National Security Snapshot: DOD Active-Duty Recruitment and Retention Challenges

According to the Department of Defense, only a quarter of Americans between the ages of 17 and 24 can meet military service requirements, such as those for education and physical fitness. So how can DOD maintain the number of active-duty service members it needs for national security?

This Snapshot looks at our prior work on military recruitment and retention. We've recommended ways to help DOD get and keep the qualified people it needs, including:

• Tracking data on personnel in key roles like cybersecurity
• Updating military tattoo policies to clarify waiver eligibility
• Monitoring whether pay and non-pay incentive programs are effective