In a recent publication, the Army announced its plans to bring retired soldiers back into service to fill critical manpower shortages. The service-wide directive, known as the All Army Activities document, outlines how retired soldiers can apply for open positions and aims to maintain a sufficient number of personnel to fill all of the Army’s authorized positions. This decision comes as the Army publicly acknowledges its struggles to balance a shrinking workforce with the demands of its global mission sets.
According to the message, any Army, Reserve, or National Guard soldier who is retired or soon to be retired, with at least 20 years of service, is eligible to apply for the program. Age or disability alone will not exclude a soldier from joining, but individuals must still meet the Army’s health requirements. The document also states that there is no age limitation, though typically, personnel older than 70 are not recalled.
The Army is facing significant manpower shortages, particularly at the lower enlistment grades, due to the ongoing recruiting crisis. However, retired Lt. Col. Thomas Spoehr, senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, believes that the Army’s decision to bring back retirees may not necessarily indicate a problem, as retirees are generally older and may not be suited for active-duty roles.
I don’t fully understand this memo but hey, what the hell, any Old #M1Abrams Tanker want to ride again😏? You remember that no matter what it’s still the #BestJobIEverHad 🤙🏼 https://t.co/gxNCkrKMa6
— Michael Liscano Jr. (@jr_liscano) March 21, 2024
Despite this, the Army recently concluded a yearlong review of its force structure and found that the number and specialization of positions in the force do not align with the changing security environment. In late February, the Army released a reorganization plan that would cut down on the number of open positions by the thousands. This restructuring would also include cutting 24,000 roles that have been left vacant.
According to officials, these cuts are necessary to ensure that the Army is only assigning and deploying the soldiers they have available, reducing strain on the force and allowing for more realistic planning. The current force structure assumes an active-duty end strength of 494,000, but Congress has set the end strength cap at 445,000 in the fiscal year 2024 defense policy bill. This cap is a historically low number and has added to the Army’s ongoing struggles with recruiting and retention.
It is unclear at this time if the Army has identified any specific manning shortages that retirees could fill or if the decision to bring back retirees is a preemptive measure. The Army did not respond to requests for comment. The Army’s message does state that retired soldiers who participate in the program essentially allow the Army to send them orders to return to active duty if a critical role opens that cannot be filled by anyone else.
Some military professionals online have expressed confusion and even irony regarding the voluntary nature of the program and its implications for the Army’s overall manning issues. The program does not offer any special pay or incentives for those who participate.
Whether the Army’s decision to bring back retired soldiers is a temporary solution to address current manning shortages or a long-term plan to reshape their force structure remains to be seen. However, it is clear that the Army is facing significant challenges in recruiting and retaining enough personnel to meet their authorized positions. The use of retirees may provide some relief in the short term, but it is ultimately a band-aid solution to a larger problem that will require a comprehensive and sustainable solution.
