By Ed Dean
For the first time in several years, the U.S. Army expects to meet a quota of military recruits for 2025
In 2024, the U.S. Pentagon said the forecast the Army, Air Force, Marine Corps and Space Force was on target for their goals and said the U.S. Navy was seeing their numbers jump as well.
Why the turnaround? Some military analysts say it’s because of better pay and more benefits; others point out the military has been changing its recruiting programs.
According to the Army Secretary Christine Wormuth, the Army is set to recruit 61,000 young people by the end of the fiscal year in and she says another 20,000 have signed up for the delayed entry program for 2026.
Army officials note that recruits signing up are at their highest level in 10 years for current contracts.
Secretary Wormuth admitted that numbers for the U.S. Army were way down because of COVID restrictions put in place by the Biden Administration that caused a significant decrease in recruiting numbers in almost every military branch.
In 2022, the Army fell short of its enlistment goal of 60,000 by 15,000, while the Navy and Air Force failed to hit their numbers in 2023. The only 2 branches they met their goals were the Marine Corps and the Space Force.
Republicans have been critical of the military coming up short over the last few years, blaming COVID-19 vaccine mandates for military personnel, wokeness, and DEI policies adopted by the Biden administration.
But another factor that has slowed recruiting is the military’s policy on recruits past drug use, weight and several just couldn’t pass the aptitude test.
But new changes that have been implemented are seeing a positive result in bringing in new recruits. The Army has now what is called the Future Soldier Prep Course. It allows underperforming individuals to meet military requirements with 90 days of fitness and academic instruction.
The Army says that prep courses have recruited about around 24% of new recruits and that number is expected to be higher this year.
The U.S. Military is seeing an increase in minorities looking to enlist. The Army reported the highest number ever of Hispanic enlisting in 2024 and a 6% increase in Black recruiting.
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