It’s been tough to get new Soldiers. Regardless of the approach or incentives, the U.S. Army has been having recruitment issues in recent years. However, a turn of the tide hit Army recruitment in 2024 that would see the largest branch of the military hit its goals. However, for an issue so important to a branch so big, the Army hasn’t really looked at different demographics traditionally when it comes to its recruitment efforts. Many are calling for a change going forward. One of the core reasons is that the Army recruiting numbers in 2024 were as good as they would thanks to a specific demographic—women.

Army Recruitment 2024 Hits Goals Thanks to Female Recruits

For the first time in many years, Army recruitment in 2024, hit its goals and women are to be thanked.

In a world dominated by men, it’s the almost 10,000 women who signed up to serve as a Soldier that bolstered the numbers providing an 18% increase from the numbers in 2023.

Army recruiting in 2024 for men only increased by 8% in comparison, continuing the trend of difficulties in attracting eligible men to join the military.

At the same time, it's also a key point the Army should continue to look at—young men may be struggling to meet the criteria of what’s needed to be a Soldier, but women are not.

Why Female Recruits May Have the Upper Hand

Female applicants may have an advantage over males in the Army’s recruiting pool due to lower criminal record rates, with women accounting for just 30% of juvenile arrests.

Since 2013, male enlistments have dropped by over 20%, from 58,000 to 45,000, while female recruits are increasing despite minimal changes in the Army's recruiting strategy.

The Army’s social media and ad campaigns predominantly feature men, often two to three times more than women. Furthermore, men are more commonly given speaking roles in these marketing materials.

This rise in female recruits suggests a shifting dynamic in military enlistment trends.

"It's not about pandering to women, it's about creating a professional environment accessing the best talent, where we've been undervaluing pursuing women," said 

 of the Center for a New American Security.

Additionally, women are outpacing men in higher education, with nearly half of women aged 25-34 holding bachelor’s degrees compared to 37% of men.

There are almost 5,000 new recruits enlisting as a Soldier who have higher education compared to 2023—a 14% increase. College degrees are the norm these days for enlisted Soldiers, particularly those moving into leadership.

This is a problem for attracting male recruits who are eligible for service, as academic standards continue to be a significant barrier many men fail to meet.

A high school diploma and strong ASVAB scores, which assess math, science, and language skills, are required for anyone enlisting; however, many continue to produce falling test scores.

The COVID-19 pandemic made things even worse as test scores have taken a hit against normal standards.

To help improve these test scores and recruitment, the Army introduced the 

 back in 2022 with the goal of helping ineligible applicants meet academic or body fat standards.

Overwhelmingly, people qualified for the course, roughly 70% of participants, are men compared to females indicating a clear difference in who struggles to take the entrance test.

Unfortunately for men, when looking at the overall educational landscape throughout the U.S., women are doing better academically in virtually every category—men who are minorities face even greater disparities.

Can Army Recruitment 2024 be a Wake-Up Call?

Even if the Army recruiting goals for 2024 are met, the branch still has to address the glaring problem that its recruiters aren’t looking at demographics when soliciting volunteers.

Officials have clarified that the move isn't about meeting vague diversity goals but about strategically targeting potential applicants who are more likely to qualify for service.

With more women enlisting and the pool of eligible male candidates shrinking, women are increasingly advancing through the ranks and assuming senior leadership positions.

Hopefully, the lessons to be learned during Army recruitment in 2024 will help the branch improve its efforts moving forward.

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Pete Hegseth has repeatedly stated his desire to rename U.S. military bases that had their titles changed because of their ties to the Confederacy. Hegseth, Donald Trump’s pick for Secretary of Defense, has expressed that he wants the old military base names back because the changes made were unnecessary and pointless.

 and said that those efforts were done in a bad light and shouldn’t have been approved in the first place. Hegseth strongly believes that these actions do not align with what the military stood for. He also thinks that this is just a political ploy from the left side to change the American institution to its own image.

Hegseth Advocates for Restoring Original Military Base Names

, which was signed at the end of the first Trump administration, changed the names of nine U.S. military bases that had previously been named after Confederate leaders between 2022 and 2023. In January 2021, the law was passed after Congress overrode Trump's original veto, which was partially motivated by his disapproval of the renaming clause.

As secretary of defense, Hegseth might advocate for base names to be changed back to their original Confederate names. However, Congress has the final say on this matter. 

Hegseth has also criticized other cultural shifts in the military, including allowing women to serve in combat roles and allowing LGBT service members to serve openly. Once his appointment as Secretary of Defense is confirmed, these issues will surely be the center of his interest.

Hegseth Talks About Renaming of Fort Liberty in His Book Tour

Hegseth has always been vocal about his belief that changing the military base names destroys history and legacy. He went into further detail about this in 2024 while on a book tour to promote "The War on Warriors."

While promoting his book, he stated in a podcast interview about Fort Liberty (

) that the country should go back to its former state. He went on to say, "Legacy is important," and that Fort Liberty ought to be renamed Fort Bragg.

Named for Braxton Bragg, a slave owner and Confederate general who lost almost every battle he fought in during the Civil War, Fort Bragg is one of the biggest Army bases in the United States. According to a name panel established to research base renaming, Bragg was widely disliked by peers and subordinates in the pre-Civil War U.S. Army. He is also regarded as one of the worst generals of the Civil War within the Confederate Army.

