AIR FORCE RECRUITMENT IMPROVING WHILE ARMY, NAVY LAG
It’s no secret at this point. Recruiting the next generation of warfighters has been difficult, to say the least. This is across all branches of the U.S. military; however, it appears that the U.S. Air Force (USAF) is finally seeing signs of hope. Air Force recruitment is finally showing improvement, even if there still is a long way to go. Other branches aren’t following suit just yet, but U.S. Air Force recruiting turning things around is a refreshing start. Suggested read: Farewell to a Military Icon: JoAnne Bass Announces Retirement
Does the Air Force Need Recruits?
Yes, Air Force recruitment has been down with the branch ending FY 2023 tens of thousands short of its goal. The branch was facing its worst year since 1999 when it failed to meet its recruitment goals. Life as an Air Force recruiter has been a challenging prospect lately. As an all-volunteer force, it’s difficult when fewer people wish to willingly sign up but you have goals to hit. There are a number of reasons for the recent decline in Air Force recruits, but the ripple effect of COVID-19, competition from other forms of work, and a cultural shift in Generation Z are making things difficult. The Pentagon is employing efforts to boost numbers and is getting mixed results. However, seeing as the USAF exceeded its goal of 6,249 new active-duty Airmen in December 2023 by 130 people, there is hope. Policy adjustments, more staff handling medical paperwork, and intensified recruitment efforts in the fourth quarter contributed to the optimistic outlook for fiscal 2024 recruitment. However, while the news is encouraging, Brig. Gen. Christopher Amrhein is expressing cautious confidence in meeting targets, noting significant progress in booking boot camp slots several months in advance. Related read: Choosing the Best Gun Safe for Veterans
Other Branches Remain Problematic
While your local Air Force recruitment office may have seen an uptick in traffic, the Army and Navy continue to struggle. There were 26% fewer Soldiers and 45% fewer Sailors in each branch’s first-quarter recruitment efforts than their goal. The Army may technically be better than last year, but it’s still not enough. Meanwhile, the Navy is on par with its previous year’s recruitment rate. Both the U.S. Space Force (USSF) and U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) hit their goals. The USAF along with the USSF and USMC all hit the goal for quality recruits. A quality recruit will have a high school diploma and an above-average score on the Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT). Overall, the U.S. military aims to have 90% of recruits with a diploma and 60% of recruits with an appropriate AFQT score. Unlike Air Force recruitment, many of the Reserves are also continuing a downward trend with five of the six missing recruiting goals early in FY 2024. In total, the military was 41,000+ recruits short of its goal in FY 2023. Recruitment personnel expanded to address the backlog of medical paperwork caused by the new Genesis electronic health records system. While Genesis consolidates comprehensive health histories, sorting out critical cases is time-consuming and proving to be problematic. This has caused around 9,000 Air Force and Space Force recruits to withdraw from potentially serving due to delays, despite about 70% of recruits requesting waivers for disqualifying conditions. Tattoos and the use of THC have also become more lax in an effort to increase numbers. This effort has helped hundreds of new recruits join the military as a result. Furthermore, higher body fat percentage allowances are helping thousands of Airmen enlist. The hope is that recruits will be able to lose additional weight during training.
How Long Does the Air Force Recruitment Process Take?
Overall, Air Force recruits might only take a few months for some and an entire year for others. This will depend on the job you are pursuing. Recruits must undergo background checks, physicals, and drug tests. Furthermore, Air Force Basic Military Training alone is typically 8.5 weeks long whereas specialty training and base assignment can also take additional time. The Air Force recruitment process is different for each individual. Read next: New Army Helmet to Protect Against Small Arms Fire