U.S. Marine of 14 Years Expresses Pride in Serving Under Trump Administration, Foresees Bright Future for Service Members and Americans
Maxamillian Alexander Dutton, a staff sergeant with an illustrious 14-year career in the United States Marine Corps, recently voiced his profound pride and optimism for the future of the military and the nation following the inauguration of President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance.
Dutton, who currently serves as a staff sergeant in charge of the Marine Corps Base Ceremonial Platoon in Quantico, Virginia, was recently honored with a Navy Commendation Medal on October 1.
His journey in the Marine Corps began immediately after high school, where he joined the Marine Corps Band as a drummer.
In a passionate video released on Instagram, Dutton shared his thoughts on the new administration and what it means for service members across the country.
“Well, Donald Trump is now the President of the United States of America, along with his Vice President, JD Vance. What does this mean for the military? What does this mean for service members?” he asked.
“I will tell you this,” Dutton continued, “there has never been a time, more so than now, where I have been proud to serve this country. Been in the United States Marine Corps for 14 years. And throughout that time, I have served under three presidents. And I am very optimistic about all the opportunities that are going to come, not only to service members but also to Americans as a whole.”
Dutton highlighted the unique connection he feels with Vice President Vance, noting, “The fact that our Vice President of the United States of America, himself, was an active duty United States Marine brings me a lot of pride.”
As the nation turns a new chapter, Dutton encouraged those considering military service to embrace the opportunity.
“So as we open this next chapter for our country, I encourage anybody who has been considering military service to take that leap, to go for it, to give it everything you got, to go find out what is available to you and what is available for you. Good luck to you,” he concluded.
WATCH:
Under the Biden regime, the U.S. military has faced significant recruitment challenges. In fiscal year 2022, the Army missed its recruitment target by approximately 15,000 soldiers, a 25% shortfall, leading to its smallest size since 1940.
The shortfall forced the Army to cut its planned active-duty end strength from 476,000 to 466,000, but according to the War on The Rocks outlet, “Army officials project that active end strength could shrink by as much as 20,000 soldiers by September, down to 445,000.
The Navy and Air Force also failed to meet their goals, while the Marine Corps met its targets, partly due to a reduction in force size.
Recruiting has been hampered by COVID-19 vaccine requirements as well as an increasingly woke military atmosphere where trans soldiers are give special privileges while Christian soldiers are persecuted, bases host drag shows, and leaders with a history of anti-white statements are hired.
Contributing to the recruitment challenge is a significant decline in enlistment from white males, a demographic that historically constituted a large portion of the Army’s recruits.
The number of white recruits decreased by nearly half in the past five years, with the most substantial annual drop of 6% occurring from 2022 to 2023. Conversely, Black and Hispanic recruit numbers have remained relatively stable but have grown as a percentage of total recruits due to the decrease in white recruits.
In an effort to bolster its ranks, the Air Force announced in February the revival of its Voluntary Retired Return to Active Duty (VRRAD) Program. This initiative aims to fill up to 1,000 mid-career positions, urgently seeking pilots, combat systems officers, recruiters, and air traffic controllers.
Just look at the state of our military under your so-called ‘qualified’ leadership.
“US Army and Air Force Call on Retirees to Return to Active Duty Amid Recruiting Shortages”https://t.co/oyR1XkiIfa
— The Gateway Pundit (@gatewaypundit) January 25, 2025
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