Posted on 07/10/2006 4:30:26 PM PDT by SandRat
WASHINGTON, July 10, 2006 – Defense officials are attributing the 13th consecutive month in which every military service met or exceeded its active-duty recruiting goal to more than just good luck. Bryan Whitman, deputy assistant secretary of defense for public affairs, cited the high priority every service has placed on recruiting, including the resources to back up that commitment, with successes measured both in numbers and quality of recruits.
Active-duty recruiting numbers, both for June and for the first nine months of fiscal 2006, continued to exceed 100 percent of goal across the board, Whitman told reporters today.
At the same time, the services are maintaining their high quality standards, as measured by percentage of recruits with high school diplomas and scores on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test, Whitman said. He noted that more than 90 percent of all recruits have high school diplomas and nearly two-thirds have scored in the top 50 percent of ASVAB categories.
Both measures correlate closely with a recruit's success in the armed forces. Whitman called the possession of a high school diploma "the best single indicator of how well somebody will stick to and adjust to the military."
He emphasized that the department has not lowered recruiting standards, despite "myths" that have surfaced in the media. "The quality standards for the military are very high," he said, noting that fewer than 4 percent of all recruits score in Category 4 on the ASVAB, the lowest score the military accepts, Whitman said.
Meanwhile, Whitman said the emphasis the services put on recruiting -- backed up by more recruiters, and better tools and incentives to help them -- is paying off.
During June, the Army recruited more than 8,700 soldiers, 102 percent of its goal, and the Marine Corps signed on more than 4,300 Marines, 105 percent of its goal. The Navy met its goal of recruiting more than 3,900 sailors, and the Air Force exceeded its goal by 1 percent, bringing in more than 2,500 airmen.
Recruiting numbers in the reserve components were also up in June, with all components but the Navy Reserve meeting or exceeding their goals, defense officials said.
The Army National Guard recruited more than 5,800 soldiers, 101 percent of its goal, and the Army Reserve exceeded its goal by 21 percent, recruiting more than 5,600 members. The Marine Corps Reserve recruited more than 1,300 Marines, 103 percent of its goal; the Air National Guard, almost 900 members, 119 percent of its goal; and the Air Force Reserve, more than 600 airmen, 100 percent of its goal.
The Navy Reserve fell 5 percent short of its June goal, recruiting just fewer than 1,000 sailors.
Year-to-date statistics show positive recruiting trends throughout the force, with every service meeting or exceeding its goal to date and four of the six reserve components meeting their goals, officials noted.
As of June 30, the Army had exceeded its year-to-date active-duty recruiting goal by 4 percent, and the Marine Corps and Air Force by 1 percent. The Navy met its year-to-date goal.
In the reserve components, the Army National Guard exceeded its year-to-date recruiting goal by 3 percent, the Army Reserve and Marine Corps Reserve by 1 percent, and the Air Force Reserve by 4 percent.
As of June 30, the Air National Guard had met 92 percent of its year-to-date goal, and the Navy Reserve 83 percent.
And especially Cut-and-Run Murtha. A pathetic example of a US Congressman.
Air Force magazine says the USAF is riffing lieutenants or offering them a chance to go "blue to green".
It's interesting that the Navy Reserves fell short. The Navy Reserves might have one of the few examples of a recruiting program that was cut off because it was too successful.
When I joined in 2002, the Navy Reserves had a special track for older recruits. Boot camp was a mere 17 days long. The Navy easily exceeded its recruiting targets. The problem was thousands of reservists without experience were flooding the reserve posts, and the Navy didn't have the personnel to train them. The Navy cancelled the program.
All recruits now have to go boot camp for the full 8 1/2 weeks. The Navy Reserve has been consistently missing its targets ever since then.
I'm not saying the Navy personnel policy is good or bad--just noting the cause and effect.
I think an older recruit wouldn't necessarily need the full 8 1/2 weeks. Presumably, a reasonably succesful 30 year-old professional would already know how to be part of a team and follow orders. But then again, I haven't yet been called to active duty, so I haven't seen how those with a shortened boot camp perform in a combat situation.
I wonder if the Navy has ever considered reinstating the 17 day boot camp, but being more selective with its recruiting.
"He [Whitman] emphasized that the department has not lowered recruiting standards, despite "myths" that have surfaced in the media."
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"Myths"...much to kind of a word. "Lies" is a more appropriate word.
Now Hear This..Congressman Murtha (D) from PA..Our colors don't run!
One has to wonder if the "standards" have been reduced, to meet recruiting quotas.
A combination of "non-citizen" warriors, and the increase in "reported" criminal behavior has been disturbing...
If the "quota" has become MORE important than the quality of the recruit - they are doing a grave disservice to the honorable warriors, buy exposing the reputation of the whole to the criminal behavior of the few..
I would have thought that Boot Camp would have weeded out the unsuitable. Has Boot Camp become too "sensitive" to accomplish that task?
Semper Fi
Boot Camp is now Male & Female in the same company ... we're dinosaurs ...
NOT in MY Marine Corps....
Not yet....
Semper Fi
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