of service members suggesting military service to their family or friends. To that end, over 98 percent, specifically 225 out of 229 people, expressed their reluctance to encourage their children, relatives, or friends to join the military, 69 percent specifically citing Austin’s tyrannical enforcement of the COVID-19 shot mandate as their reason.
Additionally, the 2023 survey revealed that 79 percent of participants expressed their intention to retire within the next one to five years, with the shot mandate also being the main reason for their decision.
Almost ten months into War Secretary Pete Hegseth’s tenure, a second survey was conducted to reevaluate the sentiments of service members currently active in today’s military. With a reduced number of participants, the fall 2025 survey had only 66 respondents. Many of the individuals who took part in the previous survey were likely forced out or compelled to resign or retire.
Nonetheless, 59 participants of the fall 2025 survey, equating to 89 percent, indicated that they would not recommend their children, family members, or friends to join the military.
The reason? Eighty percent of the participants cited “the lack of accountability for the implementation and enforcement of the 2021 military shot mandate.” Notably, nearly 70 percent of this group also plans to retire in the next one to five years, with 65 percent feeling “betrayed by the implementation of the COVID-19 shot mandate and the subsequent lack of accountability.”
Below is a recap of the findings.
Sixty-four of 66 participants, or 97 percent, of the fall 2025 survey believe Department of Defense leaders should be held accountable for the manner in which the mandate was implemented and enforced in August 2021. Interestingly, 95 percent stated accountability is necessary to regain trust in the military. Yet, to date, no one has been held accountable.
The pleas of those impacted have been ignored by President Donald Trump and War Secretary Hegseth. All the while, the Department of War is losing not only this generation but also future generations who are connected to them. Sadly, they appear indifferent to this loss.
Three of the survey participants shared their opinions with The Gateway Pundit, making it clear that their views do not reflect those of the War Department or their individual branches of service.
One service member’s perspective suggests that the oaths taken by certain service members to uphold and protect the Constitution “mean nothing,” particularly for those whose oaths were challenged during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Whether they were aware of it or were purely ignorant, any leader that supported the unlawful COVID-19 mandates violated their oaths to the Constitution and the American people,” he shared.
“The fact that so many are still trying to defend themselves instead of doing the honorable and right thing to take responsibility shows that the culture is intrinsically corrupt, and I don’t want my children to be a part of that.”
Another service member expressed a similar sentiment, stating that military leaders “showed their true colors” during the COVID pandemic. “I lack the trust and confidence that current military leadership, at the highest levels, will act in accordance with Constitution and laws of the land over the preservation of their own career interests,” he said.
“They have become the inverse examples of what made our military the envy of the world and I will not trust the life of my children in their hands.”
For another, he said, “The last five years solidified, with limited exceptions, most military officers place their careers over their oath.” For him, “These leaders shunned the clear evidence and laws presented by numerous service members demonstrating the DoD’s enforcement of the COVID ‘vax’ mandate was illegal, yet these leaders chose to echo political talking points.”
He added that he is “yet to hear any senior military leader acknowledge the SecWar’s confirmation of these illegal actions, much less do anything to correct it.”
“As such,” he said, “the service members’ trust of military leadership has eroded, [and] until trust, direction, and Godly morals are restored, I will not recommend my son or loved ones risk their lives only to support the political careers of the ruling class.”
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