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The U.S. Army has increasingly turned to social media and influencers for recruitment — a strategy that has drawn both attention and criticism, according to The Guardian.
One of the most prominent examples is social media influencer Steven Kelly, who has more than 1.3 million Instagram followers. In July, Kelly, who is a civilian, posted photos of himself wearing an Army combat uniform during basic training exercises as part of a sponsored partnership with the “@goarmy” account on the platform.
Kelly posted two partnered posts with “@goarmy.” His post on July 8 was captioned in part, “I partnered with @goarmy to take part in Basic Combat Training. I came in unsure but left with a newfound strength and confidence.”
To reach younger audiences, the Army is tapping into the power of social media influencers.
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Army recruiting spokesperson Madison Bonzo told the Guardian, “These partnerships increase the army’s visibility, bring awareness to untapped audiences, and articulate the possibilities of army service in unique and creative ways.”
“By participating in immersive army experiences alongside real soldiers, these influencers provide firsthand insights into military life and the possibilities of army service,” Bonzo added.
Kelly’s post sparked mixed reactions. Some commenters praised the collaboration, but others criticized it. The Guardian reported that some accused Kelly’s content of being “propaganda” and “distasteful.”
One commented wrote, “The rich influencing the poor to do the things that they dont want to. Its giving Hunger Games. Its giving Class Wars.”
Experts say such criticism is not unusual. Robert Kozinets, a professor at the University of Southern California, told The Guardian that influencer marketing is now an established part of culture.
“We’re pretty used to celebrities or personalities who are endorsing particular products,” even if they don’t use them themselves, said Kozinets, additionally adding, “You don’t have to live at Disneyland to do a review of Disneyland.”
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These efforts come after recruitment was behind in recent years.
However, in June, the Army said that it “surpassed” its fiscal year 2025 recruiting goal of bringing in 61,000 recruits — with four months left to go.
This year’s goal is more than 10% higher than the 55,000 recruits targeted in fiscal 2024, demonstrating a surge in interest and enthusiasm for Army service. Recent recruiting momentum has seen average contracts per day exceeding last year’s levels by as much as 56% during the same period.
The Army has not reached its recruiting goals this early in the year since 2014, officials said in a statement.
Additionally, female military recruits have sharply increased across all service branches so far in fiscal year 2025.
Around 7,260 more women have enlisted so far this fiscal year than at this point last fiscal year: from 16,725 to 23,985, according to Pentagon figures seen by Fox News Digital.
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Kelly isn’t the only influencer posting about the military.
Another creator cited in the article is @onexpunchxdad, who posts on TikTok and Instagram poking fun at military life and the reality of service. This highlights active and former military influencers using social media to share their experiences.
Breannah Yeh, an extreme sports influencer, also shared a partnered post with the Army, featuring a tandem skydiving jump. “Challenges are what let us grow,” said an Army captain said in the video before Yeh jumps out of the plane.
Katherine Kuzminski, the director of studies at the Center for a New American Security, was also cited in the article and said, “with more young people at home finishing school remotely because of the pandemic, they had less opportunity for exposure to programs such as the ROTC.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Steven Kelly for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
Read the full article here
