The US Navy has missed its recruiting goals for FY 2023, according to acting Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti.
The US Navy leader reported that the force will be about 7,000 sailors short this year, but added that the numbers are actually better month by month compared to last year’s admissions.
“We started out the year thinking we’d be about 13,000 short,” Franchetti explained as she described the recruitment issues as a “war for talent.”
The navy’s numbers highlight the US military’s ongoing recruitment crisis, which military leaders say is a result of low civilian unemployment, eligibility, and stricter medical screenings in recent years.
Changes Upheld
Despite a multitude of changes in the force’s recruitment policies, Franchetti said they have not compromised on the enlistment program.
“I would like to make the point that the Navy has not lowered any of our standards,” she assured. “We are using every available lever to use that’s authorized to be able to expand the pool of people we’re bringing in.”
Last year, the navy addressed its recruitment struggles by raising its maximum enlistment age from 39 to 41, the oldest cap in all of the country’s military units.
Its maximum enlistment bonus was also raised to $75,000.
A Concerning Statistic
The navy revealed in September that it was forced to drain its Delayed Entry Program – an initiative that allows recruits to postpone their training – to hit its recruitment goal, taking it down to the lowest level in 40 years.
Public trust in the US armed forces may be a key factor in the steep decline. Recent studies show that only 60 percent of Americans have confidence in the sector, the lowest level since 1997.