The Army's Recruiting Problem Is Male
The issue is convincing men to put on the uniform. A decade of declining recruitment numbers for the Army is almost entirely attributable to a significant drop in male recruiting as female enlistments have remained relatively flat, internal service data reviewed by Military.com shows. Since 2013, male enlistments have dropped 35%, going from 58,000 men […]
Secretive Army Group’s Recruiting Video Is Chock-Full of Hidden Meanings, Viewers Say
A secretive U.S. Army group known as the “Masters of Influence” has emerged from the shadows of Fort Liberty with a recruitment video that is strange, a little chilling — and crammed with subliminal messages. The 4th Psychological Operations Group posted “Ghosts in the Machine 2” May 2 on YouTube, exactly two years to the […]
New Recruiting Programs Put Army, Air Force on Track to Meet Enlistment Goals. Navy Will Fall Short
WASHINGTON — After several difficult years, the Army and Air Force say they are on track to meet their recruiting goals this year, reversing previous shortfalls using a swath of new programs and policy changes. But the Navy, while improving, expects once again to fall short. The mixed results reflect the ongoing challenges for the […]
Army Expanding Pre-Basic Training Prep Courses to Bring in More Soldiers and Curb Recruiting Crisis
The Army is again dramatically expanding its pre-basic training courses that were created to get young Americans into compliance with the service’s enlistment standards, as those courses are becoming key to curtailing the ongoing recruiting slump. The Future Soldier Preparatory Course’s capacity will grow from nearly 18,000 to 23,500 this year, according to data provided […]
The Army Recruiting Ad Featuring a Soldier with 2 Moms Just Got Harder to Find. Here’s Why.
The Army has delisted its advertising campaign titled “The Calling” on YouTube, making it harder to find the videos on the platform. The 2021 effort to court potential applicants from LGBTQ+ and other diverse backgrounds sparked a backlash from conservative lawmakers and pundits. “The Calling” was delisted from the service’s YouTube channel last week, hiding […]
First Wave of Army Noncommissioned Officers Gets Automatic Promotions for Completing Recruiting School
Dozens of noncommissioned officers received fast-track promotions for graduating the Army’s recruiting school in recent weeks — part of a controversial move by the service as it desperately grapples with a depleting pool of NCOs interested in serving in the role. Of the 145 soldiers who attended the Army Recruiter Course, 56 NCOs were automatically […]
Army Opens New Warrant Officer Recruiting Roles as It Struggles to Fill the Ranks
The Army on Wednesday opened up applications for its new “talent acquisition technician” role for warrant officers as part of its efforts to overhaul recruiting. The service is looking for a total of 225 applicants across three selection boards to beef up its new job designation — 420T — after years of missing goals for […]
Army Warns Recruiting Efforts Could Take a Hit if Congress Doesn’t Pass Ukraine and Israel Funding
SIMI VALLEY, Calif. — If Congress does not approve extra funding to cover the bulked-up U.S. troop presence in Europe and the Middle East, the Army could have to dip into funding meant for recruitment to cover costs of the deployments, a top service official warned this weekend. Speaking at the annual Reagan National Defense […]
Army Should Focus More Recruiting Effort on TV Outreach Rather than Bonuses, New Study Says
Six hundred new enlistees and current soldiers were sworn into the Army during a televised NFL game Sunday with some 69,000 people in stands, given the oath of enlistment by Gen. Randy George, the service’s top officer. The Army band performed the national anthem, Rangers rappelled from the stadium’s rafters, and the 82nd Airborne Division […]
Big Bonuses, Relaxed Policies, New Slogan: None of It Saved the Military from a Recruiting Crisis in 2023
Despite a barrage of hefty bonuses, loosened and more progressive enlistment requirements, and even the creation of innovative pre-boot camp programs, the U.S. military mostly fell short in efforts to bring more Americans into the services over the past year — and it’s unclear how or when that will change. Of the five Defense Department […]