Year in Review: Army meets recruiting goal, improves Soldier experience

WASHINGTON - As 2025 draws to a close, the United States Army reaffirmed its commitment to Soldiers after another incredible year. Throughout the year the Army spent 2025 preparing for a bigger and better 2026, elevating the Soldier experience and awarded performance for life-saving and historic actions.

PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE

The U.S. Army successfully met its fiscal year 2025 recruiting goals for active duty, signing contracts with more than 61,000 future Soldiers - a full four months before the end of the fiscal year. This achievement represents a significant turning point for the Army and indicates a renewed sense of patriotism and purpose among America's youth.

Recruiting the best of the best has to begin somewhere, and the Army understood that recruits need more time to prepare before Basic Combat Training. Thus, the Future Soldier Preparation Course at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, was implemented. The program has proved successful following a major influx of Future Soldiers, which continues to increase the Army's effectiveness and combat lethality.

Recruiting and initial training are vital to the Army's future, but ensuring continued dedicated service of those already in the Army is paramount to success. The Army, this year, focused its efforts on strategic and talent-focused retention initiatives for enlisted, commissioned officer, and warrant officers, resulting in achieving 108% of its retention goal one month ahead of schedule.

IMPROVING THE SOLDIER EXPERIENCE

Five of the Army's largest installations are now poised to provide Soldiers with a wider variety of nutritious meals available at flexible hours in improved dining environments. This is thanks to the Army Food Program's campus-style dining venue pilot program, awarded by the Army's Installation Management Command.

Army senior leadership, following a force-wide review of military standards, implemented new grooming policies this year. The updated policies, aimed at increasing Soldier readiness and professionalism, ensures leaders and Soldiers alike are more quickly able to understand what "right looks like", regardless of gender or any other distinguishing characteristic. By ensuring leaders in all formations are empowered to enforce discipline, the Army can continue its commitment to lethal readiness.

RECOGNIZING EXCELLENCE

The Army had the privilege of presenting the Congressional Gold Medal to several groups, including two outstanding and heretofore unrecognized unique units from its past. The 369th Infantry Regiment of the New York National Guard, famously composed of all Black Soldiers, known as the Harlem Hellfighters, served with utmost honor and distinction in World War I. The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, the only unit of its kind in World War II, also received this honor for its unwavering dedication to Soldier morale, delivering nearly 17 million pieces of mail in just three months. World War II era Army Rangers were also recognized

Soldiers are expected to be always prepared for any mission. The "Dogface" Soldiers of the 3rd Infantry Division, as well as the first responders of the Winn Army Community Hospital, demonstrated this resolve at the highest degree following an active shooter incident on Fort Stewart, Georiga, this past summer. Secretary of the Army the Honorable Dan Driscoll visited Fort Stewart specifically to honor the Soldiers responsible for ensuring the perpetrator was caught and for saving the lives of those affected.

Sgt. Christian Sutton's initiative Operation Ring the Bell surged into a new phase when an 82nd Airborne Division Soldier received some difficult news. Needing a bone marrow transplant, the initiative resulted in over 1,000 Soldiers completing screenings, all due to word of mouth and social media.

Finally, the Army added seven new Soldiers to the storied list of Medal of Honor recipients. Six recipients succumbed to their wounds while defending their teammates and battle positions in the Korean and Vietnam Wars, while Spc. 4th Class Kenneth David survived. David and Family members of the fallen received the Congressional Medal of Honor from former President Joe Biden.

ARMY 250TH CELEBRATION

The major revelry across our force this year was the historic celebration of the U.S. Army's 250th Birthday. The Army is adept at organizing large-scale events whether it's a grand parade in Washington, the first-ever 8-hour live stream event on the National Mall, or the countless celebrations around the world, the Army certainly knows how to throw a party.

This article is part of a series celebrating the best of the Army throughout 2025. Make sure to check out the other two stories with updates to the Army's warfighting and transformation efforts.