According to internal Army data reviewed by Military.com, nearly one-quarter of soldiers recruited since 2022 have failed to complete their initial contracts.
About 25% of soldiers attending preparation courses do not make it through their first contract and leave the Army within the first two years of enlistment.
The attrition rate is only slightly lower for soldiers who do not attend prep courses, at 20%. Specifically, soldiers who did not participate in any prep course have an attrition rate of 11.3%, while those in academic track prep courses have a rate of 15.3%.
Commentators on social media indicate that this issue has been known for some time; a certain level of loss is generally expected within recruiting metrics. In the past, the attrition rate was closer to one-third of recruits not completing their contracts.
According to the report by Military.com, last year, one-quarter of all enlistees had to undergo at least one of the Future Soldier Preparatory Courses. These courses were established to help applicants meet academic or body fat enlistment standards before they ship out to basic training.
The Pentagon estimates that only about 23% of individuals aged 17 to 24 are eligible to serve. A senior Army official told Military.com that only about 8% qualify for what is termed a "clean enlistment," meaning the recruit does not require waivers or need to attend a prep course.
On social media, commentators say there are cases where enlistees have been sent to different branches before the Army recruiter asks members of Congress to support them in obtaining a waiver. For example, one individual needed a waiver for spray painting the side of an abandoned cemetery when he was 13 years old.
There have also been instances where entire sections within one company failed to meet height and weight standards.
One social media commentator mentioned that he almost needed a waiver because he failed the first hearing test.
The report indicates that the Army has more than doubled the number of waivers it grants to recruits, from 8,400 in 2022 to 17,900 last year, many of which are medical waivers.
According to Military.com, this increase is primarily attributed to MHS Genesis, a new centralized medical records system that gives the military unprecedented access to applicants' health histories. Some recruiters argue that the system disqualifies applicants over minor injuries or previous treatments.
In defense of recruits, one commentator pointed out that this situation is not shocking. For instance, what were the initial two-year loss rates in 1990, 2000, 2010, and 2020? Is the current situation that far off from historical norms?
The Army used to be seen as an opportunity to restart one's life; even if someone had previous issues, they could turn over a new leaf and ship it out within a week. Now, recruits often have to wait for months for ship dates, security clearances, or medical waivers.
Some recruits, who had to wait for months to get ship dates, security clearances, or medical waivers, stated on social media that they would completely attribute the issue to the U. S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC).
Problems such as poor living conditions in barracks, lack of sleep during Advanced Individual Training (AIT), which is the specialized training phase for soldiers to learn the skills necessary for their jobs after Basic Combat Training, difficulties in maintaining outside relationships, and stigma against seeking medical help are prevalent in TRADOC, even for those in the "cushiest" Military Occupational Specialties (MOS).
There is a call on social media for TRADOC to be modernized to fit the current era.
To improve recruitment and retention, commentators say TRADOC should address issues like improving chow halls, enforcing consistent work hours, eliminating long workdays, reforming the physical training program to reward fit soldiers, stopping group punishments in favor of individual accountability, and taking better care of soldiers to develop them as future leaders.
The current sink-or-swim approach leads to too many individuals struggling.
Instead of trying to fix the issue with force, social commentators said TRADOC should focus on supporting soldiers. Otherwise, we risk failing them and discharging them before their two-year mark, which seems wasteful.
It is difficult to expect a young person to wait 6 to 12 months for a waiver during what should be the prime years of their lives when they could start other careers.
It is not simply about those who choose to leave after two years; many are discharged before reaching their two-year mark, meaning their departure is not voluntary.
Madison Bonzo, a spokesperson for the service, told Military.com that the U.S. Army Recruiting Command remains committed to recruiting young men and women into our Army who are ready and qualified to join the most lethal fighting force in the world to ensure our nation's security.
According to Military.com, the Army concluded the year with a surplus of 11,000 in the so-called delayed-entry pool, which will be factored into this year's numbers.
This significant pool of delayed enlistees is largely due to a successful recruiting year that led to a shortage of spaces in basic training units.
The service plans to expand its capacity for basic trainees this spring dramatically. It’s important to note that individuals are counted as recruits once they ship off to the Future Soldier Preparatory Course or basic training, meaning dropouts might not appear in data reported to senior leadership or Congress.