The US Army’s recruiting operation is impressive. It’s professional, well-funded, and deeply integrated into high schools and colleges. Students take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB). This helps them to identify roles they qualify for before they even graduate. The Army offers generous enlistment bonuses and benefits, up to $50,000. And enjoys widespread support as both an institution and an employer. This is the kind of recruitment operation the British Army wishes it had.
However, despite these strengths, the US Army failed to meet its recruiting targets in 2022. The shortfall was significant: 15,000 recruits, which is more than the entire British Army’s annual recruiting demand. The following year, the Army missed its higher targets by 10,000 recruits. What went wrong? And what can the British Army learn from this?
The Role of Policy in Recruiting
The US Department of Defense (DoD) cited several traditional factors, including a strong job market, limited access to schools during Covid. And a weaker willingness to serve among Generations Z and Alpha. These factors also appeal to British Army recruits. However, the figures reveal a more nuanced situation.
During Covid, applications to all branches of the US military plummeted by 20%. This could explain a 25% reduction in enlistment two years later.
However, one would expect this impact to show up in 2021, when the Army was still meeting its targets. The DoD also reports a 20% drop in eligibility over the last ten years. Only 23% of young Americans are eligible to join the US military today.
Eligibility is a policy decision. The Army chooses who qualifies to join. In 2019, a recruiting officer stated that eligibility was no worse than it had ever been. Obesity, declining academic performance, and mental health difficulties all have a long-term impact on eligibility, but not by 20% in a year. So, what has changed in 2022?
Medical Policy and Project GENESIS
In February 2022, the US Army introduced the GENESIS health system. This system gives recruiting staff unprecedented access to candidates’ medical histories. Thus making it impossible to conceal undeclared medical issues. Recruiters used to ignore minor medical issues to meet targets. Now, they can’t. The introduction of GENESIS caused delays due to the need to locate old medical records. Thus frustrating candidates and driving them into the civilian job market.
This situation mirrors challenges faced by British Army recruiters. Civilian employment options are at a historic high, and medical issues are the biggest reasons for delays and rejections. A 2017 report for the Defense Select Committee revealed that medical issues account for 93% of all British Army candidate rejections. Even if the actual percentage is closer to 60% or 80%, medical issues are the single most significant factor in the recruitment process.
Other Policies and the Future Soldier Preparatory Course (FSPC)
Medical policy is challenging to change due to the risks involved. However, the US Army has tried to relax other standards. They’ve made exceptions for tattoos, marijuana use, and allowed calculators during the ASVAB. They briefly dropped the high school diploma requirement but quickly reversed it. Instead, the US Army invested $214 million in the Future Soldier Preparatory Course (FSPC). This was introduced in mid-2022. This program offers up to 90 days of training for candidates below entry standards in body mass or cognition but who meet other requirements. In 2023, more than 10,000 recruits who would have been rejected joined basic training through the FSPC.
Lessons from America
The US Army increased its recruiting inflow by 10,000 recruits with the FSPC. By demonstrating that helping candidates meet entry standards works. Lesson 1 is to recruit available people who want to join by providing them with the necessary support. This approach involves compromising on initial standards and investing in additional training. In order to ensure they meet the final output standards.
Lesson 2 is recognizing that medical policy is a significant challenge. The US Army’s experience with GENESIS shows how increased scrutiny and access to medical records can slow down the recruiting process and frustrate candidates. The British Army must also address medical policies to reduce delays and rejections.
Lesson 3: There are no easy answers. Resolving recruiting challenges needs resources, effort, and compromise. The US Army’s experience shows that workable solutions exist, but implementing them requires commitment and action. Expanding and extending programs like the Soldier Development Course (SDC) in the British Army could help more candidates meet entry standards. The British Army must also re-evaluate its medical policies. And consider taking calculated risks to make the recruiting process more efficient.
The US Army’s recruiting challenges offer valuable lessons for the British Army. By adopting similar strategies and making necessary compromises, the British Army can improve its recruiting efforts. This involves providing additional support to candidates, addressing medical policy issues, and investing in training programs. With the right approach, the British Army can increase its recruitment and ensure a steady inflow of trained soldiers, meeting the needs of a modern professional force.
