Chief of Staff of Army Gen. James C. McConville, left, supports Pvt. Samuel Rand, right, an M2A4 Bradley Fighting Vehicle gunner assigned to the 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, with the rank of private first class during his visit to Fort Stewart, Georgia, on March 23, 2022.
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WASHINGTON — Following reports that the Army may be falling short of its recruiting goals, the service’s top official said the branch remains steadfast in its commitment to meet its graduation strength targets but will continue to seek candidates who meets its strict qualifications.
“We’re not going to lower standards,” said Army Chief of Staff Gen. James C. McConville on Wednesday in an online discussion at the Defense One State of the Army Conference.
In August, the Army reported that it had achieved only 52% of its fiscal year-end strength projection and may not reach the 15,000 mark, due to recruiting shortfalls.
“We’re definitely concerned,” McConville said.
Only about 23% of Americans meet enrollment qualifications, down from 29% in previous years.
He added that the challenges of studying under pandemic conditions may affect exam results. McConville said fewer young people have participated in sports in recent years and that may have affected fitness levels as well.
The general said typically two-thirds of all prospective recruits pass the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery Test required to enlist, and currently only one-third do.
In August, the service introduced its Future Soldier Preparatory Course at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, to help potential recruits meet the academic and physical standards required to enlist. The 90-day pilot program features training focused on achieving the required body fat composition and required academics before recruits enter basic combat training.
“We want to help them reach United States Army standards,” McConville said.
To better retain its top talent, the Army introduced ServiceNow, a cloud-based, digital platform that automates and connects processes to improve Soldiers’ quality of life. Army leaders believe the program, along with the Army’s new human resource system, Integrated Personnel and Pay System-Army will help upgrade work environments to personalize Soldier experiences.
“If we look at just how many are recruited, we will lose all the nuances that we are talking about in terms of the right talent, adding skills and especially as we look for modernization, we are a technical workforce, said Lt. Col. Kristin Saling, director of the commanding general’s innovation cell at the Army Human Resources Command at Fort Knox, Kentucky.
Discussed by Gen. James C. McConville, the Army’s chief of staff, outlined the Army’s plans to address recruiting shortfalls during the 2022 Defense One State of the Army conference in September. 7, 2022.
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The Army has developed a career mapping and succession planning tool as part of the program that acts as a digital individual development plan tailored to outline and track career development.
He said the tool will provide links to training schools, educational institutions, teaching aids, certifications, training schedules and self-initiated assessments. The resource will help Soldiers acquire the skills to reach their desired career goals.
“We want people to have an interactive version where they can see where they fit best, where there are opportunities they may not have known before, [and] where they can use some of the skills and exercise some of their preferences,” he said.
In an effort to attract more recruits during the summer, the Army has discussed potentially expanding recruiter tours, increasing enlistment bonuses and providing duty station selection options.
McConville said the Army must remain committed to taking care of veterans and Soldiers. Additionally, he said, the Army must better educate academic leaders about career opportunities in the branch, which range from jobs in cybersecurity to careers in medical fields. In recent years, the Army has sought to recruit Soldiers in the tech and cyber industries.
“The Army is a great path to success,” he said. “There are endless possibilities. You can do anything you want to do in the Army and we want to give people the option to serve.”
Saling said the Army must take a holistic approach to retaining and retaining talented Soldiers in its ranks. He said that by monitoring a Soldier’s career development midway through their enlistment or contract and adding value such as career development and training can help a Soldier recommit to the branch rather than break away
“It should be a holistic view,” he said. “You have to consider the person. People are the center, you build an ecosystem around them. The worst thing you can do is just ask the person to buy a piece of software and not know if they are the right match.”
Related links:
US Army Recruiting Command
Army News Service
ARNEWS archive