Recruiting is up. Now the US military wants to grow the force by another 44,500 troops.

Recruits graduate from Air Force basic training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, January 8, 2026. Ismael Ortega/ US Air Force The Defense Department wants tens of thousands more troops as recruiting rebounds after years of shortfalls. Services hit recruiting goals early, and now there is a push to expand force size. That push comes as demands rise across the Pacific, the Middle East, and at home. The military wants to grow by 44,500 troops next year, according to new budget docume...