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| US military meets or exceeds most recruiting, retention targets |
| 2006-12-12 |
| WASHINGTON (AFP) - The active duty US military met or exceeded its recruiting goals in November, the Pentagon said, staying on track to meet its annual troop requirements. The recruiting and retention numbers have been closely watched for signs of cracks under the strains of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The army and marine corps, the military services most strained by wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, exceeded their monthly recruiting goal by five and four percent respectively, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said. The air force and navy met their monthly target, he said. Most reserve and national guard components also met or exceeded their monthly goal, except the army reserve which fell 21 percent of the mark and the navy reserve, which was nine percent off, according to Whitman. "With respect to retention, the active duty services are all starting off well, exceeding their overall retention missions right now," he said, adding that navy re-enlistments fell short for the month but remained on course to meet the service's target for the year. The army, which has struggled to replenish its ranks in the midst of an unpopular war, has responded with lavish signing bonuses, revamped ad campaigns, beefed-up recruiting forces and an easing of standards that have allowed in older recruits and more that tested in the bottom third. The army's goal is to enlist 80,000 fresh troops in fiscal 2007. It met that goal last year but fell eight percent short the year before. |
| Posted by:tu3031 |
| #5 I know this one woman who claims that people join the military so they can receive free medical care. She can see no other reason. I find it difficult to believe that she fails to see the irony of her point of view. |
| Posted by: kelly 2006-12-12 18:57 |
| #4 John, isn't it time for your annual trip to Cambodia ? |
| Posted by: wxjames 2006-12-12 17:27 |
| #3 Once again, we see the failure of the Bush Administration to properly fund education programs throughout this great nation of ours. Having failed to learn to read, write and do that stuff with numbers that even a great intellect such as myself finds baffling, is it any wonder that these poor children, and do not be confused, despite being in their 20s and 30s, they are children, these poor children have little other choice but to join the US military as the Bush Administration has allowed the mass export of high-paying jobs in the important sectors of buggy whip and vacuum tube manufacture and in return given us a economy where you have to understand all that stuff with numbers that even a great intellect as I find baffling. And I say these things with all due respect to our veterans who carry out the very necessary tasks of committing war crimes and slaughtering the innocent: you are idiots and not at all great intellects like Teresa and me. |
| Posted by: John Fn Kerry 2006-12-12 16:22 |
| #2 I blame George Bush! |
| Posted by: Excalibur 2006-12-12 15:53 |
| #1 American pride despite what the Dhimmicrats do or say. |
| Posted by: Icerigger 2006-12-12 14:50 |