Wrestling with Recruiting
Abstract
Today's Soldiers have been compared to Soldiers of World War Two, and have been called the "Strongest Generation." They face a resilient and adaptive enemy, meet the challenges of multiple deployments, and exceed all expectations. However, current statistics show that only 30 percent of youths between the ages of 17 and 24 are qualified for enlistment. To meet its annual recruiting goals, the U.S. Army has broadened its recruiting standards to allow for more Category IV recruits, increased the amount and number of its enlistment bonuses, offered new educational and vocational incentives, raised its maximum age of enlistment to 42 and has waived weight restrictions. This paper examines current measures and recruiting strategies employed by the U.S. Army to attract qualified recruits and questions whether the current methodologies are sufficient for long-term recruiting. The paper uses a short historical look at recruiting to frame the discussion, describes the current recruiting environment challenges and current programs, and concludes with a recommendation for a new strategy to directly combat the underlying causes impacting low qualification numbers.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 24, 2009
- Accession Number
- ADA499139
Entities
People
- Edward Nye
Organizations
- United States Army War College