LOS ANGELES — For 250 years, Americans have helped defend our freedoms and protect our nation. At Edwards Airforce Base in Kern County, Senior Airman Randal Ruiz is carrying on a family legacy of service.

“What kept me in the military was finding out my heritage and understanding, the role that I was playing not just for my state and for my nation, but also in my own family,” said Randal Ruiz, a senior airman.

What You Need To Know

As America celebrates 250 years, military recruitment is on the rise after years of recruiting challenges

In 2023, the Department of Defense reported the military had collectively missed its recruiting goals by more than 40,000 recruits

In 2025, military recruiting hit its highest level in more than a decade, with all five branches meeting goals by an average of 103%

For Randal Ruiz, a senior airman, the call to serve stretches back generations

Ruiz’s uncle, great-uncle and great-grandfather all served in the military.  

“I decided to carry on this lineage of service kind of after finding out exactly how much it had impacted, you know, my family life, my personal life, just kind of seeing the people that they were, and how their service in the military kind of shaped them,” said Ruiz.

Stationed at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Ruiz is at Edwards for leadership training.

Since he’s served in the military for over a decade, first in the Army National Guard and now the Air National Guard, a glimpse into his great-grandfather’s past gives him motivation.  

“He was a local boy, born and raised on the island of Kauai. He joined the navy pretty early on, same as myself,” said Ruiz. 

Ruiz’s great-grandfather, Joseph Ruiz, was serving in the navy at Pearl Harbor when Japan launched its surprise attack in 1941.

“Knowing that my grandfather survived, you know, a pretty violent and harrowing attack but still approached life with a smile on his face. It lets me know that even though times get hard and you’re challenged with adversity, you can still make the most out of it,” said Ruiz. 

It’s a reminder that he’s part of something bigger than himself. 

That commitment to service continues today as military enrollment makes a comeback after years of recruiting challenges.

In 2023, the Department of Defense reported the military had collectively missed its recruiting goals by more than 40,000 recruits. 

Hal Kempfer, a retired Marine lieutenant colonel and national security expert based in Long Beach, says the U.S. chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 and COVID-19 were among the factors contributing to the military’s recruiting struggles. 

“2022 is when we really kind of came out of that pandemic slow down,” said Kempfer, who served in the military for over 20 years.  

In 2025, military recruiting hit its highest level in more than a decade, with all five branches meeting goals by an average of 103%. 

Kempfer credits improved strategies and incentives.

“It’s a huge deal. When you look at our global commitments, having sufficient troops in all the services is absolutely critical,” said Kempfer. 

In 2023, the Air Force raised its maximum enlistment age from 39 to 42. The following year, Jaunita McClellan joined at 38 years old, pursuing a lifelong dream.

“During that time, they advanced by showing you the opportunities that you could have with school, but not just that, also allowing yourself to enhance your professional as well as personal skills later on in life,” Senior Airman McClellan. 

As for Randal, he says he’s proud of his career in the military. He believes his great-grandfather would be proud too. 

“To me, putting on the uniform is a sacrifice. It’s a sacrifice of your time, of your body, sometimes of your mental health. These are all things that, became very aware to me, during my years of service. And it’s something I don’t take lightly,” he said.