Personnel at Hickam AFB, Hawaii, got to break bread—or toast—during breakfast with the President and First Lady when Mr. and Mrs. Bush stopped over in Hawaii on Nov. 21 on their way back from Southeast Asia. In remarks, President Bush said: You belong to the finest Armed Forces the world has ever known. I appreciate the fact that you have volunteered to wear our uniform in these troubled times. … It’s an incredible country when people of character stand up and say, I want to serve something greater than my self interests.”
Amid a high-profile recruiting crisis, Air Force leaders and experts have increasingly noted the challenging long-term trends the service will face in enticing young Americans to sign up—decreasing eligibility to serve, less propensity to do so, and less familiarity with the military. But while those same leaders say there’s no “silver…