The Navy has fallen short of its recruiting goals for fiscal year 2023 (Oct. 1, 2022-Sept. 30, 2023). The service had hoped to attract 37,700 new enlisted sailors and 2,532 officers to the active-duty fleet. Instead, 30,236 enlistees and 2,080 officers entered active-duty service. The fiscal year 2023 goal for new enlisted reserve and prior service was 3,000 and 5,390 respectively. Instead only 1,948 and 4,394 signed on. The Navy also hoped to recruit 1,940 reserve officers but only could attract 1,167.
In fiscal year 2024 (Oct. 1, 2023-Sept. 30, 2024), the Navy hopes to attract 40,000 active-duty and 7,619 reserve enlisteds. The goal for the officer ranks is 2,807 active-duty and 1,785 reservists.
Despite the shortfalls, the Navy Recruiting Command identified reasons for optimism. The 2023 recruitment figures were much better than the projected 40-percent shortfall, for example. Also, the command hailed the “quality of the recruits.”
Still, the command acknowledged that an array of incentives offered in 2023 were not enough. New recruits were offered enlistment bonuses of up to $75,000 – the highest ever. A student loan-repayment program offered as much as $65,000. The maximum enlistment age was raised to 41, up from 39.
Certain score percentiles for the Armed Forces Qualification Test were relaxed. In some cases, waivers were granted for tattoos, single parenthood, past positive drug and alcohol tests, and prior enlistment disqualifications. The Navy also adopted an Army program that offered prospective recruits a chance to bolster their physical fitness and academic capabilities to levels that meet accessions standards. And under the “Every Sailor a Recruiter” program, sailors who were able to convince new recruits to enlist received flag letters of commendation that could positively affect future advancement.
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