Services Meet or Exceed May Recruiting Goals

American Forces Press Service

June 10, 2008 - All the services met or exceeded their May active-duty recruiting goals and have exceeded their target recruiting numbers for this point in the fiscal year, Defense Department officials announced today. Among the reserve components, only the Army National Guard fell short of its May goal. But officials noted that the Army National Guard has recruited 109 percent of its fiscal 2008 target to this point and explained that the May shortfall reflects an Army decision to have National Guard manning at its authorized level.

In active-duty recruiting, the Army signed up 5,568 new soldiers in May, 101 percent of its 5,500-soldier goal. The Navy and Air Force met their May goals exactly, with 2,983 new sailors and 1,888 new airmen. The Marine Corps attracted 2,656 recruits in May, 122 percent of its 2,172-recruit goal.

Aside from the Army National Guard's 94-percent May recruiting result -- 5,311 recruits toward a goal of 5,635 -- all the reserve components met or exceeded their recruiting goals. The Air National Guard attained 131 percent of its May goal, recruiting 892 airmen against a goal of 680. The Navy Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve and Air Force Reserve met their goals exactly, with 817, 923 and 638 recruits, respectively. The Army Reserve attained 107 percent of its May recruiting goal of 2,697, attracting 2,893 new soldiers.