The US military spent $6 billion in the past 3 years to recruit and retain troops

The U.S. military spent more than $6 billion over the past three years to recruit and retain service members, in what's been a growing campaign to counter enlistment shortfalls. The financial incentives to reenlist in the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines increased dramatically from 2022 through last year, with the Navy vastly outspending the other services. The overall amount of recruiting bonuses also rose steadily, fueled by big jumps in spending by the Army and Marine Corps. The services routinely pour money into bonuses. But the totals spiked as Pentagon leaders tried to reverse falling enlistment numbers.