RECRUITING CHALLENGES

Labor market: Most challenging labor market since the inception of the all-volunteer force

Awareness: 50% of youth admit they know little to nothing about military service
Qualified youth: 71% of youth do not qualify for military service because of obesity, drugs, physical and mental health problems, misconduct, and aptitude
Family business: 79% of recruits have a relative who served
Disconnect with society: Only 1% of the population currently serves; veteran population is declining.

* Previous yearly figures are updated the following February. *

FISCAL YEAR 2024 OVERVIEW
 

Regular Army (RA):  55,150 (100.27% of 55,000 goal) 
Army Reserve (AR): 10,669 (72.8% of 14,650 goal)  

Special Operations Recruiting BN: 3,735 (77% of 4,851 mission)
Warrant Officers: 1,610 (99.5% of 1,618 mission)
Medical Mission: 1,376 (100.7% of 1,367 mission)
Chaplains: 286 (105.9% of 270 mission)

Demographics
Male:     RA  81.9%    AR 66.5[JR1] [JR2] % 
Female:     RA  18.1%    AR 33.5% 
Caucasian:     RA 40.5% AR 28.8% 
African American:     RA 25.8%    AR 28.6% 
Hispanic:     RA 26.1%    AR 32.1% 
Asian/Pacific Islander:     RA   6.6%   AR 9.9% 
Native American:     RA 1.0%    AR 0.6%

Education
 * 94.5% of RA recruits and 97.4% of AR recruits had a high school diploma. The remainder were required to have a GED or state equivalency. 
 * 11.4% of RA and 21.4% AR recruits had at least one semester of college prior to joining. 
 * 60.3% of RA and 60.3% of AR recruits scored above a 50 on the Armed Forces Qualification Test (the Department of Defense mandates no less than 60%) 

Geography
About 50% of RA recruits come from the following ten states: 
     Texas (13.3%) 
     California (10.5%) 
     Florida (9.7%) 
     Georgia (5.1%) 
     North Carolina (4.6%) 
     New York (4.3%) 
     Virginia (2.9%)

      Ohio (2.8%)

      Illinois (2.6%)

      Pennsylvania (2.4%)

Bonuses
Regular Army: 24,185 recruits received an average bonus of $16.9K 
Army Reserve: 6,068 with average bonus of $15.5K

FISCAL YEAR 2021 OVERVIEW
 

Regular Army (RA):  57,606 (100% of 57,500 goal) 
Army Reserve (AR): 11,686 (73.6% of 15,875 goal)  
Special Operations Recruiting Battalion: 4,415 (83% of 5304 mission) 
Warrant Officers: 2,201 (149% of 1481 mission) 
Medical Mission:  1,392 (101% of 1375 goal) 
Chaplains: 435 (126% of 345 goal)

Demographics
Male:     RA  84%    AR 67% 
Female:     RA  16%    AR 33% 
Caucasian:     RA 52.4% AR 40.9% 
African American:     RA 21.4%    AR 25.4% 
Hispanic:     RA 19.6%    AR 23.5% 
Asian/Pacific Islander:     RA   5.8%   AR 9.5% 
Native American:     RA 0.8%    AR 0.7%

Education
 * 94.2% of RA recruits and 97.4% of AR recruits had a high school diploma. The remainder were required to have a GED or state equivalency. 
 * 10.4% of RA and 19.3% AR recruits had at least one semester of college prior to joining. 
 * 62.2% of RA and 64.2% of AR recruits scored above a 50 on the Armed Forces Qualification Test (the Department of Defense mandates no less 
than 60%) 

Geography
About 50% of RA recruits come from the following eight states: 
     Texas (12.1%) 
     California (9.9%) 
     Florida (8.5%) 
     Georgia (4.9%) 
     North Carolina (4.7%) 
     New York (4.6%) 
     Ohio (3.4%) 
     Virginia (3.1%) 

Bonuses
Regular Army: 16,512 recruits received an average bonus of $14.1K 
Army Reserve: 6,943 with average bonus of $9.8K

FISCAL YEAR 2023 OVERVIEW
 

Regular Army (RA):  50,181 (76.6% of 65,500 goal) 
Army Reserve (AR): 9,305 (63.5% of 14,650 goal)  
Special Operations Recruiting BN: 3,641 (86% of 4,234 mission)
Warrant Officers: 1,621 (98% of 1,654 mission)
Medical Mission: 1,177 (82% of 1,439 goal)
Chaplains: 278 (101% of 275 goal)

Demographics
Male:     RA  83.0%    AR 67.5% 
Female:     RA  17.0%    AR 32.5% 
Caucasian:     RA 39.8%   AR 31.3% 
African American:     RA 26.7%    AR 26.5% 
Hispanic:     RA 25.3%    AR 30.0% 
Asian/Pacific Islander:     RA   6.1%   AR 11.1% 
Native American:     RA 2.1%    AR 1.2%

