July 1, 2025 • 4 mins
The Army is seeing major recruiting momentum in 2025. Third Generation US Navy Combat Veteran and host of the Veteran's Impact Show Jim Blythe joins us to discuss why we are seeing this surge.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is West Michigan's Morning Here Steve Kelly and Brett mckida.
You know the Army has met its fiscal year twenty
twenty five recruiting goals four months early.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
This is West Michigan's Morning News and on the liveline
with us third generation US Navy combat veteran, Jim blythe
Thank you so much for your service and your example
to those young men and women who are thinking to serve.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Jim, Oh, well, thank you very very much. Man. I
had a great time. I was in Vietnam on aircraft carriers.
I was in an A four squadron and John McCain
was one of my pilots, no kidding.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
He's also the host of the Veterans Impact Show. Talk
to us a little bit about those circumstances that have
led to a great year so far for the Army
and what about the other services.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Well, okay, so let's talk about Army first. There are
several factors, Steve, one of which is they started a
program called the Future Soldier, which is a remedial education
program and physical fitness, because we've got a problem in
this nation that only about twenty three percent the available
(01:10):
pool of young men and women can physically, mentally, legally
actually qualify to go into military only twenty three percent,
and a lot of that has to do with education
and physical fitness. So they started this program called Future Soldier.
(01:31):
Now the Navy has picked up the same program, so
they're helping a lot of young men and women with
a hand up, not a handout. In other words, we
didn't lower the standards. We raised the kid's ability, and
I think that's a huge thing. One of the other
things is many of your military or legacy what we
(01:51):
call legacy, family business. Mom and dad served, Grandpa is served.
And now we're seeing reds. I think in patriotism, I
think we're seeing a resurgence and people feeling good about
it with our change in government. And I got to
tell you that's having a huge impact. And boy, listen,
(02:14):
after what happened in Iran recently, I think we're going
to see even more. I wore my Navy baseball cap
into the gym the other morning. I got so many
high fives and smiles from people right after that happened.
So I think we're seeing a resurgence nationally in patriotism.
I think we're seeing a resurgence and confidence of the government.
(02:37):
So the other things that are factors in this is
that one of the things that a very good friend
of mine, adamal Woody Beale, now retired US Navy, was
head of recruiting Vice Commander of Recruiting, and he made
a point to the Navy that you're going to the
wrong things to get to the younger generation. They don't
(03:00):
watch cable news, they are watching Internet, and they're watching
social media. So the military across the board, I think
started changing how they reach out in media to the
younger generation and that has helped a lot all of
these factors coming into play. Now. There are also signing
(03:23):
bonuses that are just amazing. You know, you can get
up to for the Navy, for instance, one hundred and
forty thousand dollars in a signing bonus, as well as
loan forgiveness. Army. You need to go to basically signing
bonuses and you'll see for the Army, the Navy, the
(03:44):
Air Force, the Coast Guard, they've got fantastic programs that
young men and women can sign up and get signing bonuses.
And I think what we're seeing also is a lot
of these kids are disillusioned with the com today and
I know, I know, I got to tell you the truth, Steve.
(04:04):
When I went into college out of high school, I
wasn't ready. And what they're finding is that going into
the military is giving them a chance to grow up,
learn leadership, learn all kinds of skills, and those things
are turning into great job opportunities. So it's just an
overall thing that is helping you.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
All allow hear more about what a lount of time. Unfortunately, Jim,
you'll hear more about it at the Veterans' Impact Show
third Generation US Navy combat veteran Jim blythe thanks for
your time
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Today, Hey, thank you, have a blessed day, and to
you the same
This is West Michigan's Morning Here Steve Kelly and Brett mckida.
You know the Army has met its fiscal year twenty
twenty five recruiting goals four months early.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
This is West Michigan's Morning News and on the liveline
with us third generation US Navy combat veteran, Jim blythe
Thank you so much for your service and your example
to those young men and women who are thinking to serve.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Jim, Oh, well, thank you very very much. Man. I
had a great time. I was in Vietnam on aircraft carriers.
I was in an A four squadron and John McCain
was one of my pilots, no kidding.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
He's also the host of the Veterans Impact Show. Talk
to us a little bit about those circumstances that have
led to a great year so far for the Army
and what about the other services.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Well, okay, so let's talk about Army first. There are
several factors, Steve, one of which is they started a
program called the Future Soldier, which is a remedial education
program and physical fitness, because we've got a problem in
this nation that only about twenty three percent the available
(01:10):
pool of young men and women can physically, mentally, legally
actually qualify to go into military only twenty three percent,
and a lot of that has to do with education
and physical fitness. So they started this program called Future Soldier.
(01:31):
Now the Navy has picked up the same program, so
they're helping a lot of young men and women with
a hand up, not a handout. In other words, we
didn't lower the standards. We raised the kid's ability, and
I think that's a huge thing. One of the other
things is many of your military or legacy what we
(01:51):
call legacy, family business. Mom and dad served, Grandpa is served.
And now we're seeing reds. I think in patriotism, I
think we're seeing a resurgence and people feeling good about
it with our change in government. And I got to
tell you that's having a huge impact. And boy, listen,
(02:14):
after what happened in Iran recently, I think we're going
to see even more. I wore my Navy baseball cap
into the gym the other morning. I got so many
high fives and smiles from people right after that happened.
So I think we're seeing a resurgence nationally in patriotism.
I think we're seeing a resurgence and confidence of the government.
(02:37):
So the other things that are factors in this is
that one of the things that a very good friend
of mine, adamal Woody Beale, now retired US Navy, was
head of recruiting Vice Commander of Recruiting, and he made
a point to the Navy that you're going to the
wrong things to get to the younger generation. They don't
(03:00):
watch cable news, they are watching Internet, and they're watching
social media. So the military across the board, I think
started changing how they reach out in media to the
younger generation and that has helped a lot all of
these factors coming into play. Now. There are also signing
(03:23):
bonuses that are just amazing. You know, you can get
up to for the Navy, for instance, one hundred and
forty thousand dollars in a signing bonus, as well as
loan forgiveness. Army. You need to go to basically signing
bonuses and you'll see for the Army, the Navy, the
(03:44):
Air Force, the Coast Guard, they've got fantastic programs that
young men and women can sign up and get signing bonuses.
And I think what we're seeing also is a lot
of these kids are disillusioned with the com today and
I know, I know, I got to tell you the truth, Steve.
(04:04):
When I went into college out of high school, I
wasn't ready. And what they're finding is that going into
the military is giving them a chance to grow up,
learn leadership, learn all kinds of skills, and those things
are turning into great job opportunities. So it's just an
overall thing that is helping you.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
All allow hear more about what a lount of time. Unfortunately, Jim,
you'll hear more about it at the Veterans' Impact Show
third Generation US Navy combat veteran Jim blythe thanks for
your time
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Today, Hey, thank you, have a blessed day, and to
you the same
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