Originally known as Camp Bragg, the base opened during World War I and was named by the locals after the General, who was the only North Carolina commander to serve in the Civil War. In 2023, the base was renamed Fort Liberty.

Trump and Hegseth's Cultural Counter-Revolution

Trump has consistently opposed the renaming of bases that honor Confederate leaders. Trump reaffirmed that he is adamant about not wanting politically driven attempts to erase history during the legislation of renaming bases. He thinks that what is taking place is a disgrace to the nation's enormous advancement.

Hegseth's comments are consistent with incoming Trump officials' larger resistance to a variety of cultural initiatives that they see to be unduly progressive. Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, the two billionaires entrusted with cutting government waste, are anticipated to suggest an agency-wide reduction in funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.

Hegseth provided a long list of DEI-related initiatives that he claims Trump instructed him to eliminate at the Pentagon in an interview with Megyn Kelly in early December. Hegseth also ordered Kelly to clean the house of the supposed “woke crap” infesting it. He added that he wants to get rid of polarizing topics such as climate change, genderism, the DEI, and critical racial theory.

Hegseth Condemns Focus on America's Past Sins

Hegseth argued in a 2021 interview with the son of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu that attempts to rename U.S. military bases were part of a movement that saw the U.S. only in light of its historical offenses.

He questioned why America is only being viewed through the prism that it was founded on the backs of slaves and taken from Native Americans. He didn’t agree that anyone who owned slaves or participated in anything that didn't advance far enough in their period should be expelled.

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The TRICARE Childbirth and Breastfeeding Support Demonstration has expanded its support for expectant moms stationed abroad. This additional program will expand the range of services and help provide the best care to expecting mothers by adding coverage for licensed labor doulas.

The expanded TRICARE Doula coverage includes postpartum care services from licensed lactation consultants and counselors, so it doesn't end with deliveries. There might be 

 in 2025 that are a bit scary, but this is one that mothers should look forward to. With this expansion, expecting mothers will have the right tools they want for a safe breastfeeding experience.

TRICARE Doula Coverage is Now Available Overseas and in the U.S. Territories

On January 1, the TRICARE Childbirth and Breastfeeding Support demonstration was extended to those in American territories and abroad. Also, TRICARE officials have modified certain standards, such as the visitation and doula requirements in the United States. 

TRICARE Prime, TRICARE Prime Remote, or TRICARE Select users in the United States and abroad can get childbirth and breastfeeding support services through this demonstration program.

Labor doulas are non-medical, trained individuals who help the laboring woman physically and emotionally and educate them before, during, and shortly after labor. The demonstration project requires moms to be at least 20 weeks pregnant, want to give birth outside of a military hospital or clinic, and see a TRICARE-authorized practitioner in order to be eligible for doula services.

TRICARE's Childbirth Support Demonstration

According to authorities of the Defense Health Agency, over 14,000 individuals have taken part in the program since the demonstration started in the United States in January 2022. The five-year demonstration was approved by Congress and will continue until 2026.

TRICARE representatives will then decide if the coverage will be permanent. The program compares the health outcomes of mothers and children who receive these support services from lactation counselors, consultants, and/or doulas to those who do not.

What to Expect on the Expanded TRICARE Doula Coverage

TRICARE now covers up to six hours of visits by a licensed labor doula under the new regulations, and these visits can be divided into 15-minute blocks. The untimed visit during birth is not included. In the past, TRICARE's coverage was based on visits rather than hours, and it included up to six visits from a certified labor doula in addition to the visit during childbirth.

According to Karen Ruedisueli, director of health affairs in government relations for the 

, the doula adjustments appear to offer more flexibility in doula sessions and maybe higher compensation for certain doulas. The patient and the doula will be able to determine how best to use their visit allowance if the visits are divided up.

Before receiving any services, those interested in the demonstration and those who live abroad must register by getting in touch with their TRICARE overseas contractor. If the contractor is able to locate a TRICARE-authorized provider, International SOS will notify pregnant women within 14 days. TRICARE is unable to ensure that every eligible beneficiary will have access to a physician.

Referrals are not required for expectant moms in the United States. However, if a TRICARE Prime member sees a non-network provider, their primary care manager must refer them. If not, point-of-service fees could be incurred without the referral. To find out if they qualify, people in the United States should contact their local TRICARE contractor.

Certification Requirements and Session Flexibility

The new regulations also prohibit trained labor doulas in the United States from asking the beneficiary to pay for covered services after the deductible has been satisfied and require them to sign a participation agreement in order to participate in the demonstration.

The providers cannot ask the beneficiary to submit their own claims. The 

 is now on the list of organizations that require labor doulas to hold a current certification from an authorized certifying body.

According to the guidelines, moms must be at least 27 weeks pregnant in order to be eligible for TRICARE's breastfeeding assistance benefit and the demonstration's breastfeeding support services. TRICARE's current breastfeeding support benefit may be available to those who are not eligible for breastfeeding help under the demonstration.

Six sessions of breastfeeding support are still included in the demonstration. These sessions are already covered by TRICARE. Lactation consultants or counselors can provide this assistance to mothers in group or individual sessions.

The demonstration also permits services and sessions from experts who are not TRICARE-certified medical doctors but are qualified to offer lactation counseling or consultation. Lactation consultants are educated to offer breastfeeding counseling to promote the normal lactation of nursing parents.

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