By the time the Old Republic was nearing its end, the Army was as well. Little more than overblown police with fancier uniforms they rarely did more that perform garrison duty on member worlds. The Army was reliant on the Navy for transportation to and from combat zones and while mission resources often included orbital support on paper, the support rarely materialized due to cutbacks in Navy spending. Combat missions were more dangerous than they would normally be, with the Army unable to maintain controlled air- and orbit-space above a mission zone. There was no attraction to the Army and it was filled with the dregs of Imperial service.
The coming of the New Order changed all that. Not only was recruitment increased, but training was heavily emphasized so that the mission of the Army could be expanded. What were once considered to be tasks for the cream of the elite, such at hot drops deep behind enemy lines, became routine training for all members of the Army. Every unit of the forces was capable of being a part of complex missions and fulfilling their parts skillfully and quickly.