Military Recruiting: Actions Needed to Address Digital Marketing Challenges
Fast Facts
The military services use digital marketing on social media platforms—such as Facebook, X, and Instagram, among others—to inform young people about career paths and military life.
But favorable views of the military are declining among Gen Z. And in FY 2023, several military services missed their recruiting goals by thousands.
The services need to better manage risks to their brands, assess whether marketing efforts are effective, and make good use of marketing funds. For example, the Air Force needs a formal process to address any marketing issues affecting young peoples' perceptions of its brand.
Our recommendations address these issues.
Example of a U.S. Army advertisement
Highlights
What GAO Found
The military services use multiple digital platforms—Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and YouTube, among others—to inform young people and their mentors about career paths and life in the military.
Examples of Digital Marketing Efforts among the Military Services
In reviewing their digital marketing efforts, GAO found the following challenges:
- Risk management. While the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps have established strategies for responding to marketing crises or public comments in a standardized way, the Air Force (which includes the Space Force) manages risk on a case-by-case basis. Without a formal process for managing risks, the Air Force may not be positioned to address challenges that arise affecting young people's perceptions of its brand.
- Strategic goals. All services have evaluation frameworks that identify their target audience overall as Generation Z—a demographic born in 1997 through 2012. However, some of the strategic goals identified in the Navy's, Marine Corps', and Air Force's marketing plans—such as building a connection to the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics field—do not have specific targets or performance measures for these goals. Without identifying how such progress will be measured, such as defining the aim of each goal, time frames for completion, and responsible persons, it will be difficult for these services to assess their progress and to ensure that stakeholders understand intended outcomes.
- Funding. The military services face various challenges related to the timing of funding for their marketing efforts. Without assessing whether to establish and document internal processes to improve the predictability and consistency of marketing fund availability, the military services are missing out on potential benefits that would further enhance their ability to conduct marketing in support of their recruiting mission.
Why GAO Did This Study
Today's military services are using digital marketing, among other efforts, to reach Generation Z—known for its use of digital media and whose views about the military have been steadily declining. In fiscal year 2023, several of the military services missed their recruiting goals by tens of thousands.
The James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 includes a provision for GAO to evaluate DOD's use of social media and other technology platforms for marketing and recruiting purposes.
This report describes (1) how the military services have used digital marketing efforts to recruit young people; and evaluates the extent to which the military services have (2) developed policies to direct their digital marketing activities and to manage risks; (3) evaluated the performance of their digital marketing activities; and (4) experienced and addressed any challenges associated with funding their marketing efforts.
GAO reviewed DOD and military service studies, guidance, and plans; interviewed agency officials; and assessed military services' efforts against commercial best practices for assessing advertising effectiveness.
Recommendations
GAO is making eight recommendations, including that DOD develop a risk management process, and address funding challenges. DOD concurred with seven and partially concurred with one on Army processes to improve marketing funding consistency. GAO continues to believe all recommendations are valid, as discussed in the report.
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of the Air Force | The Secretary of the Air Force should ensure that the Commander of the Air Force Recruiting Service defines a formal process for risk management to identify, analyze, and respond to risks related to Air Force and Space Force marketing efforts, including digital marketing. (Recommendation 1) |
DOD concurred with this recommendation. As of September 2025, officials reported that the Air Force started transitioning to a new marketing contractor in April 2025. The decision was based in part on feedback from the Future of Accessions Marketing Operational Planning Team which found that the Air Force had little oversight and control. The Air Force plans to develop a new strategy and organizational design, as well as monitor and intercept real-time trends and signals, deliver situational and risk analysis reports to leadership, and develop escalation protocols. The Air Force estimates that it will complete this process in November 2027.
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| Department of the Navy | The Secretary of the Navy should ensure that the Commander of the Navy Recruiting Command clearly identifies in future iterations of the Navy's marketing plan(s) how progress toward achieving strategic goals will be measured. (Recommendation 2) |
DOD concurred with this recommendation. As of February 2025, the Navy Recruiting Command plans to revise the Commander's Guidance-used to create the Annual Marketing Plan-to reflect language that clearly depicts and identifies how strategic goals will be measured for that fiscal year. The command has also added brand analysis tools to track the effects of marketing and advertising toward achieving its strategic goals. The command plans to complete these efforts by July 2025. We believe that revised guidance and an annual marketing plan that outlines how progress toward achieving strategic goals will be measured could meet the intent of the recommendation.
