As recruiting rebounds, the Army will expand basic training

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: ABC News/AP

August 3, 2024, 8:15 AM


WASHINGTON -- Buoyed by an increase in recruiting, the Army will expand its basic combat training in what its leaders hope reflects a turning point as it prepares to meet the challenges of future wars.

The added training will begin in October and comes as the Army tries to reverse years of dismal recruiting when it failed to meet its enlistment goals. New units in Oklahoma and Missouri will train as many as 4,000 recruits every year. Army leaders are optimistic they will hit their target of 55,000 recruits this year and say the influx of new soldiers forced them to increase the number of training sites.

“I am happy to say last year’s recruiting transformation efforts have us on track to make this year’s recruiting mission, with thousands awaiting basic training” in the next year, Army Secretary Christine Wormuth said. Adding the two new locations, she said, is a way to get the soldiers trained and into units quickly, “with further expansion likely next spring if our recruiting numbers keep improving.”

The expanded training is part of a broader effort to restructure the Army so it is better able to fight against a sophisticated adversary such as Russia or China. The U.S. military spent much of the past two decades battling insurgent groups in Iraq and Afghanistan rather than fighting a broader war with another high-tech, more capable nation.

Read more: https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/recruiting-rebounds-army-expand-basic-training-rebuild-force-112535446

[sl8]

1. Note that the new, "expansion", target (55,000) is smaller than the 2022/23 targets.

Although, it is possible recruitment is up - those larger 2022 and 2023 goals were missed by quite a bit.

[Igel]

6. You saved me a post.

There are two ways to point out that "recruiting is up"--one's valid and one's simplistic.

"There's less of a shortfall than in previous years. Recruiting must be up." But not if the recruiting goal's been reduced. Unless you have the same frame of reference that shortfall's a pretty meaningless number. (Gack, reporters.)

It's always been unclear to me if the reduction in recruiting goals reflected an honest evaluation of force needs on the part of the several branches or a face-saving kludge. Sort of like the USSR's revised 5-year plans where the original production goal would be reduced after the fact to show that the Plan for a factory or industry for a year had been not just fulfilled but over-fulfilled.

[Herself]

2. It's not the recruiting goals.

It is not the recuiting goals that is the problem. It is the budgets that Congress passes that do not support personnel. When a member of the military is injured, damaged beyond repair, we are discarded and left to fight the battle for our under funded Veterans benefits & care.

Sine WW2 military records have been lost to fire, flood or "just misplaced" and it is damn hard to find people that will help you find them or learn what you have to do to properly file for them. It took me 6 tries over 27 years!

Our children & grandchildren know what happened to their parents from military service. The American people will say "thank you for your service" but we are left to fight alone for our care!

Many VA Medical facilities are understaffed & under funded. At present it takes 3 signatures to get a Disabled Veteran a life alert device! there is a standing order, when people retire, they are not replaced . If they quit, they are not replaced, which doubles & triples work load on the remaining employee's.

The house of representatives holds the purse for federal budgets, currently under the gop. It's been the same way tho, for decades.

We served, so you & yours didn't have to! We sacrificed, our families sacrificed, and know you all need to sacrifice a little time and learn how to actually THANK US FOR OUR SERVICE! Learn & Vote for Democrats straight ticket & get a super majority in November that can not be obstructed by the gop.

[jimfields33]

4. If 2025 is implemented, the VA will be a colossal

nightmare. I’m not kidding. It’s stunningly scary the plan for vets.

[mahina]

7. Which will have an effect on recruiting.

When our people put their lives on the line they do expect we will be there to help.

Singing to the choir here. These people have got to lose. I don't know what it will take for them to quit. Praying they stay gone.

[onecaliberal]

11. But, but, but, the recons are all about the troops and Veterans.

[surfered]

3. I hope they can come up some anti-drone training.

[Crowman2009]

8. One of which should involve: if all else fails, shoot at it.

But seriously, they should add the same crosshairs to the groundside machine guns as they do with the helo versions.

[Mysterian]

5. I did basic at Ft. Leonard Wood

My drill sergeant was SSG Tyler Walker III, a consummate professional. He went on the become one of the highest ranking enlisted soldiers in the Ordnance Corps and was inducted into the Ordnance Corps Hall of Fame. My introduction to the Army could not have been better, thanks to SSG Walker and his fellow drill sergeants.

[Farmer-Rick]

9. Recruiting goals are always adjusted

I worked in most aspects of Navy recruiting. The goals are always adjusted up and down to adjust to reality. They are even tweaked each month between recruiting stations and districts.

The Army always has a tough time meeting goals when the economy is alright. The best thing for military recruiting is a bad economy.

The Navy does a little better than the Army in recruiting. The Marines usually never have a problem recruiting their numbers. And the Air Force doesn't really recruit, they have waiting lists.

[twodogsbarking]

10. We need more people to kill more people.

Sign up now.

[DENVERPOPS]

12. Interesting to me:

These new recruits will be sent to Oklahoma and Missouri????????????????

WHY Oklahoma and Missouri??????????

[rpannier]

13. Ft. Leonard Wood is one of the larger Basic Training facilities (MO)

Ft Sill is in also very large
According to Ft Sill's website there are four basic training facilities (I am guessing that they mean 4 general facilities)
The other two general are Ft. Jackson (SC) and FT Moore, GA (formerly FT Benning)
It could be that those two sites have more available space right now

tbh: I'd hate to go to any of those places in the summer

I joined when Ft Drum was still around. My basic was Ft Dix in NJ (in winter)

[Mysterian]

14. I assure you Fort Drum is still around

No plans to close that post AFAIK.