The U.S. Army has announced it will expand its basic combat training in what leaders hope is a turning point in its recruiting efforts.

Army officials believe the service will hit its target of 55,000 recruits this year after a long military-wide struggle over the last several years to hit its recruiting targets. Several factors contributed to the recruiting struggles, including COVID-19, which limited recruiters’ interactions with potential recruits, a growing percentage of the target demographic not meeting physical or mental requirements, and a growing unfamiliarity between civilians and the military.