Air Force, Space Force hit recruitment goal months ahead of schedule

The Air Force and Space Force met their recruitment goals for fiscal year 2025 three months early, the services announced Monday.

The two services have gained a total of 30,000 new recruits so far this fiscal year, already sending 25,000 to basic training, the Air Force said in statement. The Air Force, along with other branches of the armed services, struggled to gain new recruits under former President Joe Biden as his administration prioritized political missions like diversity, equity and inclusion, while the coronavirus pandemic also hurt recruitment.

“When you have a winning team, people want to join!” Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin said in a statement addressing the recruiting figures. “This is shown through the Air Force’s record recruitment, and I’m proud we’ve hit 100% of our fiscal year 2025 goal three months early. The Air Force invests in our Airmen and patriotic Americans ready to serve have noticed and are lining up and signing up.”

The Air Force also hit a record among recruits for “Special Warfare Candidates,” a position normally difficult to fill with new faces. The Air Force missed its recruiting targets in 2023 for the first time since the 1990s, Military.com reported in June. However, the Space Force has had a comparatively easier time meetings its recruitment goals in recent years.

The Space Force also smashed its recruitment goals under the Air Force, with one in five new recruits holding a college degree, according to the statement. The Air Force attributed the surge in recruitment for both branches to novel recruiting tactics prioritizing career development opportunities and expanded outreach, the service said in their statement.

“I’m incredibly proud the Space Force reached our Fiscal Year 2025 recruiting goal a full three months ahead of schedule,” Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman said in the statement. “This is the sixth consecutive year we’ve reached our target and filled our ranks with high caliber patriots. It’s clear Americans are excited about the Space Force, and this achievement is a direct reflection of the talent our mission continues to attract.”

The Army also hit its recruitment goal early, smashing its goal of 61,000 new service members by early June. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has insisted that his focus at the Pentagon is on making regular warfighters and lethality the Department of Defense’s top priorities.

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