
This story has been corrected to reflect that the Navy grew its delayed entry program pool.
The Navy and Marine Corps ended 2024 on a high note in terms of recruiting and retention.
Both services met their recruiting goals for Fiscal Year 2024, an expectation for the Marines and a somewhat surprise for the Navy, which had missed it the past two fiscal years.
Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro announced in October that the Navy had brought in 40,978 new active-duty enlisted recruits. The Navy previously told reporters in August that they would make the numbers, a rare move for the service, which usually waits until the fiscal year ends to release any recruiting news.
However, to meet its recruiting numbers in previous years the Navy did have to tap into its delayed entry program – the pool of people who the service recruits but does not immediately send to boot camp – a move that many of the other branches have also done. The Navy went into Fiscal Year 2025 with a buffer thanks to rebuilding that pool.
The Navy finished FY 2025 with just over 10,000 people in the active duty delayed entry program pool, an increase of 5,154.
The Navy hasn’t detailed how it was able to meet its recruiting numbers after two years of failing to do so. However, the Navy did spend more time resourcing the recruiting stations and reducing barriers to entry.
Rear Adm. Jeffrey Czerewko, commander of Naval Education and Training Command, and Rear Adm. Jim Waters, commander of Navy Recruiting Command, told reporters in August that filling recruiter billets and opening a recruiting operation center helped the Navy access more people than in previous years. Programs like the future sailor preparatory course and allowing those with lower entrance exam scores in also helped.
But one of the areas Waters particularly focused on was finding barriers in the process, such as a backlog in the medical waiver process, he said in August.
The Navy also met its retention goals for the fiscal year, USNI News previously reported.

The Marines just met their recruiting goals, with the service recruiting exactly the number of people to meet their active-duty goal and exceeding the number for the reserve by one.
However, the Marines were able to grow their delayed entry program pool, something the service previously depleted.
The Marines do not have a preparatory course like the Navy or Army, but they do use the delayed entry program to ensure the success of recruits, Maj. Gen. William Bowers, commanding general for Marine Corps Recruiting Command, told reporters in October.
Like other branches, the Marines depleted their pool in order to make recruiting goals.
However, unlike other branches, the Marines have shifted their approach to personnel. While there is still a focus on recruiting, something likely to be expanded as the Marines almost missed their goals, the service has been building up its retention program, switching from the mindset of recruit and release to recruit and develop.
Approximately one in three Marines are reenlisting after their first contract ends, USNI News previously reported.
This is an increase over the typical 25 percent reenlistment that had been the Marines’ standard.
Under Talent Management 2030, the Marines have looked at ways to give Marines more autonomy over their careers, including finding ways to make it easier on families, Marine officials told reporters in December.
These efforts have led to increases in retention, USNI News previously reported.