LAKE PARK, Fla. — The U.S. Army is starting 2025 after meeting its recruiting goals last fiscal year, and local recruiters are reacting.
WPTV anchor Mike Trim spoke with Jupiter Army Recruiting Company Commander Captain Evan Lowe.
Recruitment numbers are up for the U.S. Army
“It’s huge for us," said Lowe. "It’s not a secret that we’ve missed in the past. So we’re definitely getting ahead of where we were. We’ve been given great support at every echelon of command, from our commanding general all the way to our battalion and company-level commanders. We take it month by month, quarter by quarter, but we’re staying ahead.”
Just two and a half years ago, an NBC News report showed the Army only reached half of its recruiting goal.
The U.S. Army says it met the nationwide goal of 55,000 recruits in fiscal year 2024.
Fifty army recruiters met at the Texas Roadhouse restaurant in Lake Park on Feb. 7. It was a regularly scheduled monthly training normally done in classrooms of recruiting offices or military buildings.
The recruiters partnered with Texas Roadhouse to be more visible in the community.
These servicemen and women recruit from more than 80 schools and colleges, from Palm Beach County to Indian River County.
The U.S. Army credits the boost in recruiting numbers to factors like the Future Soldier Preparatory Class, which provides lower performing recruits 90 days of academic and fitness training.
More medical personnel at Military Entrance Processing Stations (MEPS) have helped as well.
According to the U.S. Army, that specifically has led to 300 more enlistments per week compared to this time last year.
