COAST GUARD SURGES PAST 2025 RECRUITMENT GOAL, PREPARES NEW TRAINING FACILITY

The U.S. Coast Guard surpassed its 2025 recruiting goal and is now seeking a second national training facility to support its rapid growth. Officials announced this on November 7th, stating that the increase reflects growing interest in military service and a broader Coast Guard mission across the country’s waterways.

In 2025, the Coast Guard recruited 5,204 active-duty enlisted members, beating its 4,300 goal by 121 percent. It commissioned 371 officers, hitting 101 percent of the target, and added 777 reservists, reaching 104 percent of the target. Three days later, the Coast Guard and Department of Homeland Security requested site proposals for a new recruit training center.

The Recruiting Boom and What It Means

This year, the Coast Guard saw its highest number of new members since 1991. Leaders say this success comes from better outreach, more interest in maritime careers, and wider recruiting efforts across the country. Acting Commandant Adm. Kevin Lunday said the Coast Guard is “bringing in the best talent from across the United States and building the workforce of the future.”

This increase in recruits aligns with Force Design 2028, the Coast Guard’s plan to add up to 15,000 more people by 2028. The Coast Guard views a second training facility as key to meeting this growth and ensuring that all recruits receive consistent, high-quality training.

Why a New Training Facility Matters

Currently, all new recruits attend Training Center Cape May in New Jersey. Because this year’s class exceeds the center’s capacity, the Coast Guard seeks a second, modern training site to support long-term growth.

The Coast Guard’s request lists what the new facility needs. There must be housing for 1,200 recruits, a dining hall for 400, and medical and dental clinics that can each handle 200 visits a day.

It should include 14 classrooms, a 500-seat auditorium, a six-lane pool, a gym seating 1,200, and office space for 400 staff. The site also needs 150 to 250 acres of land near a commercial airport.

This would be the first new Coast Guard boot camp in over 100 years, marking a major change in how the service trains its people.

Who Is Affected and What’s at Stake?

Recruits and their families will notice the changes first. Having a second training site could make travel easier, offer more scheduling choices, and could cut down on wait times to start training.

Communities across the country are part of this process. Areas that meet the Coast Guard’s needs can submit proposals until December 8, 2025. The chosen community stands to gain new jobs, economic growth, and federal investment.

The Coast Guard’s ability to respond to missions will also improve. With more training capacity, the service can better handle tasks like maritime security, search and rescue, stopping drug smuggling, disaster response, and protecting inland waterways.

What’s Next and Why It Matters

Communities that want to host the new training center must submit their proposals by December 8th. After reviewing the submissions, the Coast Guard will start looking at which sites are best for building or adapting for long-term use.

This is a key moment for the service as it grows its workforce and capacity to prepare new Coast Guard members.

As the Coast Guard selects and builds the new facility, this record recruiting year will shape not just how the service grows, but also where that growth happens and which communities help train the country’s future maritime workforce.

Suggested reads:

• Coast Guard Basic Training: Everything You Need to Know
• 5 Things You Didn't Know About the Coast Guard Auxiliary
• Coast Guard Academy Acceptance Rate & How to Get In