For decades, the United States military has been one of the most sophisticated propaganda machines in the world. Hollywood blockbusters, patriotic advertisements and cultural partnerships have long helped shape how Americans view military service.Take the 1986 classic Top Gun. The film didn’t just turn Tom Cruise into a global superstar, it also reportedly boosted US Navy recruitment so dramatically that enlistment offices set up tables outside movie theatres showing the film. Fighter pilots suddenly looked glamorous, heroic and exciting with recruitment jumping as much as 500%.For years, this formula worked. But Gen Z doesn’t spend hours in cinemas watching fighter jets soar across the screen. They’re scrolling TikTok, watching Twitch streams, gaming on Discord and following influencers on Instagram.Today, the answer might sound very different: Twitch streams, Discord servers, TikTok trends, and yes, even “e-girls.”In such a situation, thirst traps do more than just engage the audience and increase traffic, they influence minds. And just like one of the many things America does peculiarly, it decided to make use of the male gaze in saving the life of one of its most vital sectors yet, the military.
The Gen Z recruitment problem
The modern job market looks very different from what it did even a decade ago. A rise in tech careers, content creation and social media influencing has proposed numerous other ways of living to the youth than the classic 9-to-5 or even government jobs.At the same time, the military faces its own challenges. Strict physical eligibility standards, declining interest in military careers and growing scepticism toward institutions have all contributed to several branches struggling to meet their enlistment targets.Additionally, the mental health issues reported by active-duty service members, such as the fact that suicide rates among active-duty service members increased by 40% from 2015 to 2020, as per Pentagon.The numbers reflect the crisis. In February 2023, the Pentagon revealed that in 2022 the US Army planned to recruit 70,000 people. However:
- By June 2022, the target dropped to 60,000
- By the end of the year, only 45,000 recruits had enlisted
For many young Americans choosing a career today, the military is no longer the first option that comes to mind, especially when other industries promise flexible lifestyles, financial independence and digital fame.But the US military has now turned to one of the most powerful ecosystems influencing young people today: the internet. Instead of waiting for Gen Z to walk into recruitment offices, recruiters are entering the digital worlds where they already spend hours every day.
Welcome to the recruitment metaverse
According to a 2025 Pew Research, Gen Z users are most active on social networks including YouTube (93%), Instagram (76%), Facebook (68%), Snapchat (65%), TikTok (59%). According to Business of Apps, they make heavy use of social networks to create connections, consume multimedia, play games and share content on an average of four hours each day. Recognising the potential, the US military launched official esports teams and gaming channels. Influencers and soldiers now share videos of climbing ropes and walls and revealing their tasks of the day, in a true Gen-Z style. At first glance, these look like just another video on social media. But beneath the humour and fast-cut editing lies something more strategic. Viewers frequently ask questions in the comments:
- What is military training actually like?
- Do soldiers receive education benefits?
- What kinds of jobs exist in the army?
And just like that, recruitment becomes conversation.
Meet the E-girls
Modern internet culture revolves heavily around personalities who build large audiences around them online, and female personalities are leading in their sphere of social media. Known as the E-girls, they know all about alt-fashion, makeup and flirtation tactics, posting just the ideal “thirst traps.”Leading the recruitment hotline is Hailey Lujan, a 21-year-old who makes fun of the Army life to her 804K followers on Instagram. “Don’t go to college, become a farmer or a soldier instead,” she instructs viewers in a video. A psychological operations specialist working for the US Army, her job is to carry out influence and disinformation operations and she makes top-tier use of her femininity to recruit legions of teens into the institution. What makes it discreet is that she makes life look fun and enticing. While one can imagine abseiling down walls, firing a howitzer and flying an Apache helicopter, they also think of possibly interacting with women as beautiful and attractive as Lujan. From merch including a calendar and t-shirt for her followers to her official personal website called Sike Ops, she has diversified her content to target each and every viewer. In one short film made with a fellow military influencer, she stars as the pretty military bait, luring young men into service. The film shows a young man standing outside an Army recruitment center, deciding not to enlist, only to see the dreamy Lujan enter the building, after which he joins up in a haze of horniness.Another leading lady is Juliana Keding, a military policewoman with over 9.4L followers who regularly combines thirst traps with videos on army life. Meanwhile, US Force medic Rylee enjoys more than 700K followers on TikTok. None of this is just content, it is a part of the social duty personnel have been encouraged to perform. The official Air Force media guide states that “You are encouraged to use social media to share your experiences as an Airman” as “Your stories might inspire someone to join the Air Force, support the Air Force, comfort a parent or spouse, improve morale or correct inaccurate information.” Those experiences, however, better be positive ones, as it also warns that sharing the wrong kind of information (i.e. content showing the military in a bad light) “could jeopardise you and your Airman’s career”.Not only TikTok and Instagram, but YouTube also joins the field. Numerous content creators such as Michelle Khare, Ben Azelart and gaming icons such as Doug “Censor” Martin have made videos spending a day at a base with soldiers and promoting the life with attachments of links.
From camouflage to content
The militaristic propaganda has expanded beyond just social media, it’s embedded subtly in everything pop culture. The Army has sponsored gaming tournaments, even creating its own Esports team to directly recruit teens on streaming sites such as Twitch. Afterall, a soldier discussing their daily life while playing Call of Duty may feel far more relatable than a polished recruitment video.In his 2017 book ‘National Security Cinema’ Dr Matthew Alford revealed that 2000 movie titles had been worked on by the state to manipulate the public, including some of the most popular cult teen movies such as “Iron Man,” “The Avengers” and more.
Strategies and effectiveness
Madison Bonzo, a US Army recruiting spokesperson, shared with The Guardian in August 2025 that the collaboration with influencers helps increase the Army’s visibility, bring awareness to untapped audiences and articulate the possibilities of Army service in unique ways. “By participating in immersive army experiences alongside real soldiers, these influencers provide firsthand insights into military life and the possibilities of army service,” Bonzo said.It seems the tactic is actually working. Since the beginning of fiscal 2026 in October, recruiting efforts are “already off to a strong and promising start,” officials said, with the Defence Department meeting nearly 40% of its delayed entry program accession goals. According to DOD, the five service branches achieved an average of 103% of their recruiting goals for fiscal 2025, following recruiting challenges in recent years.While US President Donald Trump took the credit, citing the “incredible spirit in the United States of America,” data shows the improvement began before the beginning of his second term. In June 2024, the army announced it met its goals of enlisting 61,000 recruits, four months earlier than expected.According to Jess Rauchberg, an assistant professor at Seton Hall University who studies the cultural impact of social media, the content is more than just propaganda, it is a message for security in an unstable time. According to a 2022 McKinsey & Company report, Gen Z is less financially secure: 45 per cent are concerned about the stability of their employment (compared with 40 per cent of all respondents) and are less likely than other respondents to report being able to cover living expenses for more than two months if faced with job loss.“The military is capitalising on this moment to say, ‘Well, our numbers are down and Gen Z is hurting for jobs and stable lives,’” said Rauchberg to The Guardian, Working with creators is a way to “promise them this idea of stability – if you work for us, we will take care of you”. This makes a military job finally more appealing to the youth. Moreover, what better way to turn armies of horny American teens from simps on phones into paid soldiers?
