Criticism: White House under fire for opposing 19.5% raise for junior military personnel.

The White House opposes a proposed nearly 20% pay raise for junior enlisted troops, as the military is currently facing a "once in a generation recruitment crisis."

On "Fox & Friends" Thursday, Jeremy Hunt, chairman of Veterans on Duty, stated that the military's top priority is to address the recruitment crisis and increasing pay is a helpful solution.

The administration is deeply committed to safeguarding the well-being of our service members and their families, and acknowledges the committee's interest in addressing the requirements of junior enlisted personnel. However, the administration firmly opposes any substantial, permanent alteration to the fundamental pay structure until the conclusion of the Fourteenth Quadrennial Review of Military Compensation.

President Biden has approved over $100 billion in student loan forgiveness, but when it comes to our troops, America's most precious resource, he's complaining about an increase in military pay.

"If we can't increase pay for our troops, it's a shame for the country," said Hunt. "Biden's inflation has increased by 20% since he took office, so the least he could do is raise military pay to keep up with the inflation he caused."

The left attempts to include "unrelated nonsense" in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) annually, according to Hunt, who suggested that other areas could be reduced to decrease spending.

As a platoon leader in the 3rd Infantry Division, I was an intel officer. Several of my soldiers were living paycheck to paycheck, struggling to make ends meet while ensuring they could provide for their families, according to Hunt.

"Why is that issue still a problem in our country? It should be the top priority for lawmakers and our commander in chief to address."

According to Military.com, both parties in the Armed Service Committee supported the pay increase for junior enlisted personnel.

At a House Rules Committee meeting, Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., stated that one of the significant aspects of the issue is a 19.5% pay increase for junior enlisted [troops]."

"The issue lies in the rising housing costs, which have outpaced the pay of many junior enlisteds. To address this problem, a bold step is being taken to support them, which will also aid in recruitment and retention."

The Army, Navy, and Air Force all fell short of their recruitment goals for the 2023 fiscal year, with the Army being 23.4% short, the Navy 19.8% short, and the Air Force 10.7% short.