Army Recruiting Goal Falls Short
The Pentagon says the war in Iraq and an improving economy are cutting into enlistments.
From Times Wire Services


WASHINGTON — The Army said Thursday that it had signed up 27% fewer recruits than it had wanted in February. The announcement came a day after the Marine Corps said it had missed its recruiting goal for a second month.

The Iraq war was cited as one factor that made recruiting more difficult.

The Army's announcement that it had 1,936 fewer recruits than its February target of 7,050 marked the first time it had missed a monthly target since May 2000.

Lawrence Di Rita, the Pentagon spokesman, acknowledged that concern about being sent to Iraq had been a factor. But he said there were other reasons why recruiting was tougher, including an improving economy creating more job options.

"The war is obviously having an effect," said Army Recruiting Command spokesman Douglas Smith. "Our recruiters are having to spend more time with hesitation on the part of potential applicants and their families. People are very alert to the fact of the risks that go along with Army service."

Di Rita says the Army is putting more recruiters on the street and offering larger bonuses to recruits. The Marines are offering new reenlistment bonuses.

Lt. Col. Brian Hilferty, an Army spokesman, said the service had signed up about 94% of the recruits it had planned to have by this point in the fiscal year, which began Oct. 1. It will have to exceed monthly targets at some point to reach its full-year goal of 80,000 recruits.

January marked the first time in more than a decade that the Marines fell short of their monthly goal for recruits, who would begin serving within a year. In February, the service had a target of 2,964 recruits; it signed up 2,772.

The Marines say they are still meeting targets for the number actually entering boot camp.

Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Michael Hagee told reporters last week that some parents were advising potential recruits to wait to sign up.

"They're saying, 'It's not, maybe, a bad idea to join the Marine Corps, but why don't you consider it a year from now or two years from now? Let's think about this.' So the recruiters are having to work much harder out there right now," he said.

The Army Reserve and Army National Guard, whose part-time soldiers have shouldered a heavy load in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, also are reporting recruiting shortfalls. The Army Reserve missed its goals in January and February and is behind in its targets for the year.

The Army National Guard, which missed its 2004 recruiting target, did not provide February numbers, but said it had shortfalls for the first four months of the current fiscal year.

Link -
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/ir...a-iraq-complete

This sounds like a significant shift in peoples' ideas. Hurray. Let us hope it holds out.

Amercans should take pride in joining the military. They are serving their country proudly and protecting the American way of life and freedom that all Americans benefit from.

There are a lot of benefits and job training one can get in the military that cannot be gained anywere else.

The military also teaches one about dicipline, ones true values and skills, responsibility, and most of all pride of serving ones country.

Before joining the military which is a good experiance for all Americans, one should follow these basic steps.

http://www.military.com/Recruiting/Home/0,13387,,00.html

Take pride your an American and do your duty and serve this great country proudly in the military protecting freedom, helping others and discovering ones self.

I am a Veeran and know many more that are very proud of their military service, which they well should be. This service to ones country has noting at all to do with ones political agenda.

I doubt if your position on this will get much support here Americana, but the sentiment is righteous.

I don't argue military service can be honorable,but for gay/lesbian youth who are forced to serve by lying there is NO HONOR! I wouldn't want any kid I was close to (nephew, or friend's child) to serve currently with Bush as commander in chief, because he has shown there is no lie he and his thugs won't spread if they really want to go to war. So unless Don't Ask Don't Tell is removed and Bush is an ex-president I wouldn't advise joining now. The government will still want your warm bodies in 3 1/2 years, so why risk serving under Bush?

" No Bull No Bias No Pressure" slogan on Military.com

What an absolute load of CR*P!
Parents on this site are being harrassed constantly with recruiters phone calls.
So much for No Pressure

Gay/Lesbians forced to serve under Don't Ask/ Don't Tell, give lie to No Bias.

No Bull, God, where are the WMDs?are you sure those aluminum tubes are for nuclear power?There's a link between Saddam and the 9/11 terrorists?

go CHENEY yourselves!

Which do you think dropped enlistment more?

Abu Ghraib torture scandal?

Rapes of 5 Air Force women?

drowning of Jason Tharp,(now 8 Marines are being investigated?)

Rumsfeld's statement we go to war with the Army we have?

war in Iraq?

Good to see that recuitment is down. Need a liitle help....

Reservist turned activist
http://www.notinourname.net/~youth/arhome.html
http://www.notinourname.net/youth/
Flyer to post....
http://www.notinourname.net/downloads/anti...entflyerpg1.pdf

A young girl whose parents were liberated while travelling in their family car.

Liberty for all.


http://newest.warblogging.com/journal/1140

Agree with you Americana... The services actually have two problems:

One is recruitment... It says alot about our current culture and the me mine I generation... As long as you get yours. For those that object to this war, any war, the administration or some other beef... You all should consider other ways to support this great country of ours.

The other is Attrition.... It's not a level playing field when the pay contractors five to eight times the salary of the grunt next to him... It's a big challenge to get those soldiers to reenlist...

All factors I think. It seems to me that people joining up for the military can see that they will be ordered to commit war crimes by the president, and then, when they get caught, the president will hang them out to dry like yesterday's dirty socks.

18 year olds aren't stupid, do you think they don't see the constant call backs and endless rotations the current troops are facing?
Anyone considering a military career, know you lose ALL CONTROL of your life and the lives of your families, for as long as the military says so!
Even if the military wasn't making aggregious mistakes like Jason Tharp, and other crimes, just the endless danger of driving in Iraq, with no light at the end of that tunnel, and Bush's posturing at Syria, and Iran is NOT SELLING ENLISTMENT!

I does say alot about this generation. They figured out that risking your life for your felllow citizens is a noble cause but doing it for the cause of powerful interests is not.

As far as supporting "this country", I would rather support my countrymen who should not be having their lives put on the line for those who have twisted the definition of "this country" to mean "their country".

I would buy it if the troops were actually defending the country. They are currently conquering oil fields. Most people can see reality and not buy into The ususal flag waving BS. Would you sign up to die for oil fields? I would say let EXXON hire mercinaries and pay the going rate for a job like this.