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The US Army has announced that it successfully met its recruitment goal for 2024.

What’s the deal: According to the US Army, in 2024, the service successfully recruited 55,300 new active-duty soldiers, slightly surpassing its original goal of 55,000. Additionally, the Army placed around 11,000 recruits in the Delayed Entry Program for the following year. This marks a significant improvement compared to the previous year when the Army fell short of its target, recruiting only 44,900 soldiers out of the 60,000 it aimed for.

Issues with recruiting: The recruitment success comes as Army officials have warned that it has become increasingly challenging to find eligible candidates, with only one-third of young Americans meeting the necessary qualifications due to factors such as obesity and not meeting academic requirements. This shrinking pool of eligible recruits has posed a significant concern to both the Pentagon and US lawmakers.

Top Army official reacts: In a statement, Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth praised the recruitment numbers, noting that “this is more than double the goal we set for our delayed entry program and will allow our recruiting efforts for next year to start strong right out of the gate.” General Randy George, Chief of Staff of the Army, added, “We are committed to continue to transform Army recruiting to enable our great recruiters to excel. The Army is a great place to serve, we need to make it easier for potential recruits to join.”