The real story about U.S. Army Recruiting Goals
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JoeUser Forums
JoeUser Forums
For the last few months people and the news media have been posting "Sky is falling" comments about the U.S. Army failing to reach their recruiting goals from Feb-May of 2005. At the time I was a little skeptical of the percentages. This is what I have found out:
In 2003, the U.S. Congress decided to increase the U.S. Army’s Active component size by 32,000 personnel. The 2004 Congress increased the Army end strength by 20,000 personnel alone, with even more increases on the slate for next fiscal year.
The recruiting goals for:
Year Goal
2003 72K
2004 77K
2005 80K
This means the average recruiter has an increasing goal each year. Does any of the doom Sayers or media even state the fact that the goal keeps raising, NO....
In this fiscal years recruiting goals was met at:
Oct-Jan = 100% and over
Feb-May = 85% avg.
Jun = 105%
as of July 22nd = 100% (with 9 more days to go)
While Feb-May has looked bleak, the year is far from over and recruiting command is confident that they will meet this year’s goal of 80,000 new soldiers.
The Active Army, even with the war going on, is still having a banner year of 104% Retention and Reenlistment goals (please take into account an increasing percentage of present personnel needing retained to meet new over all numbers).
A good example of the retention goal being met would be my own state’s National Guard having an attrition rate of around 14.7%, with an attrition rate of 10% of returning deployed soldiers. The Historical attrition rate and the National Guard’s Goal is 18%.
A few other interesting facts, is that only 33% of the American population could Enlist under present standards. The Army standards have not lowered (contrary to some propaganda bloggers), and the Army is required to recruit a force the size of the whole Marine Corp. each year.
I am not trying to paint a great pie in the ski rosy picture here, and I know that it is possible that the goal will not be met. But I would like people to report all the facts and not only those that make the situation look worse then it is.
One last thing: Please get off our backs, and let us do our job.
From: A Soldier
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