US Army hits recruiting targets after years of shortfalls

Nearly all active-duty components of the U.S. military have met their 2024 recruiting goals after years of shortfalls.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin praised the recruiting efforts.

“The US military is the most powerful fighting force on Earth. For more than 50 years, our all-volunteer force has been supported by skilled patriots who rise to serve and keep the republic safe,” he said . “Our greatest strategic asset is our people, and we must continue to recruit and retain the best our country has to offer.”

The military services enlisted 225,000 people in fiscal year 2024 — 25,000 more recruits than last year, said Katie Helland, the Pentagon’s director of military accession policy.

She pointed directly to the challenges the military components will face in the coming years as they set higher recruiting goals.

“We must remain optimistic about future recruiting operations as we continue to recruit in a market that has low youth propensity to serve, limited familiarity with military opportunities, a competitive labor market, and declining eligibility among young adults,” Helland said.

Helland noted a growing divide between civilians and the military.

“The data indicates that many of today’s young people are not interested in military service and have many misperceptions about what life as a service member is like,” she said.

In fact, most young people never consider signing up.

“For the first time since this metric has been tracked, most young people have never considered military service as an option,” Helland said. “That’s it’s not even on the radar. This divide has been caused by a confluence of factors, including the declining military footprint and the declining presence of veterans in society.”

One challenge is fewer ties to a family member who has served. In 1990, 40 percent of young adults had a parent who served. That dropped to 15%.

“In the past, those direct connections were critical to conveying the limitless opportunities and experiences that are gained from military service,” Helland said. “And without those personal connections, we’re finding that fewer young adults are familiar with the benefits of the service.”

The U.S. Army has exceeded fiscal year 2024 recruiting targets for its active-duty component. The Army will achieve at least 55,300 total accessions – entry or re-entry – for FY 2024 and will place approximately 11,000 service members in the Delayed Entry Program for FY 2025. By comparison, the Army achieved 50,181 accessions in FY 23. and added 4,661 in the Delayed Entry Program.

The U.S. Navy surpassed its fiscal 2024 recruiting goals, landing 40,978 new recruits by the end of the fiscal year, which the Navy called “the most significant recruiting achievement in 20 years.”

The Air Force Recruiting Service met its fiscal year 2024 goal in all components, with the Active Duty Air Force, Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve, and Space Force all meeting their recruiting goals.

For the first time since 2017, the Coast Guard met its recruitment goals for joining the active duty enlisted, reserve and non-Academy officer programs. The Coast Guard has accessed more than 4,400 active members.

“The all-volunteer force remains the foundation of America’s national defense, and it is our duty to ensure it remains strong for generations to come,” Austin said. “The Department of Defense remains deeply committed to ensuring that every qualified patriot has the opportunity to answer the call.”