Education
 * 94.6% of RA recruits and 93.0% of AR recruits had a high school diploma. The remainder were required to have a GED or state equivalency. 
 * 11.2% of RA and 19.8% AR recruits had at least one semester of college prior to joining. 
 * 63.0% of RA and 62.1% of AR recruits scored above a 50 on the Armed Forces Qualification Test (the Department of Defense mandates no less 
than 60%) 

Geography
About 50% of RA recruits come from the following ten states: 
     Texas (13.5%) 
     Florida (10.0%) 

     California (10.0%) 
     Georgia (5.4%) 
     New York (4.5%)     

     North Carolina (4.3%) 
     Virginia (3.1%) 
     Ohio (2.7%) 
     Illinois (2.6%) 

    Arizona (2.4%)

Bonuses
Regular Army: 23,449 recruits received an average bonus of $26.3K 
Army Reserve: 7,021 with average bonus of $13.9K

FISCAL YEAR 2020 OVERVIEW

Regular Army (RA):  61,251 (100% of 61,200 goal) 
Army Reserve (AR):  13,706 (86% of 15,850 goal) 
Special Operations Recruiting Battalion: 2,996 (61% of 4,930 mission) 
Warrant Officers:  1,073 (76% of 1,413 mission)
Medical Mission:  1,796 (102% of 1,760 goal) 
Chaplains: 382 (109% of 350 goal) 

Demographics
Male:     RA   81.4%   AR 66.6% 
Female:     RA 18.6%     AR 33.4% 
Caucasian:     RA 52.7%   AR 43.4% 
African American:     RA 21.3%   AR 23.8% 
Hispanic:     RA   19.9%   AR 23.7% 
Asian/Pacific Islander:     RA 5.3%     AR 8.7% 
Native American:     RA 0.8%     AR 0.5% 

Education
 * 93.1% of RA recruits and 93.4% of AR recruits had a high school diploma. The remainder were required to have a GED or state equivalency.
 * 10.8% of RA and 15.5% AR recruits had at least one semester of college prior to joining.
 * 63.1% of RA and 64.5% of AR recruits scored above a 50 on the Armed Forces Qualification Test (the Department of Defense mandates no less than 60%) 

Geography
About 50% of RA recruits come from the following eight states: 
     Texas (12%) 
     California (10.4%) 
     Florida (8.4%) 
     Georgia (5%) 
     North Carolina (4.6%) 
     New York (4.4%) 
     Illinois (3.2%)
     Virginia (3.2%) 

Bonuses
Regular Army: 19,283 recruits received an average bonus of $14.4K 
Army Reserve: 7,574 with average bonus of $9.4K

FISCAL YEAR 2022 OVERVIEW
 

Regular Army (RA):  44,901 (74.8% of 60,000 goal) 
Army Reserve (AR): 9,095 (62.1% of 14,650 goal)  
Special Operations Recruiting BN: 2,783 (76% of 3,678 mission)
Warrant Officers: 1,602 (99% of 1,626 mission)
Medical Mission: 1,270 (90% of 1,409 goal)
Chaplains: 301 (90%) of 335 goal)

Demographics
Male:     RA  84%    AR 67% 
Female:     RA  16%    AR 33% 
Caucasian:     RA 47.5% AR 36.8% 
African American:     RA 23.2%    AR 26.7% 
Hispanic:     RA 22.2%    AR 25.2% 
Asian/Pacific Islander:     RA   6.3%   AR 10.7% 
Native American:     RA 0.8%    AR 0.6%

Education
 * 94.2% of RA recruits and 97.7% of AR recruits had a high school diploma. The remainder were required to have a GED or state equivalency. 
 * 11.8% of RA and 18.9% AR recruits had at least one semester of college prior to joining. 
 * 60.2% of RA and 63.3% of AR recruits scored above a 50 on the Armed Forces Qualification Test (the Department of Defense mandates no less 
than 60%) 

Geography
About 50% of RA recruits come from the following eight states: 
     Texas (12.4%) 
     California (9.7%) 
     Florida (9.4%) 
     Georgia (5.1%) 
     North Carolina (5.0%) 
     New York (4.8%) 
     Ohio (2.8%) 
     Virginia (2.8%) 

Bonuses
Regular Army: 20,742 recruits received an average bonus of $21.9K 
Army Reserve: 6,218 with average bonus of $12.6K

FISCAL YEAR 2019 OVERVIEW

Quality: 3.2% fewer waivers than FY18, with the bulk of the reduction coming from conduct waivers. Lowest percentage of conduct waivers in two decades.
Diversity: Increased minority recruits by 3% over FY18. Active Army female enlistments are the highest they have been since 2004. Army Reserve female enlistments are the highest they have been since before the early 1990s.
Geography: The Army focused on 22 key cities and improved enlistments by an average of 15%