Army to expand basic training capitalizing on recruiting bump

The U.S. Army has announced it will expand its basic combat training in what leaders hope is a turning point in its recruiting efforts.

Army officials believe the service will hit its target of 55,000 recruits this year after a long military-wide struggle over the last several years to hit its recruiting targets. Several factors contributed to the recruiting struggles, including COVID-19, which limited recruiters' interactions with potential recruits, a growing percentage of the target demographic not meeting physical or mental requirements, and a growing unfamiliarity between civilians and the military.

“I am happy to say last year’s recruiting transformation efforts have us on track to make this year’s recruiting mission, with thousands awaiting basic training in the next year," Army Secretary Christine Wormuth told the Associated Press .

The added training will begin in October at Fort Sill in Oklahoma and Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri. Each will receive two additional basic training units to train as many as 4,000 recruits annually.

The new locations are a way to train soldiers quickly “with further expansion likely next spring if our recruiting numbers keep improving," Wormuth added.

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Facing a dip in recruiting, the Army announced in 2022 the Future Soldiers Preparatory Course pilot program at Fort Jackson in South Carolina, which provides education and training to help potential recruits meet the service’s academic and physical requirements to enlist. It gives recruits up to 90 days of academic or fitness instruction to help them meet military standards and move on to basic training.

The Army failed to meet its recruiting goals in 2022 and again in 2023.