Only a third of military families now recommend a life in uniform: members struggle with shabby homes, schools and hospitals, deepening Pentagon's recruitment crisis

Barely a third of military families would recommend a career in uniform, says the latest survey to highlight problems at the Pentagon.

Back in 2016, more than half of them spoke highly of a military career.

They said life was getting worse because military spouses could not get jobs, health services were poor, and housing was shabby.

That's according to a survey of more than 7,400 personnel for Blue Star Families, a nonprofit.

It comes amid a crisis in military recruitment, which saw the Army fall 15,000 short of its 65,000 enlistment goal for the last financial year.

Military families complain about the quality of housing, schools and healthcare. Pictured: A military police officer walks with his daughter and dog at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia

Barely a third of military families would recommend a career in uniform nowadays, according to a survey of more than 7,400 personnel for Blue Star Families

This hurts US efforts to maintain a military lead over strategic competitor China.

The forces are struggling to enlist members thanks to salary competition in a tight job market and as many Gen Zers eschew a life in uniform — as many of them are just not fit enough to enlist.

Jessica Strong, a researcher at the charity, said the Pentagon needed to make life better for those in uniform.

'Military families are the most critical untapped potential to solve the national recruiting crisis,' Strong said.

'To save the all-volunteer force, we have to address military families' concerns and stories they shared with us through this research.'

But the survey showed that the military was headed in the wrong direction, she added.

'Persistent quality-of-life issues such as spouse unemployment, limited child care, housing costs, and health care barriers,' were a major turn-off to military families, she added.

Back in 2016, 55 percent of active-duty personnel and their family members would recommend a life in uniform.

A member of the 82nd Airborne Division feeds her five-month-old child at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where poverty, hardship, and food insecurity are rife 

A Family Day ceremony at Fort Jackson in September 2022 in Columbia, South Carolina. Newcomers to the Army serving at bases are among the most likely to struggle putting enough food on the table

Last year, that had fallen to 32 percent.

Nearly half of them said military spouses were struggling to find work – a common problem in families that get posted to far-flung bases.

Unemployment among military spouses is about five times the national average.

Another 38 percent complained about being separated from their family, 37 percent said pay was too low, 36 percent said the housing was shabby, and a third said they were concerned about their kids' education.

About a quarter said they wanted mental health counselling, but could not get it.

One in six said they weren't always able to put enough food on the table.

The findings echo concerns about money, pay, benefits, and hardship faced by many service members and their spouses who have told DailyMail.com about family life in uniform.

The US Army earlier this year said it was slashing the size of its force by about 24,000, or almost 5 percent, and restructuring to be better able to fight the next major war.

Army chiefs have spoken of challenges in bringing in recruits, leading to a shortfall of as many as 15,000 soldiers last year. Pictured: Army recruiters at a career fair in Michigan

The cuts include about 3,000 Army special forces personal, and many counterinsurgency roles that were created during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars but were no longer necessary.

In the last fiscal year, which ended last September 30, the Navy, Army, and Air Force all failed to meet their recruitment goals

The Marine Corps and the tiny Space Force met their targets.

The Army brought in a bit more than 50,000 recruits, falling well short of the publicly stated goal of 65,000.

The previous fiscal year, the Army also missed its enlistment goal by 15,000. That year the goal was 60,000.

The service has launched a sweeping overhaul of its recruiting to focus more on young people who have spent time in college or are job hunting early in their careers.

It is also forming a new professional force of recruiters, rather than relying on soldiers randomly assigned to the task.