Navy Exceeded FY24 Recruiting Goals

Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro visited Millington, Tennessee, today to meet with Navy Recruiting Command leadership, recruiters, and support personnel. During the visit, he expressed his gratitude for their hard work and dedication.

"I know you work incredibly hard as recruiters, and this can be an exhausting set of orders, but that is why we only select the best Sailors for recruiting duty," said Secretary Del Toro. "You truly make a difference in assuring the future of our Navy. The Sailors you recruited this year will form the backbone of our Fleet for several decades."

For FY24, the Navy not only met its contracting goals without lowering targeted objectives, it also exceeded retention goals. Once again, this fiscal year the Marine Corps exceeded its recruitment goals for both officers and enlisted.

While the Navy achieved its FY2024 recruiting goals, some recruits are slated to attend boot camp in FY2025, which is when the schoolhouse can accommodate them.

The Navy's recruiting success is attributed to several factors including data-driven decision-making, enhanced focus on annual goals, reduced timeframe for processing medical waivers, removing red tape, and expanding opportunities.

Over the past year, the Navy identified and closed gaps in the recruiting process. For example, the CNO established a culture of “Every Sailor a Recruiter” and advanced our recruiting enterprise by appointing a senior, two-star admiral to lead our recruiting stations and centers. Furthermore, recruiter goals were adjusted from monthly to annual to promote steady-state performance.

The Navy also stood up a Recruiting Operations Center to monitor recruiting efforts in real time, increase production and remove variance among 26 Talent Acquisition Groups. The new center streamlined processes to expedite newly contracted recruits to boot camp.

The Navy increased the number of specialties that new Sailors are eligible for, including the new robotics rating, and implemented the Future Sailor Prep Course to provide more opportunities for aspiring Sailors.

"The Navy is focused on thoughtfully increasing recruiting numbers while maintaining historically high retention rates," said Secretary Del Toro. "We are doing this by improving the efficiency of our recruiting enterprise and expanding the pool of applicants who can join our team."

The Navy's recruiting success in FY2024 is a testament to the dedication of its recruiters and the appeal of service in the Navy. The Navy offers a wide range of opportunities for young men and women to serve their country, gain valuable skills, and build a rewarding career.

The U.S. Navy is the largest, most capable, and most technologically advanced naval force in the world. The Navy's mission is to maintain, train, and equip combat-ready naval forces capable of winning wars, deterring aggression, and maintaining freedom of the seas.