{"id":2332698,"date":"2024-08-28T15:13:56","date_gmt":"2024-08-28T19:13:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/navy-to-fall-thousands-of-sailors-short-on-its-boot-camp-goal-for-the-year\/"},"modified":"2024-08-28T15:21:41","modified_gmt":"2024-08-28T19:21:41","slug":"navy-to-fall-thousands-of-sailors-short-on-its-boot-camp-goal-for-the-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/navy-to-fall-thousands-of-sailors-short-on-its-boot-camp-goal-for-the-year\/","title":{"rendered":"Navy to Fall Thousands of Sailors Short on its Boot Camp Goal for the Year"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">30<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fnavy-to-fall-thousands-of-sailors-short-on-its-boot-camp-goal-for-the-year%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2332698&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The U.S. Navy is projected to meet\u200c its goal of signing up 40,600 recruits by the end of September, aided by various new recruiting \u200cinitiatives. However, it will fall\u2062 short of its\u200c target to process all new recruits through\u2064 boot \u200bcamp by \u2062the end of the fiscal year, \u200bleaving approximately 5,000 recruits\u2064 unable to attend the 10-week \u200btraining \u200dat Great Lakes, Illinois. Currently, the Navy faces a shortfall of \u2064around 22,000 sailors for ship assignments, primarily at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pentagon-tells-struggling-army-soldiers-families-to-apply-for-food-stamps\/\" title=\"Pentagon Tells Struggling Army Soldiers, Families To Apply For Food Stamps\">lower ranks<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Navy Vice Adm. Rick Cheeseman\u200c noted that although they\u200d have not\u200c met total recruiting\u2062 goals for the past \u2064two years, recent efforts are\u200c <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fact-check-did-the-us-military-receive-covid-19-nasal-swab-tests-tainted-with-a-deadly-bacteria\/\" title=\"FACT CHECK: Did The US Military Receive COVID-19 Nasal Swab Tests Tainted With A Deadly Bacteria?\">showing positive results<\/a>. The Navy has notably expanded its recruitment pool, allowing applicants with \u2062lower Armed Services Qualification Test\u200b (ASVAB) scores and \u2062those\u2064 without\u2063 high school diplomas, leading\u200c to a higher acceptance of so-called\u2064 &#8220;category 4&#8221; recruits.<\/p>\n<p>The\u2062 Navy\u2062 introduced a Future\u200d Sailor Preparatory Course \u2063in April 2023 to assist recruits\u200b struggling with\u200d academics or fitness, which \u2063has \u200dbeen effective. Cheeseman expressed \u200doptimism that these changes, along with\u200b increased \u2063staffing at \u200bboot camps, will help\u200b the\u200b Navy meet\u2064 its recruitment\u200d challenges\u200b moving\u200b forward. He believes they will sustain necessary numbers \u2063for the upcoming year, indicating \u200ba rebound in Navy recruitment efforts.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<section> <script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>The Navy will meet its goal to sign up 40,600 recruits by the end of September thanks to several new recruiting programs, but the crush of last-minute enlistments means it won&rsquo;t be able to get them all through boot camp by next month.<\/p>\n<p>Navy Vice Adm. Rick Cheeseman said the service will fall about 5,000 sailors short of its target to get all of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/us-military-lowering-standards-recruiting-crisis-continues\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">recruits<\/a> into the 10-week training course at Great Lakes, Illinois, by the end of the fiscal year. While they have signed initial contracts, many are months away from getting into boot camp or into the fleet.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/great-reset-plan-decimate-us-navy-strip-crews-ships-active-surface-fleet\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Navy<\/a> hasn&rsquo;t been able to hit its total recruiting goal now for two years in a row. And those gaps are hurting its ability to fully staff its warships. The Navy is short about 22,000 sailors to fill billets on ships, and the vast majority of those &mdash; about 20,000 &mdash; are in the lowest ranks.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We have not gotten to the point where we can&rsquo;t do things &mdash; I want to make sure that&rsquo;s clear,&rdquo; Cheeseman said in an interview with The Associated Press. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re all working together to make sure our ships are ready to do the things we ask them to do.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>All of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/china-buying-land-near-strategic-us-military-bases-19-american-locations-potentially-compromised\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">military<\/a> services have struggled in the past several years to attract recruits in a tight job market. It is also difficult to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/doctors-making-disturbing-finds-they-cant-figure-out-why-young-people-are-getting-horrible-cancers-so-quickly\/\" title=\"Doctors find young people getting cancer quickly, but don&#039;t know why.\">find young people<\/a> who can meet the military&rsquo;s physical, mental and moral standards, which have strict limits on drug use and criminal convictions.<\/p>\n<p>  <script> \t\t\t\tif( ! getCookie( 'ff_subbed' ) ) if( typeof FFADS.replace_ict !='undefined' ) if( FFADS.replace_ict ) eval( FFADS.replace_ict ); \t\t\t<\/script> <\/p>\n<p>Last year, for example, the <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/marine-recruiting-enlistment-goals-fitness-standards-b3293430025ffad521fa32379a29be74\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Navy, Army and Air Force all failed to meet their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/army-reducing-its-numbers-in-face-of-recruiting-difficulties\/\" title=\"Army Reducing Its Numbers in Face of Recruiting Difficulties\">recruitment goals<\/a>,<\/a> with the Navy falling short by about 6,000. The Marine Corps and tiny Space Force have consistently met their targets. This fall, all but the Navy are on track to make their numbers and have largely rebounded without some of the more dramatic steps the Navy has taken, including accepting recruits with very low test scores.