|  Post Reply

The Defense Department's armed services branches recruited 12.5% more individuals in fiscal year 2024 than in the year prior regardless of a tough and employment indifferent recruiting market.

Katie Helland Director of Military Accessions Policy Katie Helland speaks to members of the media throughout a panel on financial year 2025 recruiting objectives at the Pentagon, Oct. 30, 2024.
Share:
×
Share
Copy Link
Email
Facebook
X.
LinkedIn.
WhatsApp

Download: Full Size (235.52 KB).
Credit: Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jackie Sanders, DOD.
VIRIN: 241030-D-XI929-1004

While speaking at a multiservice panel on 2025 hiring issues at the Pentagon earlier this week, employment Director of Military Accession Policy Katie Helland stated that the services increased the number of employees from 200,000 in FY 2023 to 225,000 in FY 2024, which ended September 30.

Additionally, she stated, the services had a 35% boost in written contracts, and the active elements' postponed entry program began FY 2025 with a 10% larger swimming pool.

" [The Office of the Secretary of Defense] and the services will continue to construct off the momentum that we've gotten in 2024," Helland said.

" Nevertheless," she continued, "we need to stay cautiously positive about the future recruiting operations as we continue to hire in a market that has low youth tendency to serve, limited familiarity with military chances, a competitive labor market and a decreasing eligibility amongst young people."

Helland elaborated on those obstacles by describing that, for the very first time considering that the metric has been tracked, a lot of young people have never considered the option of serving in the military.

The reasons behind that are multifold, Helland said. Young Americans have less ties to good friends or household members who have served in the military. There is a decreasing existence of veterans in our society. Approximately 77% of people between the ages of 17 and 24 need some type of waiver to serve due to any number of disqualifications.

To counter such obstacles, Helland stated the armed force has carried out a medical pilot program that allows employees to sign up with the military without a waiver for many health conditions - offered they fulfill certain requirements. Additionally, there are service member prep courses that prepare recruits to meet the difficult requirements of military service. Moreover, DOD is seeking to reconnect with youth and their influencers by revealing them the value of serving.

" The next generation of Americans to serve need to understand that there has never ever been a better time for them to select military service," Helland stated.

Panel Pentagon Press Secretary Flying Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder facilitates a panel on financial year 2025 recruiting objectives at the Pentagon, Oct. 30, 2024.
Share:.
×.
Share.
Copy Link.
Email.
Facebook.
X.
LinkedIn.
WhatsApp

Download: employment Full Size (266.24 KB).
Credit: Flying Force Tech. Sgt. Jackie Sanders, DOD.
VIRIN: 241030-D-XI929-1016

" Youth today seek a larger purpose in their lives and desire jobs where they have greater involvement in decision-making and can produce a direct concrete effect," she continued. "Military service offers all of this."

Explaining that U.S. military service offers more than 250 professions which it represents one of the most highly informed organizations throughout the world and throughout all pay grades, Helland said the Defense Department is striving to counter the narrative that joining the military is an alternative to attending college or "a choice of last option."

" We are working to reframe this story so that Americans understand that military service is a path to greater education and profession opportunities while safeguarding democracy and the freedoms we hold dear," Helland said.

She included that DOD is reframing this narrative. For example, the department's Joint Advertising Marketing research and Studies program will quickly launch a campaign to build familiarity with the American public about the worth of military service. Plans are also continuing to have adult influencers advocate for military service.

Add comment

INDEXING JOURNAL: