Brig. Gen. Peter Collins, USMC (Ret), is helping to address the military recruiting challenge by educating others about the military and what it can offer.
As 77% of Americans 17 to 24 years old are not eligible for service, according to a 2020 DoD study, Collins is also encouraging physical and mental fitness for young Americans.

Collins, who served on active duty for 28 years before retiring in 2011, got involved with Mission: Readiness, an organization of retired generals, admirals, and senior military leaders who advocate for evidence-based, bipartisan policy solutions to prepare young people to serve the nation. Collins writes articles for different publications and speaks at events to help bring awareness about how the military is struggling to recruit new members.

"It's a national security issue," he said. "The bottom line is we need folks to fill the roles. When you take 77% of those kids out of the market, that makes life tougher for recruiters."

Along with promoting exercise to combat high rates of obesity, which is a leading factor for not being eligible, Collins also wants to bring awareness to the idea of the military in general.

"If you can start talking to these kids when they're in middle school and say, 'Hey, there's more to life than being wherever you are — there's a world out there if you just want to grab it,'" he said. "Look at the military. It's a great way to start a career, either a military career or use it as a stepping stone to something else."

Collins also works with the USS Cleveland Legacy Foundation, which aims to educate the Cleveland area about the ship and the military.
People who don't live in locations with a high concentration of military bases, servicemembers, or veterans might not even be aware of what the military does or what service-related options there are, he said.