Former acting VA secretary under Trump says young people aren't inspired to join the military

Former acting secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs Peter O'Rourke says that not enough young men and women are inspired these days to join the military, resulting in recruitment numbers in all branches being down.

"I served for four years there and had some of the best years of my life," O'Rourke said on Thursday's edition of the "Just the News, No Noise" TV show. "I don't know what inspires young men and women today."

O'Rourke said the movie Top Gun inspired him to enlist in the military, and that the second Top Gun movie, which was released last May, will hopefully help with the Navy's recruitment numbers, but it's not doing enough. 

"We did have another Top Gun movie," O'Rourke said. "Hopefully that'll help with the Navy. But what are other services doing with this? It seems like they're describing a lifestyle for young men and women that they don't want to be a part of."

Another factor that is affecting military recruiting numbers is parents talking their kids out of joining, O'Rourke said.

"Their parents are convincing them that the military was good for them, but it's probably not good for our kids," he stated. "That's very disheartening and very disappointing and has to change."

According to O'Rourke, this is an issue that the incoming GOP Congress has to address next year.

"It has to be the first mission of the new Congress and of the president to reverse this trend and do it quickly before we're in real jeopardy," he concluded.