About 5th Recruiting BDE

ABOUT 5TH RECRUITING BRIGADE

The U.S. Army 5th Recruiting Brigade is the center of Army recruiting activities for a massive area stretching across nearly 1 million square miles and 14 states. Headquartered at the historic Fort Sam Houston, Texas, the brigade commands seven recruiting battalions comprising 49 companies and 281 stations.

During the past 50 plus years, 5th Brigade has evolved to meet the nation's defense needs. Following World War II, the headquarters for the U.S. Army and Air Force Recruiting Service in this area was known as the San Antonio District and located at Fort Sam Houston before moving to Dallas in 1949. The headquarters returned to Fort Sam Houston in 1953, and the Army and Air Force recruiting services went their separate ways in 1954. By 1964, the command was redesignated as the Fourth U.S. Army Recruiting District.

The most significant operational shift occurred with the transition to an all-volunteer Army. In 1970, Gen. William C. Westmoreland announced the Army’s commitment to end the draft. The last draftee was inducted in 1972, and the Induction Authority expired in 1973. Since then, the Army has maintained its strength entirely through volunteer enlistments.

Mission requirements continued to evolve, including the transfer of Armed Forces Examining and Entrance Stations to the Military Enlistment Processing Command in 1976. From 1995 until 2007, the 5th Brigade also managed the recruiting of healthcare providers before those operations consolidated under the Medical Recruiting Brigade at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Today, the 5th Recruiting Brigade remains focused on its primary mission: recruiting highly motivated, high-quality personnel to maintain the readiness of the Army and Army Reserve.