Space Force recruits take the oath of enlistment at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Fla., Dec. 13, 2025. (Gwendolyn Kurzen/U.S. Space Force)
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan — The war with Iran so far has not deterred young people from joining the Air and Space forces, according to the general in charge of recruiting for those branches.
“We haven’t seen any significant change,” Brig. Gen. Jeff Nelson, commander of the Air Force Recruiting Service, told Stars and Stripes during a Friday visit to the home of U.S. Forces Japan, 5th Air Force and 374th Airlift Wing in western Tokyo.
The Air Force and Space Force have already surpassed their annual recruiting goals five months ahead of schedule, he said.
Nelson also leads the Air Force Accessions Center, which oversees programs such as ROTC, officer training and enlisted accessions. The organization manages more than 6,000 military and civilian personnel responsible for recruiting and training.
About 32,000 recruits have enlisted in the two services over the past seven months, according to figures released this month.
Brig. Gen. Jeff Nelson, commander of the Air Force Accessions Center and Air Force Recruiting Service, visits Yokota Air Base, Japan, April 24, 2026. (Seth Robson/Stars and Stripes)
Since Oct. 1, about 25,000 active-duty recruits have reported to basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in Texas, with another 7,000 expected by the end of the fiscal year, according to an April 16 news release.
The Air Force missed its recruiting target in 2023 for the first time since 1999, falling short by about 2,700 recruits. The Space Force has met its goals each year since its creation in 2019.
Nelson said recruiting rebounded last year and again this year, crediting recruiters in the field.
A policy change in 2023 allowing higher body fat percentages for recruits — up to 26% for men and 36% for women — has also helped boost enlistment numbers, he said.
Only a small number of recruits admitted under the revised standards have encountered issues during training, Nelson said.
His trip to Japan included visits with recruiters at Yokota and Kadena Air Base on Okinawa. The Kadena recruiter also supports efforts in South Korea, he said.
Americans living overseas outside the military community also contribute to recruiting, Nelson added.
Interest in the Space Force remains strong, particularly among candidates with technical skills in areas such as intelligence and cyber operations, Nelson said.
