The Army announced on Tuesday that it reached its fiscal 2025 recruiting goal for active duty soldiers four months before the end of the fiscal year.

The service had a goal of bringing on more than 61,000 new recruits during fiscal 2025 already, which it will blow past by the time the fiscal year ends. This coincides with the Army’s 250th birthday, which will be celebrated in Washington, D.C., later this month.

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“I’m incredibly proud of our U.S. Army recruiters and drill sergeants,” Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll said. “Their colossal efforts and dedication to duty helped the U.S. Army accomplish our FY25 annual recruiting goal a full four months ahead of schedule.”

The Army also met its recruiting goal of 55,000 new recruits more than a month ahead of schedule in fiscal 2024. The service recruited 50,181 or 76.6% of its target goal of 65,500 in fiscal 2023, and 44,901 or 74.8% of the target goal of 60,000 in fiscal 2022. 

“I want to thank the commander in chief, President Trump, and Secretary of Defense Hegseth for their decisive leadership and support in equipping, training, and supporting these future Soldiers as they face a world of global uncertainty and complex threats,” Driscoll added. “Putting Soldiers first is having a tangible impact and shows that young people across our country want to be part of the most lethal land fighting force the world has ever seen.”

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The Pentagon and the White House have credited President Donald Trump’s victory as a primary factor for recruiting increases. However, many of the services started rebounding from their low points prior to his election and have continued to surge since.

Military leaders across the services attributed poor recruiting numbers in recent years to various factors, including a growing percentage of eligible Americans by age to serve who failed to meet the service’s requirements; a growing unfamiliarity between civilians and the military; and the pandemic, which shut down recruiting in primary locations such as high schools.