Active-Duty Components Make Recruiting Goals

WASHINGTON, Dec. 12, 2006 – All active-duty components made their recruiting goals in November, Defense Department officials said today.

The Army made 105 percent of goal, the Navy 100 percent, the Marine Corps 104 percent, and the Air Force 100 percent.

In raw numbers, the Army goal was 6,150 in November, but the service recruited 6,485 new soldiers. The Navy recruited exactly 2,887; the Marine’s recruited 2,095 vice a goal of 2,012; and the Air Force recruited exactly 1,877 airmen in November.

The services also are retaining a good number of people. “The active-duty services all started off well, exceeding their overall retention missions right now,” Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said. “The Navy’s overall numbers are below their monthly goal, but they still predict they will meet their goal for the fiscal year.”

In the reserves, four of the six components met or exceeded their recruiting goals in November. The Army National Guard had a goal of 4,517 recruits for November. The Guard recruited 5,094 for 113 percent of goal. The Marine Reserve’s goal was 535, but the component recruited 547, for 102 percent. The Air Guard hit 115 percent – 655 goal, 752 recruited; and the Air Force Reserve hit just over 100 percent, 434 goal and 436 recruited.

The Army Reserve only made 79 percent of its goal, recruiting 1,888 out of a goal of 2,376; and the Navy Reserve hit 91 percent -- 687 out of a goal of 755.