Navy Expands AI Job-Matching Pilot for 200,000+ Sailors
The Navy is scaling up an artificial intelligence system that recommends jobs to sailors, after a pilot program showed a 40% increase in re-enlistment rates among participants. The service plans to expand the effort across its entire enlisted workforce.
Ben Kohlmann, the Navy's assistant secretary for manpower and reserve affairs, said the initiative addresses a fundamental workforce challenge: manually placing over 200,000 sailors into positions every three years.
"Up to this point, we're manually trying to place them across the board. Imagine 200,000 people are shifting every three years. It's very hard to have a high-touch, bespoke experience," Kohlmann said Tuesday at the Workday Federal Forum.
How the System Works
Junior service members and civilians at the Navy's Human Resources Center of Excellence in Millington, Tennessee developed a matching platform that combines psychological profiles with career prospects. The AI generates a personalized list of 10 job recommendations for each sailor.
Sailors receive an initial email with suggestions based on their career history and stated preferences. They can then engage further in an app to refine their choices or explore options. Participation is voluntary.
"The high touchpoint makes these sailors realize the Navy does care about them, the Navy does have a career path in mind for them," Kohlmann said. "They can mix and match two different people on different coasts with different priorities."
Pilot Results and Next Steps
A couple thousand personnel have participated in the pilot so far. The 40% increase in second-term re-enlistment among pilot participants significantly exceeds historical rates.
Kohlmann told DefenseScoop that the Navy will validate the system's effectiveness before expanding it across the force. "The numbers are very clear when it's happening. It's just a matter of putting it throughout the force," he said.
The initiative reflects the Navy's broader modernization strategy. "If you don't get the talent right, the technology doesn't matter," Kohlmann said.
For HR professionals managing large workforces, this approach offers a template for addressing the friction in job placement at scale. Learn more about AI for Human Resources or explore the AI Learning Path for CHROs to understand how similar systems can improve talent retention and engagement.
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