This is another one of those things happening since, well, basically the election that isn’t just a surprising and encouraging reversal of recent trends.
It’s frickin’ downright gobsmacking how fast the 180° turn and acceleration in the opposite direction took off.
When last we saw our demoralized and struggling United States Army, they were being beaten about the neck and shoulders by an Army Secretary who despised the ‘warrior caste’ who pretty much make up an army and the families whose generational tradition of national military service has sustained it through thick and thin. The threat of ‘white rage’ hunters purging the ranks, raging or not, the loosening of military standards to ludicrous levels in order to attract, well, anyone willing to enlist, and the imposition of woke edicts, appropriate or not, had winnowed down the volunteer pool to unsustainable levels. No one wanted to be a part of a suicidally inclined Mickey Mouse outfit led by virtue-signaling ideologues.
Army recruiting ad under Biden: girl with lesbian moms “shattering stereotypes” and marching for BLM and LGBTQ pride
Army recruiting ad under Trump: masculine dude working out saying strong people are harder to kill
AMERICA IS SO BACK 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/CO2n8Rnu6r
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) February 9, 2025
There was a palpable sense of hopeless, angry frustration among many active duty members who gave serious consideration to truncating a planned career before it was cut short for them involuntarily, thanks to a politically incorrect misstep inspiring a witchhunt and consequent burning at the stake.
It wasn’t looking good.
Neither was it good-looking, if you get my drift.
It bags a few questions.
Why our military faces the biggest recruitment shortages in 50 years if it’s not for Wokeness and promoting people like Maj. Rachel Jones? pic.twitter.com/7yq5U5YXKM
— I Meme Therefore I Am 🇺🇸 (@ImMeme0) July 2, 2023
In November, America signaled it was time for a course change.
By February, having survived a brutal confirmation cycle, there was a new Secretary of Defense who had been one of those soldiers once upon a time, and, as I reported, that same beat to dogpoop Army was feeling a little giddy.
What a Difference a President Makes – Army ‘Shatters’ Recruiting Goals
If that was four months ago, and they were happy?
Man. You should see those dudes now.
Army meets recruiting goal 4 months early under Trump admin https://t.co/ZF4DiJTXs4 pic.twitter.com/DEyb4zjx0G
— American Military News (@AmerMilNews) June 5, 2025
I mean, holy smokes. And that four months early is even more impressive when you take into account that their quota numbers were 10% higher than last year’s, as they were trying to make up for the previous anemic efforts.
Golly Nell – this is somethin‘ to be proud of. It really is.
The U.S. Army announced on Tuesday that it has reached its Fiscal Year 2025 recruiting goals for active-duty soldiers by recruiting over 61,000 new soldiers four months early under President Donald Trump’s administration.
In a Tuesday press release, the U.S. Army Public Affairs said the military service had successfully met its recruiting goals for this year by signing contracts with “more than 61,000 future Soldiers” four months before the end of Fiscal Year 2025. Officials explained that meeting the Army’s recruitment goals early demonstrates a “significant turning point for the Army” and points toward a “renewed sense of patriotism and purpose among America’s youth.”
“I’m incredibly proud of our U.S. Army recruiters and drill sergeants,” Army Secretary Dan Driscoll said. “Their colossal efforts and dedication to duty helped the U.S. Army accomplish our FY25 annual recruiting goal a full four months ahead of schedule.”
The U.S. Army explained that its recruitment goal for Fiscal Year 2025 was 10% higher than Fiscal Year 2024’s goal of 55,000 new Army recruits. Officials noted in Tuesday’s press release that the Army’s ability to meet a higher recruitment goal this year signifies a “surge in interest and enthusiasm for Army service.” The Army added that the average number of contracts signed per day this year has surpassed last year’s numbers by “as much as 56%” in the same period.
The last time the Army met its goal so early was June of 2014.
Recruits of every hue are coming in without any specially tailored appeals to race, creed, or who they sleep with.
…New statistics shared by the Army with ABC News reveal annual recruiting classes has become increasingly diverse, with more minorities joining the active-duty service since then and the number of women rising to pre-2020 levels.
The data show Black recruits are up 3% year to date in 2025, following a 6% jump from the year prior.
The number of white recruits has decreased steadily, falling to a low of 38% in 2025 from the 53% in 2020.
Female enlistments in the Army have also increased slightly, ticking up 1% each year, including in 2025, according to the data.
In a congressional hearing with Army leaders on Wednesday, Driscoll told lawmakers that men and women who meet the Army’s “standards of excellence” have the chance to join the service.
As one wag on X remarked while noting the rise in minority enlistment:
Turns out men of all races don’t give a s**t about cringe DEI and you can increase diversity by just being f**king normal.
JUST BY BEING F**KING NORMAL
Turns out diversity increases itself, because nothing is more comforting than normal.
I’m pretty sure we’re all ready for a good, long stretch of it.
It’s kind of nice that this news broke on the eve of today, of all days, and one of the Army’s finest hours.
Just choke you up heroism, 81 years ago today.
D Day, of course.
RIGHT NOW in 1944, this is the scene in Normandy. The liberation of France is underway #DDay pic.twitter.com/0LUQIImNJp
— Military History Now (@MilHistNow) June 6, 2025
My God.
The Army has a wonderful multimedia presentation on its website. If you have a couple of minutes, do check it out.
My 80th anniversary post from last year tells the story of Teddy Roosevelt Jr, the only general actually on the Normandy beaches with those tremendous young Americans and allied soldiers and sailors.
God bless them, every one.
“They shall grow not old,
as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them,
nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.”
~ Laurence Binyon
We do remember them.
