If it's fifty years of feminization, and seniors 22 years ago had mustaches and were smoking cigarettes, just think what us knuckle-draggers were doing in the class of 1973. (Only a few guys smoked cigarettes, and apart from one beard-growing contest one year, facial hair was not permitted.)
But the article is talking about recruiting first from the general public. American men have very much feminized over the past 50 years.
I remember back how the high school seniors at my school in 2002 had mustaches, were smoking cigarettes, they looked like full grown men.
Something has changed. I think a social premium on safety also results in a poorer recruiting class in the U.S.