# Coast Guard Recruits Largest Class in 40 Years

> U.S. Coast Guard recruits largest class in nearly 40 years, beats goals for third straight year.
- Title: Coast Guard Recruits Largest Class in 40 Years · Fox News
- Summary: U.S. Coast Guard recruits largest class in nearly 40 years, beats goals for third straight year. The U.S. Coast Guard recruited 5,445 active-duty members in…
- Keywords: us coast guard, fiscal year 2026, recruiting goals, enlisted class, active duty, coast guard officers, news, politics, Coast, Guard, Recruits, Largest
- Source: Fox News — https://foxnews.com/us/us-coast-guard-recruits-largest-class-nearly-40-years-beats-goals-third-straight-year
- Author: Michael Sinkewicz
- Published: 2026-10-07T00:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: us coast guard, fiscal year 2026, recruiting goals, enlisted class, active duty, coast guard officers, news, politics
## Coast Guard Recruits Largest Class
The U.S. Coast Guard recruited its largest enlisted class in nearly four decades during fiscal year 2026.
## Exceeds Recruiting Goals
The service surpassed its recruiting goals for the third consecutive year, enrolling 5,445 active-duty members.
## Record Enrollment Numbers
Enlistments rose from 4,422 in 2024 to 5,204 in 2025 and 5,445 in fiscal year 2026.
## Commissioning Officers
The Coast Guard commissioned 346 active-duty officers, the second-highest total in its history.
## Homeland Security Statement
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin called the numbers a sign of strong national service.
## New Training Facilities
The Coast Guard awarded a $400 million contract to modernize Training Center Cape May in New Jersey.
## Key takeaway

The U.S. Coast Guard recruited 5,445 active-duty members in fiscal year 2026, its largest class in nearly four decades, surpassing recruiting goals for the third consecutive year.