Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael R. Weimer joins senior leaders of the U.S. Army Recruiting and Retention College and the U.S. Army Recruiting Command at a Dec. 21, 2023, ceremony at Olive Theater, Fort Knox, Ky., to honor the newest members of the recruiting force. (David Camacho/U.S. Army)
Warrant and noncommissioned officers in the Army can now apply for new recruiting jobs designed to help sign up more soldiers following a second consecutive year that the service failed to meet its enlistment goal.
The jobs opened Wednesday and sergeants through master sergeants and warrant officers one through chief warrant officers three can apply to become full-time talent acquisition technicians, or 420T. The position will work to standardize operations and advise staff on recruiting, retention, operations, marketing and analytics, according to a job application announcement on Army Recruiting Command’s website.
When Army Secretary Christine Wormuth announced the new job in October, among other changes to recruiting, she said the Army is aiming for a recruiting force styled after talent-acquisition models used by private businesses. There also are plans to create a permanent recruiting force in the Army.
About two-thirds of the Army’s 8,000 recruiters are now working the job temporarily and were chosen through an administrative review.
“The competition for talented Americans is fierce, and it is fundamentally different than it was 50 or even 20 years ago,” Wormuth said at the announcement. “Understanding that reality is key to designing new practices that will make us a more attractive and compelling career choice for young Americans.”
The creation of the new job is part of several changes to address two difficult recruiting years for the Army. The service enlisted about 55,000 young Americans in fiscal 2023, which ended Sept. 30. That was about 10,000 enlistment contracts short of its 65,000-recruit goal, Wormuth told reporters in October. Despite missing its goal, she said she was pleased with her recruiters’ efforts during the fiscal year, which saw a 10,000-recruit increase from fiscal 2022.
Warrant officers in any career field can apply through Feb. 2 to be in the first training class of talent acquisition technicians and will undergo an in-person selection at Fort Knox, Ky., in March. Those with a recruiting background will be given preference.
The second training class will open to noncommissioned officers — staff sergeants to master sergeants — who are already recruiters, or 79R, and are qualified to attend warrant officer candidate school, among other requirements. Those applications are due March 4.
The third training class — open through April 1 — will lower rank acceptance to sergeants and be open to all career fields.
The Army will select up to 75 applicants for each training class. Those who make the cut should expect to attend training at multiple locations and make a permanent move within six months of selection.
