Army’s Recruiting Numbers Surpass Goals Early This Year
“Be All You Can Be.” Looks like plenty of people want to sign up to do just that. The Army has had no trouble attracting recruits so far this year….
"Be All You Can Be." Looks like plenty of people want to sign up to do just that.
The Army has had no trouble attracting recruits so far this year. In fact, it has already hit recruiting goals for 2025 four months early with 61,000 contracts already for new active duty soldiers.
"This achievement represents a significant turning point for the Army and indicates a renewed sense of patriotism and purpose among American's youth," the Army said in a news release.
This year's goal was 10% higher than the 55,000 the Army hoped to recruit in 2024.
Last year marked the first time the Army had reached its recruiting goals in two years.
Previous Army Recruiting Goals
- 2023: The Army recruited 54,000 soldiers, falling 11,000 short of its goal of 65,000
- 2022: The Army added 44,901 new soldiers, reaching about three-fourths of its goal of 60,000 recruits
Specific numbers aren't available for Fort Eisenhower in Augusta, but at the end of February, 2025, the U.S. Army said there were more than 16,000 military service members on post with more than 13,500 civilians employed on the installation.
There's no clear-cut answer as to why recruiting numbers throughout the Army are up now.
President Donald Trump claims on social media that he and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth are driving recruitment numbers up, thanks to strong leadership.
According to Defense Department data, improving recruitment strategies, increased bonuses and new prep courses are likely driving numbers up.
Army officials say without a doubt, recruiting numbers went way down during the Covid-19 pandemic. There were severe restrictions on in-person recruiting, and private companies were able to offer better pay, at the time.
"I'm incredibly proud of our U.S. Army recruiters and drill sergeants," said Army Secretary Dan Driscoll. "Their colossal efforts and dedication to duty helped the U.S. Army accomplish our FY25 annual recruiting goal a full four months ahead of schedule."
