Army Ups Recruitment Campaigns – Is It a Sign of War?

(NewsInsights.org) – The Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard have revamped their recruitment campaigns. The Army, in particular, has changed its tack to include a nostalgic phrase from the 80s and new incentives, driving some conservative pundits to ask whether the push to boost ranks could signify an impending war.

Christine Wormuth, Secretary of the Army, rolled out the familiar catchphrase “Be All You Can Be” in the latest recruitment ads, hearkening back to some of the Army’s best days in the 80s. It’s a call to return to some of the traditional Army values while casting a wider net for recruits by emphasizing the opportunities the military service can provide.

Yet some conservative voices on social media suggested war might be in the offing. End Wokeness posted on X, formerly Twitter, with one of the new ads, saying, “We are definitely going to war.” Others agreed.

Oh sh*t. A new U.S. Army recruitment ad dropped and it’s all straight white men.

We are definitely going to war.pic.twitter.com/7rv8HnFaFT

— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) November 7, 2023

However, most military branches have faced severe shortfalls in recruiting goals over the last several years. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2023, the Army fell short of recruiting 65,000 new individuals by over 10,000. In FY 2022, it missed its 60,000 recruitment goal by 15,000. These numbers represent 15% and 25% shortfalls, respectively, for just one branch. Veteran Patrick Fox equated the Army’s new ad to “hitting the panic button.”

The Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard have all struggled with recruitment. Only the Marines and the Space Force met their goals for FY 2023.

Observers have conjectured various reasons the armed forces are seeing more challenges in meeting recruiting goals. One reason could be the very low unemployment rates the country has experienced post-pandemic. Hovering between 3.4% to 3.9% since January 2022, the job market is paying 18 to 24-year-olds highly competitive wages with benefits — and little personal risk to life and limb.

Some have accused Generation Z of lacking patriotism due to their seeming lack of interest in joining the armed forces. However, recruiters point out that many individuals in this age demographic simply can’t qualify due to physical or psychological requirements. For instance, Marine Corps recruiters pointed out that only 23% of the recruitable population meets the Corps’ rigorous standards. Obesity, drug use, or therapy can disqualify candidates.

Wormuth mentioned that the Army’s FY 2023 goal of 65,000 was optimistic, especially given the FY 2022 results. However, even though the branch will likely revise its goal downward for FY 2024, she plans to implement a new Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) designated 42-T for “talent acquisition specialists” — full-time recruiters, who will become “a permanent, specialized, recruit[ing] workforce.”