The United States Army has long been a leader in recruiting new soldiers, but this year they have exceeded expectations by reaching their recruitment targets for the fiscal year 2023. This is a result of service leaders’ increasing focus on recruiting and adapting to a more challenging target pool. Let’s take a closer look at how the US Army is meeting its recruitment goals.
The Army has added approximately 18,500 new soldiers to the ranks since FY2023 began on October 1st, according to Maj. Gen. Johnny Davis of the US Army Recruiting Command. In addition, there are over 13,000 recruiters currently in processing. With these numbers, it looks like the army could exceed its goal for this fiscal year.
To meet these goals, service leaders have had to make adjustments and changes to how they present themselves to potential recruits and broaden their base of recruits. This shift in tactics has become increasingly important as fewer and fewer Americans are eligible to join the military due to various age requirements or health issues.
“I think the Army is getting better at recruiting,” Thomas Spoehr, director of the Heritage Foundation’s Center for National Defense, told the DCNF. “They were complacent for a number of years and took it for granted that people come to them, and they’re now very much in the mode of reaching out to prospects than they were in the past.”
The Army has also taken steps to better understand its target audience by conducting surveys and interviews with potential recruits and their families in order to better tailor their message and make it more appealing for potential recruits who may not see military service as an option for them otherwise.
The Army also recently launched an interactive website specifically designed for potential recruits that provides information about different career paths within the military, as well as access to resources such as mentorships and scholarships that can help potential recruits reach their goals within the military.
It’s clear that the US Army is making strides when it comes to meeting its recruitment targets for FY2023 – a testament both to service leaders’ hard work and dedication towards achieving this goal, as well as their ability to adapt quickly when faced with a changing target pool of potential recruits. With continued effort from all involved, we can expect great things from our nation’s armed forces in the years ahead!
