In a historic moment for the US Army, recruitment has surged to a level not seen or reported in the past 15 years, setting a new milestone for the organization.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth took to social media to announce that the service achieved its “best recruiting numbers” last month — its highest since 2010.
The numbers surpassed a 12-year record set in December 2024, when the service said it enlisted nearly 350 soldiers per day.
Hegseth credited the surge to President Donald Trump, asserting that America’s youth are now eager to serve under a “bold and strong, America-first leadership.”
BREAKING: In December 2024, the @USArmy had its best recruiting number in 12 years.
In January 2025, the Army hit its best recruiting number in 15 YEARS.
BOTTOM LINE: America’s youth want to serve under the bold & strong “America First” leadership of @realDonaldTrump.
— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) February 4, 2025
Meanwhile, US Army officials lauded recruiters for their perseverance, calling it one of the toughest jobs and urging the next generation to enlist and serve the nation.
“Congratulations and keep up the great work!” they wrote on X.
Enlistment Downturn
The recruitment surge follows two consecutive years of missing recruitment targets, marking a significant turnaround for the US Army.
In 2022, the service was 15,000 soldiers short of its target, recruiting only 45,000 new soldiers instead of the intended 60,000.
The following year, the army’s goal was 65,000 recruits, but it fell short again, enlisting only 55,000.
The two-year shortfall was attributed to a tight labor market due to the lingering effects of the coronavirus pandemic, as well as “low trust” among Gen Z toward the military.
As a result, the US military entered 2024 with its smallest active-duty force in over 80 years at 1.28 million.
Sweeping Overhaul
In response to the alarming recruitment shortfalls, the US Army announced a sweeping overhaul of its recruitment strategies in October 2023.
This includes shifting focus toward recruiting young adults who have attended college rather than recent high school graduates.
The army has also established a dedicated recruitment workforce to streamline the process and improve efficiency.
Under President Trump’s administration, the army and other branches plan to reinstate service members discharged for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine.
