And this wasn’t an isolated number.
The Army also met its Reserve recruiting mission, reaching **14,322 future Soldiers**, while the Army National Guard hit its recruiting target as well. Army Recruiting Command later confirmed the results.
The turnaround is significant.
The Army had struggled with recruiting shortfalls in 2022 and 2023. But in 2025 and 2026, the service began meeting major recruiting targets ahead of schedule, including its active-duty goal for a second consecutive year.
Hegseth has repeatedly emphasized a return to a stronger **warrior ethos**, with a focus on readiness, discipline, physical standards, accountability and military effectiveness.
In his latest State of the Force address, he said the military’s recruiting recovery was being seen across the services, including the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, National Guard, Reserve and Special Forces.
The message from Army leadership is clear:
**Recruit more.
Train harder.
Maintain standards.
Build a force ready to fight and win.**
