US Army to miss recruitment targets again, says Secretary Wormuth.

U.S. Army Recruitment Falls Short Despite New Program

The U.S. Army has fallen short of its annual recruitment goals, despite the relative success of a new program to help aspiring soldiers meet eligibility requirements. Defense Department officials have confirmed that the Army will not meet its ambitious target of 65,000 new recruits this year.

Army Secretary Christine Wormuth testified before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense on May 2, acknowledging that the Army will fall short of its recruitment goal. In October, the Army missed its recruitment target for 2022 by 25 percent, making it the worst recruitment year on record since the start of the all-volunteer force 50 years ago.

Bipartisan Concern

The recruitment issue has become a bipartisan concern, with senators expressing confusion over how the situation has grown so dire. Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) asked why recruitment is so difficult when retention is so favorable. Wormuth agreed that the Army is currently experiencing “historically good” retention, but felt the disconnect was largely due to poor communication on the Army’s part.

Improving Messaging

Wormuth advised that the Army needs to do a better job of telling its story and reintroducing itself to the American public. One area where messaging could be improved is in dispelling the notion that joining the Army could “slow people down” in fulfilling their future career goals. In fact, she argued that it can accelerate kids towards college degrees.

• Despite the relative success of a new program to help aspiring soldiers meet eligibility requirements, the U.S. Army will again “fall short” of its annual recruitment goals.
• Army Secretary Christine Wormuth acknowledged that the Army will not meet its ambitious target of 65,000 new recruits this year.
• The recruitment issue has become a bipartisan concern, with senators expressing confusion over how the situation has grown so dire.
• The Army needs to do a better job of telling its story and reintroducing itself to the American public.
• Messaging could be improved by dispelling the notion that joining the Army could “slow people down” in fulfilling their future career goals.