Support for President Obama among members of the military has fallen drastically in recent years, according to the results of a poll published by the Military Times.
A survey of 2,300 active-duty service members showed that only 15 percent of troops polled in 2014 said they approve of the job Obama is doing as commander in chief. That is down from 2009’s paltry 35 percent approval rating.
In 2013, 28 percent approved of Obama. That was a slight increase from the year before when 25 percent backed him.
As the Military Times notes, while troops appear to strongly disapprove of Obama overall, they do support some of the policies he’s enacted since taking office.
Sixty percent of those surveyed in 2014 said they believe openly gay people should be allowed to serve in the military. That is up from 31 percent who said the same in 2006.
In 2011, Obama put an end to the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy toward gay members of the armed forces.
More troops approve of another measure backed by Obama, increasing combat roles for female troops. In 2011, 43 percent said that women should not be allowed in those roles. Today, only 28 percent say the same.
The overall drop does not appear to be fueled by changes in partisan demographics. As the Times notes, the percentage of Republicans and conservatives taking part in the survey this year is well off of its peak.
Only 32 percent of respondents considered themselves Republicans — down from nearly half who said the same in the late 2000s.
While 41 percent considered themselves “conservative” in 2011, only 29 percent said the same in 2014.