What Are The Three Generations In The Military

There are three generations you will find in the Army; baby boomers, Generation Xers, and millennials. (unknown, The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language 5th Edition, 2016) During the recent United States Presidential election, the gaps between these generations became evident. (Niall McCarthy, 2016) Generations coped very differently with the way they perceived the candidates. The way the candidates communicated their political views through different media platforms was a big factor in the results of the final vote. The differences in the societal norms of these distinct generations was the key factor in which candidates chose their path for communication with voters. One candidate used mostly social media platforms. …show more content…
Their current ages today are from 18 to 29 years old. (Dornsife, 2017) The Army pay grades on average for this generation are E-6 and above for Enlisted and O-1 and above for Officers. There are almost twice as many millennials than either of the two previously stated generations. This generation is racially and ethnically diverse, sophisticated, and technologically savvy. Marketing has taken a new form with this generation as millennials don’t respond as well to traditional sales pitches. This generation’s cultural movement toward individualism is less focused on social roles and cultural distinctions. (Twenge, 2017) This thought process closely mimics the Generation Xers but differs slightly in that Generation Xers do not feel entitled and they have intrinsic motivation. Millennials prefer to remain faceless while they get acceptance from others. For millennials, promotion potential is not as important as cash compensation. The average millennial will tend to think they are above average compared to their peers. This generation’s difficulties stem from a misplaced sense of entitlement, lack of loyalty, and inadequate face-to-face communication skills. They do not work well as members of a team and they are comfortable in that position. Positive characteristics of this generation include thinking highly of themselves and being optimistic about how they see their lives. However, they may not be willing to share with others that they believe this way. Often times they expect others to reach out and assist them with problems they may face instead of working through them on their own. They tend to be more collaborative and adaptable than the previous two generations, which is a desirable trait for future Army leadership to