U.S. Army Drill Sergeant Staff Sgt. Prather assigned to Foxtrot, 1st Battalion, 34th Infantry Regiment marches trainees to the dining facilities administration center for the first time on the third day of Basic Combat Training, June 14, 2017 at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. Among those assigned to the 1st Battalion, 34th Infantry Regiment are Reserve Drill Sergeants from the 3rd Battalion, 518th Infantry Regiment who are required to serve two weeks for annual training.
U.S. Army Drill Sergeant Staff Sgt. Prather assigned to Foxtrot, 1st Battalion, 34th Infantry Regiment marches trainees to the dining facilities administration center for the first time on the third day of Basic Combat Training, June 14, 2017 at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. Among those assigned to the 1st Battalion, 34th Infantry Regiment are Reserve Drill Sergeants from the 3rd Battalion, 518th Infantry Regiment who are required to serve two weeks for annual training. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by Spc. Darius Davis) VIEW ORIGINAL

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army announced today that it has exceeded fiscal year 2024 recruiting goals for the Active component. The Army will achieve at least 55,300 total accessions for FY24 and will place approximately 11,000 Soldiers in the Delayed Entry Program for FY25. By comparison, the Army achieved 50,181 accessions in FY23 and added 4,661 in the Delayed Entry Program.

“The U.S. Army’s recruiting force achieved our 55,000 accessions goal more than a month ahead of schedule, and we are on track to have more than 11,000 in our delayed entry program by the end of the month. This is more than double the goal we set for our delayed entry program and will allow our recruiting efforts for next year to start strong right out of the gate,” said Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth.

In October 2023, Wormuth and General Randy George, Chief of Staff of the Army, unveiled a series of sweeping changes to the Army’s recruiting enterprise, including an expanded focus on a larger share of the labor market and the creation of a specialized talent acquisition workforce.

“We are committed to continue to transform Army recruiting to enable our great recruiters to excel,” said George. “The Army is a great place to serve, we need to make it easier for potential recruits to join.”

The Army took tangible steps during FY24 to implement the recruiting enterprise transformation. U.S. Army Recruiting Command graduated its initial class of Talent Acquisition Technician warrant officers earlier this year and in August 2024 announced that 25 noncommissioned officers from the first cohort of Talent Acquisition Specialists will embark on a four-month Training with Industry program to learn specialized techniques from industry partners. Even as this new model is implemented, the Army overhauled the curriculum for its current recruiters and provided them with better training and outreach tools.

The Army also surged medical providers to Military Entrance Processing Stations across the country to help make the enlistment process more efficient. In January and February, the Army provided 62 medical providers – including doctors, nurse practitioners and physician assistants – and 46 medical technicians to 33 processing stations across the country. Surge personnel enabled USAREC to yield approximately 300 more enlistments per week compared to the same period last year.

Throughout FY24, the Army Enterprise Marketing Office built upon the “Be All You Can Be” branding campaign while also leveraging innovative new technologies to reach expanded audiences and help identify candidates interested in military service.

In addition to new recruiting initiatives, the Army also expanded its successful Future Soldier Preparatory Course, which helps potential recruits overcome academic and physical fitness barriers to service, while not sacrificing quality for quantity. Earlier this year, the FSPC added two additional companies at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, and two more at Fort Moore, Georgia. For FY24, as of mid-September, 13,206 trainees in the active component completed the FSPC and entered Basic Training.

“This year, we introduced new initiatives to attract qualified candidates and make the enlistment process more efficient, while our recruiters continued to connect with the communities they serve, share their Army stories and inspire others to serve as well,” said Maj. Gen. Johnny Davis, commanding general of USAREC. “I’m incredibly proud of their hard work and dedication.”