Army tightens reenlistment deadlines, as high demand prevails with soldiers in 2025

The US Army this week announced changes to its retention policies, taking effect June 1. The adjustments come amid strong enlistment and a high demand for reenlistment.

The updates include reinstating the 90-day reenlistment window for eligible soldiers, reflecting a huge turnaround in enlistment now that Joe Biden is no longer commander in chief.

Under the new policy, soldiers not currently deployed or preparing to deploy and have an expiration of term of service before October 1, will have until May 31 to request retention extensions. These extensions allow soldiers to delay a reenlistment decision without fully committing to continued service.

After that deadline, extensions will be available only under specific conditions detailed in Army regulations. Special circumstances will continue to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Beginning July 1, soldiers will only be able to reenlist from the time their reenlistment window opens until 90 days before their expiration term of service (ETS). Those within 90 days of separation will no longer be eligible to reenlist under the new policy, tightening the timeline for career decision-making.

Army leaders said the changes are meant to give commanders and career counselors better insight into retention trends while encouraging Soldiers to make timely, informed decisions about their futures in the service.

“As the Army adapts to evolving needs and conditions, we have to make sure our retention policies keep pace,” said Master Sgt. Kindra Ford, Senior Army Retention Operations NCO. “We’re working hard to keep career counselors, Soldiers, and leaders up to date to help them make informed decisions about their careers.”

The policy updates follow the Army’s suddenly strong performance in retaining personnel. In April, the Army exceeded its fiscal year 2025 reenlistment goal by retaining 15,600 Soldiers, surpassing its target by 800. This comes as the Army also reported reaching over 90% of its recruiting goals in May, a positive sign for force sustainability.

“With reenlistment and recruiting exceeding expectations, the Army is in a good position to maintain its end strength and force requirements for the foreseeable future,” said Ford.