Army plans major changes to recruiting after falling short of 2023 goals

Published: Oct. 4, 2023, 12:34 p.m.

b'Big changes are coming to the Army\\u2019s recruiting apparatus after several consecutive years of recruiting shortfalls, including an elevation of the stature of the service\\u2019s recruiting command, a new career field for military recruiters, and new goals that target a wider demographic of young people.\\nThe Army finished 2023 with 55,000 new recruits, significantly short of the 65,000 it had aimed for in the fiscal year that ended on Saturday. And not all of them are in uniform quite yet: About 4,600 went into the service\\u2019s delayed entry pool, held in reserve for what\\u2019s expected to be another tough recruiting year in 2024.\\nChristine Wormuth, the secretary of the Army, said officials always knew the 65,000 target was a \\u201cstretch goal,\\u201d and it\\u2019s not yet clear how many new accessions the Army will be able to achieve this year.\\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices'