While still high, Americans' trust in the military has dropped, and DOD officials will do all they can to communicate to the American people about the positive good of the U.S. military.
Trust in all public institutions dropped according to the Gallup Poll conducted yearly. Still, 60% of Americans trust the military – second only to their trust in small businesses at 64%.
Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder was asked about the poll during the news conference today.
Ryder said the American people need to understand that "the U.S. military continues to be the best fighting organization in the history of the world."
Service members are based around the world doing the nation's business. "Anywhere you go around the globe – 24/7 – you are going to see our soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, guardians and Coast Guardsmen, conducting operations, bolstering our defense and security cooperation relationships and engaging in activities that keep our country safe," he said.
He said one consistent fact throughout American history is "that there has been, and continues to be, brave and selfless Americans who are willing to raise their hand take an oath to defend the Constitution and our nation, regardless of how popular military service is at any point in time."
Polls chart how popular the military is and that ebbs and flows over time, he said.
No DOD official takes the public's trust for granted, Ryder said. The all-volunteer force has a responsibility to Congress and the American public to communicate and ensure Americans know what the military is doing to defend the country, spend taxpayer dollars and employ resources.
"So, through a variety of means, whether it's community relations, whether it's media engagement, whether it's congressional testimony or through our recruiting efforts, just to name a few, we will continue to stay engaged with the public that we serve, and that our fellow citizens can have the facts when it comes to the military," Ryder said. "So, we're going to work hard and continue to maintain that trust."