POLICY AND PUBLIC INTEREST
The Defense Department's armed services branches recruited 12.5% more people in fiscal year 2024 than in the year prior despite a challenging and disinterested recruiting market
The Defense Department’s armed services branches recruited 12.5% more people in fiscal year 2024 than in the year prior despite a challenging and disinterested recruiting market.
While speaking at a multiservice panel on 2025 recruiting issues at the Pentagon earlier this week, Director of Military Accession Policy Katie Helland said that the services increased the number of recruits from 200,000 in FY 2023 to 225,000 in FY 2024, which ended September 30.
Additionally, she said, the services had a 35% increase in written contracts, and the active components’ delayed entry program started FY 2025 with a 10% larger pool.
” and the services will continue to build off the momentum that we’ve gained in 2024,” Helland said.
“Nevertheless,” she continued, “we need to remain cautiously optimistic about the future recruiting operations as we continue to recruit in a market that has low youth propensity to serve, limited familiarity with military opportunities, a competitive labor market and a declining eligibility among young adults.”
Helland elaborated on those challenges by explaining that, for the first time since the metric has been tracked, most young people have never considered the option of serving in the military.
The reasons behind that are multifold, Helland said. Young Americans have fewer ties to friends or family members who have served in the military. There is a declining presence of veterans in our society. Approximately 77% of people between the ages of 17 and 24 require some type of waiver to serve due to any number of disqualifications.
To counter such challenges, Helland said the military has implemented a medical pilot program that allows recruits to join the military without a waiver…
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U.S. Navy Successfully Tests Revolutionary At-Sea Reloading System, Boosting Combat Readiness
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Defense Security Cooperation Agency Director Discusses Focus on Workforce
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Speaking during a panel discussion at the Association of the United States…
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Assistant Secretary for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Travels to Argentina and Uruguay to Strengthen Joint Efforts Against Illicit Drugs
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In Buenos Aires, Assistant…
Family and friends attended a departure ceremony for South Carolina National Guard soldiers deploying to support Operation Inherent Resolve in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility
A departure ceremony was held Oct. 19 for South Carolina Army National Guard Soldiers deploying to support Operation Inherent Resolve in the CENTCOM area of responsibility.
The Battery B, 2nd Battalion, 263rd Air Defense Artillery Battalion, 263rd Army Air and Missile Defense Command, will provide air defense in theater in a deployment that is the first of its kind for this unit. Operation Inherent Resolve’s Mission is to defeat ISIS in the Combined Joint Operations Area to enable whole-of-coalition governmental actions to increase regional stability.
“Being the first of anything is a really fascinating experience. This unit has been the first for the National Capital Region mission,” said U.S. Army Capt. Christopher Campion, commander, Battery B, 2nd Battalion, 263rd ADA. “To be able to go over to CENTCOM for this unit for the first time, it means a great deal to us.”
Friends and family members attended the ceremony to show their support as the Soldiers prepared to embark on their mission.
U.S. Army Maj. Gen. R. Van McCarty, the adjutant general for South Carolina, said the Soldiers were ready.
“Your Guard has been busy, and they have been deployed for an ongoing basis since 9/11 to do the things that we ask of…
The Defense Department is closely tracking the unprecedented level of direct military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III said
The Defense Department is closely tracking the unprecedented level of direct military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, said Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III.
Austin met with South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun today for the 56th annual security consultative meeting. They also held a joint news briefing in the Pentagon.
Evidence suggests that North Korea has sent approximately 10,000 troops to Russia. Some of these soldiers have already moved closer to Ukraine and they’re being outfitted with Russian uniforms and equipment, Austin said.
“I am increasingly concerned that Kremlin plans to use these North Korean soldiers to support Russia’s combat operations in Russia’s Kursk Region, near the border with Ukraine,” Austin said.
” and Iran. Turning to a pariah state like North Korea for troops just underscores how much trouble he is in,” Austin said.
“Putin will not prevail in Ukraine, even with more help from North Korea,” the secretary said.
Discussions today were about modernizing and deepening the South Korea-U.S. alliance that will help protect the security of the Korean peninsula and shape the future of the Indo-Pacific region, Austin said.
