The U.S. Army’s senior leadership has repeatedly emphasized the need to
recruit and retain “high quality, physically t, mentally tough Soldiers who
can deploy, ght, and win decisively on any future battleeld.”
2
To do so,
the Army needs to preserve its competitive edge over the nation’s ad-
versaries by modernizing personnel policies with recruiting and reten-
tion programs that maintain readiness and develop future leaders.
After more than 17 years of low-intensity operations in the Middle East,
the Department of Defense (DoD) is focusing on optimizing for high-end
conict with near-peer competitors. The Army has established a new ma-
jor subordinate command—Futures Command—to streamline the develop-
ment and acquisition of new capabilities. That said, at its core, the Army is
a people-centric organization whose strength is not measured in platforms
like tanks, ships and aircraft, but in exible Soldiers who can adapt to
changing circumstances.
Challenges on the Personnel Front
Shifting demographic, economic and social factors have the potential to
impede the Army’s recruiting eorts. As an All-Volunteer Force, incentives
are necessary to attract and retain qualied people to serve in sucient
numbers. Military service rates tend to spike in times of economic hardship,
but the current strong economy makes civilian career paths increasingly
attractive. A tightening labor market has led to a high demand for workers,
consequently creating a challenging environment for military recruiters.
Manning the Army of 2028:
Recruitment Modernization
MARCH 2019
ILW SPOTLIGHT 19-1
PUBLISHED BY THE INSTITUTE OF LAND WARFARE
AT THE ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY
ISSUE
The Soldier-centric U.S. Army needs to
modernize its personnel recruitment
policies to complement its technological
modernization efforts.
SPOTLIGHT SCOPE
• Describes the complex strategic
environment in which Soldiers will
operate in 2028;
• Discusses the impact of limited
military eligibility of American youth,
ages 17–24;
• Identies shortfalls caused by current
personnel policies; and
• Explores innovative ideas to recruit
the next generation of Soldiers.
INSIGHTS
• Maintaining the quality of the All-
Volunteer Force is a national priority.
• The Army is transforming how it nds,
recruits and retains talented Soldiers
from the shrinking pool of young
Americans who meet basic military
standards.
• Educating the American public on the
importance and benets of military
service is key to attracting the best
talent for the Army.
• Innovative personnel policies are as
critical as acquisition reform in build-
ing the force of 2028.
www.ausa.org
1
SMA Robert E. Hall, “The Noncommissioned Ocer Corps: Meeting the Army’s Challenge,”
ARMY, October 1999, 36.
2
Mark A. Milley and Mark T. Esper, “The Army Vision 2017,” 1, https://www.army.mil/e2/
downloads/rv7/vision/the_army_vision.pdf.
by Major Bradley Cooper, U.S. Army, and Michael Wang
It is incumbent on us to reconnect with America in such a way that the youth of America
nd service in the Army important, meaningful, satisfying, rewarding, and productive.
SMA Robert E. Hall
ARMY, October 1999
1
