The Army has hit its annual recruiting goal of 61,000 new active duty soldiers, four months ahead of the end of fiscal 2025 in September, the service announced Tuesday.
The Army said the goal - 10 percent higher than the 55,000 recruits it sought last year - “represents a significant turning point for the Army and indicates a renewed sense of patriotism and purpose among America’s youth,” according to a statement.
The surge in new potential troops comes as the Army has significantly ramped up its recruiting efforts over the past several years in response to its struggle with number shortfalls over the past decade. That outreach included loosening certain rules and restrictions to target young Americans who historically have been unqualified to serve due to tattoos, prior medical conditions or drug use.
In 2023, the Army fell about 11,000 people short of its 65,000-person goal but rebounded in 2024 to meet its goal of 55,000, though just barely.
The U.S. military as a whole struggled to entice young people to serve in the midst of and in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as during periods of low unemployment across the country and the emergence of more attractive job opportunities within the private sector.
It is unclear exactly why the uptick in enlistments occurred after the service struggled to meet its goals across the finish line last year, but the Trump administration has insisted that the recruiting momentum is a sign of renewed excitement to serve following the presidential election.
“I want to thank the commander in chief, President Trump, and Secretary of Defense Hegseth for their decisive leadership and support in equipping, training and supporting these future Soldiers as they face a world of global uncertainty and complex threats,” Army Secretary Dan Driscoll said in the statement. “Putting Soldiers first is having a tangible impact and shows that young people across our country want to be part of the most lethal land fighting force the world has ever seen.”
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