Background:

Divergent Options is a non-politically aligned non-revenue generating national security website that, in 1,000 words or less, provides unbiased, dispassionate, candid articles that assess a national security situation, present multiple options to address the situation, and articulate the risk and gain of each option.  Please note that while we assess a national security situation and may provide options, we never recommend a specific option.

Below you will see a Call for Papers.  If you are not interested in writing on this topic, we always welcome individual articles on virtually any national security situation an author is passionate about.  Please do not let our call for papers cause you to hesitate to send us your idea. We look forward to hearing from you!

Call for Papers:

Divergent Options is calling for national security papers assessing situations or discussing options related to Military Recruiting.

Countries throughout the world have different models for filling their military’s ranks. These recruitment models respond differently to factors such as global demographic, technological, economic, and social changes. With these models and factors in mind, how should countries adapt their approaches to recruitment in order to fill their ranks?

Below is a list of prompts that may inspire potential writers:

– Assess the impact of autonomy on military end strength requirements.

– Provide options to establish or modify the incentive structures used to support recruitment and retention.

– Assess the impact of military retirement programs and changes to them on recruiting and retention.

– Assess the requirement for compulsory service or provide options for implementation.

– Assess the source of recruiting problems e.g. patriotism, sense of national identity, civic education, etc.

– Assess the role that each of the armed services play in addressing military recruiting challenges.

– Assess the impact of families serving in the armed forces for multiple generations.

– Provide options to balance force requirements against medical entrance requirements.

– Assess how global demographic changes are impacting military recruitment models.

– Provide options to balance technological change with military manpower requirements.

– Assess how economic factors are effecting the choice to join the military.

– Provide options for armed forces to adapt their recruitment models to address social changes.

Please limit your submission to 1,000 words and write using our Options Paper or Assessment Paper templates which are designed for ease of use by both writers and readers alike.

Please send your article to submissions@divergentoptions.org by October 26, 2024.