Potential Army recruits don’t seem to smell what “The Rock” is cooking. A recent initiative between the US Army and Dwayne Johnson’s UFL failed in both new recruits delivered, and may have potentially convinced those who were interested in joining from doing the exact opposite.
The $11 million program seems to have failed in all of its goals.
The high-profile marketing deal between the Army and the UFL, a minor league football organization which had a better season viewer-wise after combining the XFL with the USFL, likely failed to attract any new recruits and may have even negatively impacted recruitment, potentially losing 38 enlistments, according to a report from Military.com.
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The partnership, which involved social media posts and prominent Army branding during games, did not meet expectations as only two of the five promised social media posts were made. Now the Army is seeking to recoup $6 million from the UFL, although the basis for this amount remains unclear.
“We are in the process of working with the UFL to determine the final cost,” said Laura DeFrancisco, a representative from the marketing team for the Army.
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The Army is facing a significant recruitment challenge, primarily due to a drastic decline in male enlistments over the past decade. According to internal service data reviewed by Military.com, male enlistments have dropped by 35% from 58,000 in 2013 to 37,700 in 2023, while female recruitment has remained steady at around 10,000 recruits annually.
This decline has led to the Army consistently missing its recruitment goals, including falling short by 10,000 soldiers last year and 15,000 in 2022, prompting a reduction in this year’s target to 55,000 new recruits. This shortfall has resulted in the overworking of current forces, a problem acknowledged by senior Army leadership.
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