The U.S. Army has raised its bonus cap for recruits to $50,000 for the first time, a spokesperson told Axios on Wednesday.

Why it matters: The pandemic and labor market challenges have negatively affected recruitment in the last few years, with the number of recruits dropping from roughly 68,100 in 2019 to 57,600 in 2021. The new incentive is aimed at attracting more people into Army ranks amid uncertain variables.

Details: Until now, recruits could receive a maximum bonus of $40,000. The new package will be based on a combination of incentives offered for the selected career field, individual qualifications, the length of the enlistment contract and the ship date for training, according to the spokesperson.

What they're saying: "We are still living the implications of 2020 and the onset of COVID, when the school systems basically shut down," Maj. Gen. Kevin Vereen, head of the Army Recruiting Command, told AP.