Three years ago, Washington had written off a generation.Too soft, too unfit, too disconnected to serve.
In 2023, the Army, Navy and Air Force all missed their recruiting goals.People in this town started asking out loud whether the all-volunteer force could survive.
Some started talking about a draft.They were wrong about the kids.Under President Trump and Secretary Hegseth, every active-duty service made its recruiting mission in fiscal year 2026, and most of them did it months early.The Army signed 61,500 future soldiers with more than four months to spare.
The Navy raised its goal by 10 percent and still hit it in July.It finished the year with 45,112 sailors, three years after coming up 7,450 short of its goal.
The Air Force and Space Force had met their goals by April.The Marines said it was the best recruiting environment they'd seen in years, and they already have half of next year's class under contract.RENEWED PATRIOTISM AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES FUEL ARMY'S BIGGEST RECRUITING SURGE IN YEARSSince November 2024, the military has posted its best rate of recruiting mission achieved in more than 15 years.
We did it while American troops were in combat in the Middle East.Across the active-duty force, we saw interest across all demographics, and women’s recruitment is up once again.
That strength extended beyond active duty.The Navy Reserve finished at 113 percent of mission, Marine Corps Reserve at 108 percent, the Army National Guard at 102 percent, and the Army Reserve at 103 percent, its first time surpassing its goal in 10 years.The kids didn't change.
The leadership did.President Trump and Secretary Hegseth told young Americans the truth.
The military exists to fight and win.The work is hard.
Earning your place in it is something to be proud of.It turns out a generation that had been told nothing was worth sacrificing for was hungry to hear that something is.I co-chair the Department of War Recruiting Task Force, and our job is to make sure this...