A lot of young people are still willing and able to serve. Some of my former Boy Scouts are in all five branches, including one young man who just reported to his first duty station with the Coast Guard in Kodiak, AK. I would submit that a lot of these kids are better soldiers, because of their desire to be there.
In speaking with these kids, you hear the same reasons for joining you always have...a desire to be a part of something bigger, to serve their country, to earn GI Bill for later. One of my favorite Scouts was a college recruited swimmer who passed to enlist in the Navy. His reason? Didn't want to go into debt to study in college when he had no idea what he wanted to do for a career. Last we talked, he had just graduated DLA in Monterey studying Russian. Another Scout who went Army ROTC told me that he loved listening to stories we vets told, and he wanted those experiences himself.
My point? Don't knock all youngsters. There are still some damned fine kids out there.