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Pentagon Considers Extending Enlistments During Pandemic

Senior defense official expects to see more impacts to war readiness as the coronavirus outbreak hampers recruiting and halts travel.

By , a Pentagon and national security reporter at Foreign Policy.
Members of the California National Guard help pack boxes on March 24 in San Jose, California.
Members of the California National Guard help pack boxes on March 24 in San Jose, California.
Members of the California National Guard 115th Regional Support Group help pack boxes in San Jose on March 24. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

The U.S. Defense Department is trying to keep its strategy to get ready for a potential future war with China and Russia during the coronavirus pandemic by pushing the military to extend enlistments, Matthew Donovan, the Pentagon’s undersecretary for personnel and readiness, told Foreign Policy in an interview. 

Jack Detsch is a Pentagon and national security reporter at Foreign Policy. Twitter: @JackDetsch

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