U.S. Army officials say recent drops in the number of people signing up for military service appear to be linked to traditional fears and concerns. Government data shows the Army came up 25 percent short of its goal last year to recruit 60,000 new soldiers. But Army officials have taken several steps to try to bring recruitment numbers back up. These include the launch of newly established programs, advertising campaigns and incentives. One incentive pays recruiters an extra $4,500 per quarter if they increase their current recruitment requirements. One program also permits young new soldiers in lower positions to get a higher position if they identify a recruit who later joins the Army. Army Secretary Christine Wormuth said the Army has set a goal this year to bring in 65,000 recruits. That would be 20,000 more than in 2022. Wormuth said it is difficult to predict how that effort will go. But she added that recruiters will need to do all they can just to beat last year’s numbers. “I would say it is a stretch goal,” she said. Guiding the Army's efforts are results of opinion studies, also called surveys, that seek to learn the reasons young people dismiss the Army as a career choice. The studies involving about 600 people aged 16 to 28 were carried out last spring and summer. While the Army discussed the general results with reporters from the Associated Press, it did not provide information on the survey methods. Officials said the survey results showed that young people simply do not see the Army as a safe place or a good career path. In addition, many young people said military service would force them to put their lives and careers on hold if they joined.
