Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has initiated the formation of a Military Service Recruitment Task Force. This task force aims to ensure that the Department of Defense (DoD) continues to attract individuals necessary to meet both current and future military needs.
Since November 2024, the U.S. military has achieved its highest recruiting success rate in three decades. The Department intends to build on these achievements, which have been noted since President Trump's election. However, evolving environmental factors necessitate a focused and strategic approach to bolster recruitment efforts across the Department.
The Recruitment Task Force will be jointly led by the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness and the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs. Their goal is to address recruitment challenges, maintain competitiveness, and enhance recent recruiting successes.
This team, consisting of experts from within DoD and various Military Services, will create an integrated recruiting strategy. This strategy will align policy with communication and outreach initiatives, provide innovative recommendations to the Secretary, and use data-driven insights to improve recruiting efforts by removing barriers and securing military talent.
Within 30 days, the Recruitment Task Force will present an initial report assessing the current recruiting environment to the Secretary. Following this, they will propose policy recommendations and legislative suggestions within 60 days, alongside a comprehensive communication and engagement plan within 90 days.
The Department is committed to rebuilding the military in support of national defense objectives. Enhancing recruitment efforts aligns with celebrating the historic 250th anniversaries of the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Marine Corps in 2025.
