Shifting trends sees National Guard meet first recruitment goal in 7 years

WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAW) - Between the pandemic, stricter requirements and low unemployment, the Wisconsin Army National Guard has been struggling to hit its recruiting target. Now, that could be changing.

For the first time in seven years, the organization met its goal in 2024.

In 2023, the goal was 960, and the Guard reached 574. In 2022, the goal was 950, and the Guard reached 577.

It can be particularly hard to recruit in northcentral Wisconsin because of how rural some areas are. Recruiters often have to drive 90 minutes or more for an event or an appointment with a single applicant. They’re staying hopeful, though, especially after last year.

“You can do it. It’s a lot easier than you think it is,” Private First Class Caleb Egle said.

Those are the words he would go back and tell himself one year ago if he could. That’s when he became one of 739 soldiers to join the Wisconsin Army National Guard in 2024, three people more than the organization’s goal.

“There were people who said I couldn’t do it and I had a lot of good support from my family and my friends,” Caleb said. “I know that they’re proud of me now.”

Including his recruiter and brother, Staff Sergeant Jordan Egle.

“It inspired me seeing how far he’s come from before joining the Army,” Caleb shared. “Just knowing that if he can do it, I can do it too.”

“When I was a little kid, anytime I saw someone in uniform I thought of them as a superhero, a larger than life figure that wasn’t a real person,” Jordan said. “Now that I’m in the military and have family in the military now, it really is one of my main goals as well to show that side of it to people that are thinking about joining.”

Jordan is only 26. He’s part of the Guard’s movement of hiring younger recruiters who understand young recruits. It’s also meeting young people where they’re at—online.

“With this younger generation that we’ve been trying to reach out to, using social media, using all these different electronic avenues that recruiters in the past have never really been comfortable with,” Jordan explained.

The Guard is also getting back into schools since the pandemic.

“We couldn’t get into high schools. So as years have gone on and that situation has cooled off a bit, we’ve really been able to interact on a more personal level,” Jordan said.

Including by telling stories like Caleb’s and letting him share what he’s learned so far in the Guard.

“Everything’s going to be hard, but it’s worth it in the end,” Caleb said.

The goal for this year is 865 recruits, and they are already more than halfway there with 481 people enlisted.

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