The Pentagon's fiscal year 2024 (FY24) already ended, and it would be fair to say that Christmas came early - as the armed services saw recruitment increase by 12.5% over FY23, even as the recruiting market seems far from ideal. In addition to low unemployment, fewer young Americans are expressing interest in military service, while many who may look to sign up aren't meeting the basic requirements.
However, after years of struggling to meet recruiting goals, a series of new programs and policy changes have been adopted and those efforts are now showing results.
Last week, Director of Military Accession Policy Dr. Katie Helland said during a multiservice panel on 2025 recruiting goals, the Department of Defense (DoD) saw the number of recruits increase from 200,000 in FY23 to 225,000 in FY24. Moreover, the services saw a 35% increase in written contracts, while the active components' delayed entry program kicked off FY25 with a 10% larger pool.
"[The Office of the Secretary of Defense] and the services will continue to build off the momentum that we've gained in 2024," Helland said. "Nevertheless, we need to remain cautiously optimistic about the 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 a declining eligibility among young adults."
The Ties That Bind
One factor that has contributed to the recent recruiting woes is that most young people never even considered the option of military service. The reasons are actually multifold, including that many younger Americans have fewer friends or family members who served, while there is a declining presence of veterans.
In other words, there is no longer a family heritage of service.
Yet, another problem is that a vast majority of Generation Z don't meet the basic physical or educational requirements. According to the DoD, "Approximately 77% of people between the ages of 17 and 24 require some type of waiver to serve due to any number of disqualifications.
As previously reported, the U.S. Army has sought to ensure that those who may be interested in service yet fail to meet physical or academic standards are given a chance to qualify. The service expanded its Future Soldier Preparatory Course, which was introduced to aid potential recruits to overcome academic and physical fitness barriers to service, while not sacrificing quality for quantity. More than 90% of participants completed the program and progressed to basic training.
New Recruiting Efforts
All of the branches of the military have embraced new recruiting tools, including a Sub-Reddit campaign, video game challenges, and even videos that aren't what might have been used just a few years ago.
In addition, the Pentagon is seeking to reconnect to the youth, and even social media influencers, by presenting the value of military service.
"The next generation of Americans to serve should know that there has never been a better time for them to choose military service," Helland added. "Youth today seek a larger purpose in their lives and desire jobs where they have greater participation in decision-making and can create a direct tangible impact. Military service offers all of this."
Another part of the DoD's strategy is to present the more than 250 occupations that it offers, and change the narrative that the military is an alternative to going to college or should be seen only as "an option of last resort." The DoD's Advertising Market Research and Studies program will soon launch a campaign to build familiarity with the American public about the value of military service, while efforts are now moving forward where adult influencers will advocate for military service.
"We are working to reframe this narrative so that Americans understand that military service is a pathway to greater education and career opportunities while defending democracy and the freedoms we hold dear," Helland stressed.