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| Department of the Navy | The Secretary of the Navy should ensure that the Commander of the Marine Corps Recruiting Command clearly identifies in future iterations of the Marine Corps' marketing plan how progress toward achieving strategic goals will be measured. (Recommendation 3) |
DOD concurred with this recommendation. As of February 2025, the Marine Corps Recruiting Command plans to include measurable objectives by program in annual task orders that align to overall strategic recruitment goals. The command expects to complete this effort by December 2025. We believe that an annual task order that outlines how progress toward achieving strategic goals will be measured could meet the intent of the recommendation.
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| Department of the Air Force | The Secretary of the Air Force should ensure that the Commander of the Air Force Recruiting Service clearly identifies in future iterations of the Air Force's and Space Force's marketing plans how progress toward achieving strategic goals will be measured. (Recommendation 4) |
DOD concurred with this recommendation. As of September 2025, officials reported that based on the results of the Future of Accessions Marketing Operational Planning Team, the Air Force has started a strategic shift and complete overhaul of its marketing function. This new strategy will require a transition from a contract-focused model to an in-house approach. According to the Air Force, implementation of this new strategy aims to enhance efficiency, reduce reliance on contracted support, and align efforts across the Department of the Air Force. The Air Force estimate that it will have fully transitioned by November 2027.
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| Department of the Navy | The Secretary of the Navy should ensure that the Commander of the Marine Corps Recruiting Command documents internal processes to ensure that marketing funds continue to be consistent and available. (Recommendation 5) |
DOD concurred with this recommendation. As of December 2025, the Marine Corps created a "Budget to Report, Budgetary Resource Management, Perform Funds Receipt & Distribution Business Process Narrative 2025" that documents its processes for funds receipt and distribution via the regular appropriation, supplemental, and continuing resolution processes. For example, the document outlines the budget formulation process in detail, including the development of its biennial Program Objective Memorandum which translates requirements into a comprehensive six-year Defense Program. This document outlines the Marine Corps' internal processes to ensure that marketing funds continue to be consistent and available. This meets the intent of the recommendation.
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| Department of the Army | The Secretary of the Army should ensure that the Chief of the Army Enterprise Marketing Office assesses whether the Army should adopt and document internal processes to improve predictability and consistency of marketing funds. (Recommendation 6) |
DOD partially concurred with this recommendation. As of February 2025, the Army plans develop a memorandum that will document its current funding process, identify accompanying challenges, and make recommendations to mitigate risks in its process. Following this assessment, the Army plans to provide the memorandum to the Secretary of the Army for review and final decision regarding a course of action. The Army estimates completing this effort by February 2026. We believe that an assessment of current internal processes could better position the Army to make the best use of its marketing funds and meet the intent of the recommendation. We will continue to monitor these efforts and, as of June 2025, this recommendation will remain open at this time.
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| Department of the Navy | The Secretary of the Navy should ensure that the Commander of the Navy Recruiting Command assesses whether the Navy should adopt and document internal processes to improve predictability and consistency of marketing funds. (Recommendation 7) |
DOD concurred with this recommendation. As of February 2025, the Navy Recruiting Command plans to assess and document its internal processes to improve the predictability and consistency of receiving available funds to support navy recruiting marketing budget. Additionally, Navy Recruiting Command requested and were approved for additional funds in fiscal year 2025 and 2026. The Navy plans to complete its assessment by the end of calendar year 2025. We believe that assessing and documenting Navy processes to improve the predictability and consistency of receiving available funds, once implemented, could meet the intent of the recommendation.
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| Department of the Air Force | The Secretary of the Air Force should ensure that the Commander of the Air Force Recruiting Service assesses whether the Air Force and Space Force should adopt and document internal processes to improve predictability and consistency of marketing funds. (Recommendation 8) |
DOD concurred with this recommendation. As of September 2025, officials report that the Air Force reassigned the marketing mission to the Air Force Accession Center and started a complete overhaul of marketing strategy and execution. The Air Force's cost analysis identified potential cost-saving opportunities based on this transition. The Air Force plans to complete its restructuring and reach full operational capability by November 2027.
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