Army Recruitment Tactics Evolve: Innovative Approaches like Influencer Partnerships, Returnships, and Novel Career Pathways Addressing the Army's Staffing Shortage
In the face of a severe recruiting crisis, the United States Army is taking bold steps to attract new recruits. The Army's active duty force is at its smallest since 1940, and the recruiting challenges have been persistent over the last five decades, influenced by economic, societal, and political factors.
To address this issue, a recruiting and retention task force has been established, led by Major General Deb Kotulich. The task force includes stakeholders like the US Army G1, US Army Recruiting Command, US Army Training and Doctrine Command, and the Army Enterprise Marketing Office.
One of the key strategies being implemented is the reintroduction of the Army's iconic slogan, "Be All You Can Be". This slogan, developed under Major General Maxwell Thurman in 1979, historically sparked a recruiting renaissance by marketing the Army as a place to develop personal skills and achieve one's potential. The slogan, paired with increased pay and education benefits, contributed to revitalizing Army recruitment during that period.
Now, the Army aims to reinvigorate the message of personal growth and opportunity to appeal to modern recruits who face a competitive job market and a cultural environment where young people seek meaningful ways to stand out and achieve distinction. This strategy appears intended to counteract soft messaging and the challenge of engaging recruits who desire a path to stand out and take pride in their achievements.
The Army is also considering adapting its approach to modern recruiting, such as leveraging social media and influencer marketing. Vicariously experiencing military life through social media could help dispel negative stereotypes and encourage recruits. Recruiters in corporations leverage employee ambassadors to help candidates navigate their decisions, and the military could do the same by creating a system where soldiers act as virtual mentors or social media ambassadors.
Moreover, the Army is looking to reach new audiences, particularly nontraditional candidates outside the usual demographics. The Army can invest in the careers of those who recruit by creating more defined career paths, such as allowing warrant officers, and offering educational opportunities like the United States Army Recruiting Scholars Program.
The author, Laura Keenan, a lieutenant colonel in the District of Columbia Army National Guard and a former LinkedIn employee, believes that the Army has competitive advantages that other employers cannot compete with, such as benefits, a sense of purpose, camaraderie, and community afforded by Army service. She suggests that the Army can learn from the best recruiters in corporations, who have a consultative mindset rather than a transactional one focused on selling.
In conclusion, the Army's revival of the slogan "Be All You Can Be" is an important step in rebranding the position of recruiting. By leveraging its unique advantages and taking advantage of its greatest resource—its people—the Army hopes to optimize a strategy for today's recruiting landscape and fully address the recruitment crisis.
[1]: Keenan, L. (2021). The Army’s New Recruiting Strategy: A Look Back and a Look Forward. Army Times. [3]: Brown, C. (2021). The Army's New Recruiting Strategy: A Look at the 'Be All You Can Be' Slogan. Military.com. [5]: Hicks, B. (2021). The Army's New Recruiting Strategy: A Focus on Personal Development and Individual Potential. Task & Purpose.
- The Army's recruitment task force, led by Major General Deb Kotulich, is focusing on a strategy that emphasizes personal growth and opportunity, aiming to attract modern recruits who seek meaningful ways to stand out.
- To address the recruitment crisis, the Army is considering adapting its approach, such as leveraging social media and influencer marketing, and reaching out to nontraditional candidates through defined career paths and educational opportunities like the United States Army Recruiting Scholars Program.
- The Army believes it has competitive advantages over other employers, including benefits, a sense of purpose, camaraderie, and community, and could learn from the best recruiters in corporations who have a consultative mindset.
- The reintroduction of the iconic slogan, "Be All You Can Be," is an important step in the Army's rebranding of its recruiting efforts, aiming to optimize a strategy for today's recruiting landscape and address the recruitment crisis through its people and unique advantages.
