(NewsNation) — Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll says his branch is “absolutely crushing” its recruiting and retention goals this year thanks to a renewed focus on “warrior culture.”
After falling short of its enlistment goals in 2022 and 2023, the Army is on pace to hit its recruiting target easily this year.
As for retention, Driscoll said the Army reached its annual goal just six months into the fiscal year.
Driscoll credited President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for the recent momentum, saying they have shifted attention back to what makes military service appealing.
“I think that it is the warrior culture that we are returning to,” Driscoll told NewsNation’s Connell McShane on Thursday.
The Trump administration has been quick to take credit for the recent boost in military recruitment, though data shows enlistment numbers were rising before the November election.
Driscoll acknowledged that initiatives like the Army’s future soldier prep course — designed to help recruits who initially fall short of fitness standards — have played a role in boosting recruitment but said a broader culture shift has been the main driver.
“The reason you join the United States Army is not for the benefits necessarily. It’s not for the things you get after you were in — it’s because you want to serve with the best — the men and women across the country who are willing to give up their lives to protect their fellow citizens,” Driscoll said.
“We are back to a focus on that and only that,” he said.
Watch the interview with Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll in the player above.