<\/p>\n<p>The latest surge in Navy recruiting has given Cheeseman and other leaders optimism that the changes made to bring in more sailors are beginning to work. And he predicts full success next year.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We have rebounded so significantly over the last four to five months, so that I really have phasing problems,&rdquo; Cheeseman said. &ldquo;Because we were short October through February, we&rsquo;re trying to push all these people through at the end.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>As a result, he said, boot camp is operating at capacity, and he&rsquo;ll only be able to get about 35,500 through by the end of September.<\/p>\n<p>One of the key recruiting changes was the Navy&rsquo;s decision in December 2022 to greatly expand its pool of applicants by wooing young adults with very low test scores and bringing in recruits who don&rsquo;t have high school diplomas or a GED &mdash; both rare steps that the other services greatly limit or avoid.<\/p>\n<p>Cheeseman said that roughly 17 percent of its recruits this year are so-called category 4 &mdash; the lowest end of the test scale. That percentage is much higher than the military norm.<\/p>\n<p>For the most part, the services limit the number of category 4 recruits to no more than 4 percent of their enlistment totals or refuse to let them in at all. The Navy, however, has argued that it needs those lower-scoring recruits to fill a large number of jobs that involve intense manual labor.<\/p>\n<p>Recruits who score 30 or below on the Armed Services Qualification Test are category 4, and Cheeseman said the Navy had been taking young men and women who scored between 10 and 30 out of a possible 99. Recently, however, he said they stopped letting in those who score between 10 and 20, &ldquo;because I just don&rsquo;t need them anymore.&rdquo; But the Navy continues to take those who score between 20 and 30.<\/p>\n<p>Taking lower-performing recruits has traditionally raised concerns about potential discipline problems or other issues down the road.<\/p>\n<p>Navy recruiters found some success attracting people without high school diplomas or their equivalent, as long as they scored above 50. That change, made early this year, has brought in about 400 recruits. Many of them, said Cheeseman, score pretty well on the aptitude test, with an average of about 63.<\/p>\n<p>The other major change was the launch of a new Future Sailor Preparatory Course, modeled after one set up two years ago by the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/us-army-cutting-force-thousands-recruitment-failures-leaving-biden-bad-spot\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Army<\/a>, which has had significant success. The Navy began its program in April 2023, and so far about 2,900 sailors have gone to the academic course and at least 1,850 have completed it. About 300 have gone through the physical fitness course.<\/p>\n<p>The prep course is for recruits who don&rsquo;t do well academically or on the physical test, and it provides three weeks of instruction that can then be extended up to 90 days.<\/p>\n<p>Cheeseman is optimistic as he looks ahead, saying the Navy has increased its staffing at boot camp, so that it will be able to handle the full mission over the next year.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Our recruiters are killing it. They&rsquo;re doing great. They&rsquo;re crushing the mission,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re trending in the right direction. I&rsquo;ll be able to sustain the numbers we need starting Oct. 1 to make 40,600 next year. No problem. We&rsquo;re ready to go.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-style: italic;\">The Western Journal has not reviewed this Associated Press story prior to publication. Therefore, it may contain editorial bias or may in some other way not meet our normal editorial standards. It is provided to our readers as a service from The Western Journal.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\">  <\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> <label>* Name<\/label> <br \/> <input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> <\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> <label>* <\/label> <br \/> <input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> <\/div>\n<p> <label>* Message<\/label> <br \/> <textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea>  <\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> <input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\">  <\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey==typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts={ \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs=[ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i=0; i <inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! ( opts[inputs[i]]=document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"' + inputs[i] + '\"]' ).value ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .required-message' ).style.display='block'; \t\t\t\t\t\treturn; \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction input[type=\"submit\"]' ).style.display='none'; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).src=firefly_loading_gif_url; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display='inline-block';  \t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( 'ma subbing' );  \t\t\t\t\tif( firefly_post_id ) opts['post_id']=firefly_post_id;  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Send the data using post with element id name and name2*\/ \t\t\t\t\tvar posting=jQuery.post( firefly_ajax_url, opts );  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Alerts the results *\/ \t\t\t\t\tposting.done( function( response ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tif( response.success ) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( response.data ); \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display='none'; \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-confirm' ).style.display='block';  \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdataLayer.push( { 'event': 'submit-correction' } ); \t\t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script>  <\/div>\n<p>   <script>console.log(\"ad slot (BA1)\")<\/script> <\/p>\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\">  <\/div>\n<style> \t\t\t \t\t\t.insticator-unit.type-commenting{margin: 0 10px 25px 10px}@media screen and (max-width:1060px){#div-insticator-ad-cmt-1, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-2, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-3, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-4{margin: 0 auto 25px auto !important;}}#div-insticator-ad-cmt-1, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-2, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-3, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-4{height: 280px !important; width: 336px !important} \t\t<\/style>\n<div class=\"insticator-unit type-commenting\">\n<div class=\"insticator-ads\">   <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\"> \t\t\t\t\tif ( ! getCookie( \"ff_subbed\" ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tInsticator.ad.loadAd(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-1\"); \t\t\t\t\t\tInsticator.ad.loadAd(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-2\"); \t\t\t\t\t} else { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-1\").remove() \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-2\").remove() \t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t<\/script> <\/div>\n<div class=\"insticator-ads additional\">   <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\"> \t\t\t\t\tif ( ! getCookie( \"ff_subbed\" ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tInsticator.ad.loadAd(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-3\"); \t\t\t\t\t\tInsticator.ad.loadAd(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-4\"); \t\t\t\t\t} else { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-3\").remove() \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-4\").remove() \t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t<\/script> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Navy is on track to achieve its target of enlisting 40,600 recruits by the end of September, aided by various new recruitment initiatives. However, the influx of last-minute enlistments will prevent all recruits from completing boot camp in time. According to Navy Vice Adm. Rick Cheeseman, they will be approximately 5,000 sailors short of their goal to have all recruits enter the 10-week training program at Great Lakes, Illinois, by the fiscal year&#8217;s end. Although initial contracts have been signed, many recruits are still months away from starting boot camp or joining the fleet.<\/p>\n<p>For two consecutive years now, the Navy has struggled to meet its overall recruitment goals, which has impacted its ability to fully staff warships. Currently, there is a shortage of about 22,000 sailors needed for ship positions; most of these vacancies\u2014around 20,000\u2014are at lower ranks. Cheeseman emphasized that while challenges exist in recruitment and staffing levels are not ideal yet operations continue smoothly.<\/p>\n<p>All branches of the military have faced difficulties attracting new recruits amid a competitive job market and stringent physical and moral standards that limit eligibility due to drug use or criminal records. Last year saw failures across multiple services in meeting their recruitment targets; notably, the Navy fell short by around 6,000 personnel while other branches like the Marine Corps consistently met theirs.<\/p>\n<p>This fall season appears more promising for all services except for the Navy as they work towards meeting their numbers without resorting to drastic measures like accepting candidates with very low test scores\u2014a strategy recently adopted by them.<\/p>\n<p>Cheeseman expressed optimism regarding recent improvements in recruiting efforts over recent months and anticipates achieving full success next year. He noted that boot camp is currently operating at full capacity but expects around 35,500 recruits will complete training by September&#8217;s end due to an influx during previous months.<\/p>\n<p>One significant change was made in December 2022 when the Navy broadened its applicant pool significantly by allowing individuals with low test scores and those without high school diplomas or GEDs\u2014steps other military branches typically avoid or restrict heavily. Approximately 17% of this year&#8217;s recruits fall into category four (the lowest scoring group), which exceeds standard military limits where such candidates usually comprise no more than four percent.<\/p>\n<p>Despite concerns about discipline issues associated with lower-performing recruits historically raised within military circles\u2014the Navy argues it needs these individuals for labor-intensive roles\u2014and has adjusted criteria accordingly over time based on performance metrics observed among applicants who score above certain thresholds on aptitude tests.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally introduced was a Future Sailor Preparatory Course aimed at helping academically challenged or physically unfit candidates prepare better before entering service; this initiative has already seen participation from nearly three thousand potential sailors since launching earlier this year\u2014with many successfully completing required components thus far according Cheeseman\u2019s report indicating positive trends moving forward as staffing increases further bolster capabilities ahead into next fiscal periods ensuring readiness remains intact throughout operations planned ahead!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2332699,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/2c22b26b52ea4e3e8c5ff258810c0616-scaled.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[39566,6758,14756],"class_list":["post-2332698","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-boot-camp","tag-navy","tag-recruitment"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/2c22b26b52ea4e3e8c5ff258810c0616-scaled.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2332698","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2332698"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2332698\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2332699"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2332698"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2332698"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2332698"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}