APRIL 11, 2025 – The Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Space Force met their contracting goals for new recruits last year and expect to do so again this year. At the same time, military personnel leaders said they are undergoing transformations with an eye toward lethality.
“Our Army can provide combat power anywhere in the world to protect American and allied interests,” said Army Lt. Gen. Brian S. Eifler, deputy chief of staff for personnel. “Our Army is lethal, cohesive and ready. We are proud, but we are not satisfied.”
During testimony yesterday before the Senate Armed Services Committee’s military personnel subcommittee, Eifler said the Army is moving forward with a focus on warfighting, ready combat formations, continuous transformation and strengthening the Army profession.
“Within these four pillars, our team of professionals will execute all human resource actions that directly support our most important asset: our people,” the general told senators.
Part of that effort, he said, is an overhaul and revamping of the Army’s retention processes.
“This will ensure quality over quantity and provide leaders the right skills for our formations,” he said.
Also on the Army’s personnel docket, he said, is modernization of its centralized promotion board system, leveraging of artificial intelligence and an overhaul of its officer professional management system. Barracks renovations and updates to dining facilities, he said, will improve the quality of life for soldiers and ensure they remain focused on the mission of defending the nation.
Eifler said the Army exceeded its recruiting goal by adding over 55,000 new soldiers in fiscal year 2024 and plans to add an additional 61,000 to the force this year.
He said the Army is currently on a path to surpass its goal without lowering standards.
At sea, Navy Vice Adm. Richard J. Cheeseman Jr., chief of naval personnel, told lawmakers the Navy had a “historic” recruiting year in 2024, exceeding its goal by the highest number of sailors on contract since 2003. It plans to do the same again in 2025.
While the Navy exceeded the number of sailors it wanted to put on contract in 2024, some of those recruits were unable to immediately attend boot camp due to capacity. Cheeseman said he’s making sure that this year, the Navy has slots in basic training to accept new recruits.
“I remain focused on ensuring our schoolhouse supply chain is ready to receive this influx of motivated students, and we are ensuring every future sailor receives the training they need to be ready on day one in a fiscally responsible, efficient and effective manner,” he said.
With a newly established Recruiting Operations Center, implementation of the Future Sailor Preparatory Course to improve accession success, a streamlined medical waiver review process, an increase in recruiters, and improved marketing efforts, Cheeseman said the Navy will be successful in fiscal year 2025 with its goal to recruit 40,600 new sailors.
The Navy also found success in its retention goals — keeping good sailors in the service. Cheeseman said the Navy exceeded retention forecasts across all zones and expects to do the same in 2025.
“Our sailors stand ready as a lethal fighting force to deter or confront any adversary,” he said. “You and every American can be proud of your Navy and this team. “
Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Michael J. Borgschulte, deputy commandant for manpower and reserve affairs, told lawmakers that Marine Corps recruiting efforts are focused on lethality.
“The Marine Corps approaches the challenges of this critical manpower portfolio with a singular focus, and that is delivering combat-credible lethal forces to operational units wherever they are needed,” he said. “Every decision we make, whether that’s through recruiting, retention, assignment or policies, is evaluated through the lens of lethality.”
The Marine Corps met its recruiting goals in 2024, and Borgschulte said the Marines will do it again in 2025.
“We’ve achieved these recruiting goals while exceeding all DOD quality standards, without lowering and without ever compromising those standards that define us,” he told senators. “We believe our discipline, culture, our warfighting ethos and high standards attract the competitive, high-performing Americans that we need to fill our ranks with tough, smart and gritty Marines.”
Borgschulte also said the Marine Corps has exceeded its retention goals.
“The retention of our Marines has also reached historic heights,” he said. “This year, we’ve exceeded last year’s unprecedented numbers, and just this last week, we surpassed 100% of the retention goals that we need, and we’re not stopping. This year marks the highest number and highest quality we’ve retained of Marines in decades and proves that warriors that earn the title ‘Marine’ want to stay Marine and are proud to protect and defend the nation that we love.”
Last year, an increase in recruiter manning helped the Air Force achieve its fiscal year 2024 recruiting goals, said Air Force Lt. Gen. Caroline M. Miller, the deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel and services.
“Fiscal year 2024 saw improvements in recruiting due to an increase in recruiter manning, changes to training processes and an increase in the delayed entry program to its highest level in 10 years,” Miller said. “The department is also improving pilot retention through increased accessions and training throughput capacity, using monetary and nonmonetary authorities granted by Congress.”
She said the Air Force plans to succeed again in its recruiting goals this year.
“We exist to fly, fight and win, none of which is possible without the dedication and talent of the men and women who volunteer to serve,” said Miller. “This year, we continue to focus on recruiting, developing and retaining skilled and innovative individuals [and] ensuring they are equipped with essential operational skills and resources.”
Talent management, Miller said, remains a priority for the Air Force to build and develop the force needed to defend the nation.
“Our talent management philosophy is based on high standards, accountability and meritocracy,” she said. “Each airman record is evaluated on its own merit, specifically in terms of job performance, demonstrated skills and warfighting readiness.”
While the U.S. Space Force is the smallest service, its mission to secure the nation’s interests in, from and to space is outsized.
Katharine Kelley, the Space Force deputy chief of space operations for personnel, said last year that the service met its recruiting goals and will do so again this year.
“Currently, we have more than 440 recruits awaiting entry into the Space Force, which will allow us a further pipeline for next year as well,” she said. “[And] to ensure the long-term pipeline of guardians, we’ve established a recruiting squadron, which is the first time for the Space Force to have a guardian recruiting other potential guardians.”
Kelley said the service remains focused on developing guardians with the necessary skills and experience. In the past year, for instance, the Space Force launched an inaugural officer training course — a 12-month course covering space operations, intelligence, cyber and acquisition.
“As the space domain becomes increasingly contested, no longer a benign environment, we remain steadfast in our mission to secure our nation’s interests,” she said.
By C. Todd Lopez, DOD News