“I assured Mr. Kim today that the United…
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The efforts include thousands of DOD personnel, vehicles and equipment providing relief on the ground in the…
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Correa and Glas abused their positions as former president of Ecuador…
Austin Says DOD Fully Engaged at Home and Abroad
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Brown Highlights Critical Role of Logistics at Transcom Change of Command
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U.S. Trade and Development Agency Convenes Civil Nuclear Energy Leaders From U.S., Europe and Eurasia
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This month Australia, the U.K. and the U.S. — all members of the AUKUS trilateral partnership — participated in Maritime Big Play, a series of integrated experiments and exercises held in the Indo-Pacific region
By Marc Brousseau / Deputy EditorThis month Australia, the U.K. and the U.S. — all members of the AUKUS trilateral partnership — participated in “Maritime Big Play,” a series of integrated experiments and exercises held in the Indo-Pacific region, meant to enhance capability development and improve interoperability between the partners.
As part of the experiments and exercises, the AUKUS partners tested and refined their ability to jointly operate uncrewed maritime systems, share and process naval data, and provide real-time maritime domain awareness in support of decision-making, said Madeline Mortelmans, who is performing the duties of the assistant secretary of defense for strategy, plans and capabilities.
“These experiments address the need to expand the reach, capability and capacity of our forces in the maritime environment through the use of artificial intelligence and autonomous systems,” Mortelmans said during a virtual discussion on Wednesday. “Over the past several weeks, we’ve been testing and refining the ability to jointly operate uncrewed maritime systems to share and process maritime data from all three nations and to provide real-time maritime domain awareness to support decision making.”
As part of Maritime Big Play, various private sector companies brought forth technologies and equipment that could be evaluated by all three nations as part of scenarios created for the event. Included were autonomous air, surface and sub-surface vessels, balloons and networking systems.
“All the testing , for example, and to…
U.S. and Republic of Korea Officials Meet in Atlanta for 9th Senior Economic Dialogue
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U.S. Assets in Mediterranean Again Helped Defend Israel Against Iranian Missiles
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“We condemn these reckless attacks by Iran, and we call…
U.S., Allies Call for 21-Day Cease-Fire on Israel-Lebanon Border
The United States on Wednesday called for a 21-day cease-fire on the Israel-Lebanon border to prevent an escalation of war and give diplomacy a chance there and in Gaza.
Voicing their support for this plan are Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, British Defense Secretary John Healey, and Australian…
U.S. and Iraqi Forces conduct joint operations against ISIS in Central Iraq; Service members injured
On Tuesday morning, Iraqi Security Forces, working with service members from Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve, conducted strikes and follow-on raids on multiple ISIS locations in central Iraq.
Two service members were injured during the raid and are now headed to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland, while a third service member is being evaluated for traumatic brain injury, said the deputy Pentagon press secretary during a briefing on Friday.
“During the operation, two U.S. military personnel were wounded by an explosion while assisting Iraqi forces with site exploitation,” said Sabrina Singh. “While both service members sustained serious injuries, they are in stable condition and are currently en route to Walter Reed Medical Center for follow-on care. Additionally, we recently learned a third service member is being assessed for potential ”
During the raid, Singh said ISF targeted several senior ISIS leaders and killed at least seven ISIS operatives.
Singh said Iraqi and U.S. forces partnered again as part of the Defeat-ISIS mission.
“Earlier today, U.S. forces participated in an Iraqi-led operation against ISIS fighters in the Anbar province in Iraq,” Singh said. “Our assessment of the operation is still ongoing, and to my knowledge, there were no U.S….
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U.S., Japan, and Philippines Hold Trilateral Talks in Manila to Tackle Economic Coercion and Foster Resilience
Multilateral Meeting on Security and Resilience of Undersea Cables During UN General Assembly High Level Week
Ambassador at large for the Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy, Nathaniel C. Fick hosted a meeting on the Security and Resilience of Undersea Cables on the margins of the UN General Assembly High Level Week on Wednesday.
The meeting announced the release of the New York Principles on Undersea…
U.S. Remains Committed to Israel’s Security Following Weekend Attacks
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III over the weekend reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to Israel’s right to defend itself following a series of rocket attacks by Lebanese Hezbollah, the Pentagon announced today.
Austin expressed DOD’s support during separate phone calls with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Saturday…
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The United States is on track to announce next week the transition of the military’s anti-ISIS mission in Iraq to a bilateral defense partnership between the two countries, a pair of officials close to the matter told the media on Friday.
The announcement would come 10 years after the U.S.’…