Air, Space forces hit recruitment goals, set higher 2027 targets

The Department of the Air Force met its fiscal 2026 recruitment goals, with 31,950 airmen and 730 guardians enlisted.The department attributed its success to consistent performance across its recruiting squadrons, and not to a single program or effort, according to a Thursday release.In April, the Air Force announced it hit its goal five months ahead of schedule, with the goal at the time being 32,750 airmen and 730 guardians, emphasizing the success of their Delayed Entry Program, which serves as a waiting list of signed-up recruits who are approved to join the military but need to wait for space in Basic Military Training.The projection was adjusted to its current goal of 31,950 airmen and 730 guardians based on retention and when training dates were available, ensuring that the goal was met fully. “Our recruiters did what they do every year — they worked the mission every day,” Col. Lacresha Merkle, Air Force Recruiting Service commander, said in the release. “Hitting the number is the expectation, and our recruiters delivered.” Planning has already begun for the next fiscal year, as Thursday marks the first day of fiscal 2027. Recruiting strategies are adjusted based on labor market trends, propensity-to-serve data and career field demand signals, the statement says.For fiscal 2027, the department set the goal of 36,300 airmen and 1,402 guardians, an Air Force spokesperson told Military Times.AFRS, headquartered at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas, oversees enlisted, officer and Space Force accessions across the department. The recruiting personnel operate out of squadrons across the country, assisting applications through the Delayed Entry Program before their Basic Military Training.“Every applicant who signs that contract trusts us with their future, and our recruiters carry that responsibility into every conversation, every single day,” Merkle said.The Air and Space Forces aren’t the only services that met their fiscal 2026 recruitment goals. The Navy exceeded its goal by adding 45,112 new sailors, while the Army achieved its goal with 61,500 new soldiers. The Army’s Reserve and Special Forces also met their goal for the first time in over a decade with 14,322 and 2,940 soldiers, respectively. The Marine Corps also announced that the service exceeded its goal with 31,250 enlisted Marines, 1,672 officers and 3,503 prior-service reserve Marines.Cristina Stassis is a reporter covering stories surrounding the defense industry, national security, military/veteran affairs and more. She previously worked as an editorial fellow for Defense News in 2024 where she assisted the newsroom in breaking news across Sightline Media Group.