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WASHINGTON, May 11, 2009 – All 10 active-duty and reserve military components met or exceeded their recruiting goals in April, Defense Department officials announced today. For the second consecutive month, the Marine Corps added the highest percentage of active-duty members. The Corps’ goal was to add 1,018 new Marines. It exceeded that number by 43 percent, adding 1,666 new Marines. The Army National Guard led the reserve components when it exceeded its recruiting goal of 4,029 new Guardsmen by 11 percent, adding 4,474 soldiers. “The economic downturn, rising unemployment, and the scarcity of civilian jobs has made military recruiting less...

WASHINGTON, March 10, 2009 – Defense Department officials today announced across-the-board recruiting and retention successes in February, with every service meeting or exceeding its active-duty, reserve and National Guard goals. The statistics reflect solid recruiting performance during a month that Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman noted is traditionally a slow recruiting period. Both the Army and Marine Corps, which are in the midst of growing their forces, exceeded their February goals. The Army led active-component recruiting, signing on 324 more soldiers than its 6,000-soldier goal for February. The Marine Corps, with 1,752 new accessions, topped its monthly goal by a...

Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) likely will introduce his controversial legislation to reinstate the draft again this year, but he will wait until after the economic stimulus package is passed. Asked if he plans to introduce the legislation again in 2009, Rangel last week said, "Probably … yes. I don't want to do anything this early to distract from the issue of the economic stimulus." Rangel's military draft bill did create a distraction for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) soon after Democrats won control of Congress after the 2006 election. In the wake of that historic victory, Pelosi said publicly that...

KABUL, Afghanistan, Aug. 7, 2008 – Since March 2008, the Afghan National Army has recruited more than 9,000 soldiers. But retaining those troops to eventually reach the force’s 80,000-soldier end strength goal remains a challenge. Afghan National Army Sgt. Maj. Ashmatullah, recontracting noncommissioned officer, explains a new form to a group of Afghan officers and NCOs during training Aug. 4, 2008, at the Ministry of Defense in Kabul, Afghanistan. The training served to introduce a new retention regulation and a certification for Ashmatullah and two other sergeants major as trainers. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Beth Del...

The Congressional Budget Office has released a major study#[1] of the U.S. military's demographics under an all-volunteer framework versus the draft. The idea of reinstating the draft was a hot-button issue last November when Congressman Charlie Rangel (D-NY), a leader and committee chairman in the newly elected Democratic majority, vocalized his intent to once again make conscription the law of land. Called on by Congress to assess the matter, CBO offered new findings, which dispassionately deflate the notion that America's All-Volunteer Force (AVF) is inferior to a conscripted force by any measure: effectiveness, cost, troop quality, retention, morale, and even...

WASHINGTON, July 11, 2007 – Regardless of what’s happening in terms of recruitment, soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines already serving are reenlisting at rates that surpass all expectations, according to defense officials. Defense Department statistics for June, released yesterday, showed the Army missed its active-duty recruiting goal for the second consecutive month. Yet retention remained high across the board, 101 percent of goal for the active Army, 119 percent for the Army Reserve, and 107 percent for the Army National Guard, Maj. Anne Edgecomb, an Army spokeswoman, told American Forces Press Service. “Recruiting is important, but so is retention,” Bryan...

Brothers and Sisters of Free Republic, As you may or may not know, recently, the Boston Globe published a page one, above-the-fold, feature news story claiming that declining retention rates for West Point graduates are due to "repeated tours of duty in Iraq." While Bryan Bender, the author of the piece, went to great lengths to show that retention rates---at the end of the service requirement---are indeed lower than typical for classes graduating six to seven years ago, his "proof" that this was related to the War in Iraq was tangential, and, at best, anecdotal. I'm a freelance journalist, and...

WASHINGTON, April 11, 2007 – All service branches met or exceeded their active-duty recruiting goals in March, but three of the six reserve components missed their targets, Defense Department officials announced yesterday. “For the month, the armed forces have done extraordinarily well,” Bill Carr, the deputy undersecretary for Military Personnel Policy, said in an interview. In March, the two ground services exceeded their recruiting goals. The Army had a goal of 5,500 recruits and actually enlisted 5,545 new soldiers, for 101 percent. The Marine Corps had a target of 1,787 and enlisted 1,936 recruits, for 108 percent of its...

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12, 2007 – All active components of the military services met or exceeded their recruiting goals for January, the Defense Department announced today. The Army achieved 111 percent of its goal with 9,306 troops; the Air Force, 100 percent of its goal with 2,552 troops; the Navy, 100 percent of its goal with 2,764; and the Marine Corps, 108 percent with 3,403. Four of six of the reserve components met or exceeded their recruiting goals for January. The Army National Guard, Marine Corps Reserve, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve all achieved more than 100 percent...

WASHINGTON, Sept. 12, 2006 – Five years after military recruiting hit the ceiling after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, recruiting remains solid, with every service meeting its active-duty recruiting goal for the 15th consecutive month. Recruiting and retention statistics for August, just released by the Defense Department, show the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force all meeting or exceeding both their monthly as well as year-to-date recruiting goals for the year. At the same time, retention remains solid across the board, with all services expected to meet their retention goals for the fiscal year, officials said. During August,...

IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 882-06September 08, 2006 DoD Announces Recruiting and Retention Numbers for August The Department of Defense announced today its recruiting and retention statistics for the active and reserve components for the month of August. • Active duty recruiting. All services met or exceeded their recruiting goals in August.   Accessions Goal Percent Army 10,492 10,050 104 Navy 4,090 4,090 100 Marine Corps 4,320 4,053 107 Air Force 3,167 3,156 100 • Active duty recruiting from Oct. 1, 2005 to August 31, 2006.   Accessions Goal Percent Army 72,997 70,200 104 Navy 28,499 28,499 100 Marine Corps 24,300...

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. (Army News Service, Aug. 31, 2006) – The active Army reached its fiscal 2006 retention goal one month early today when a Fort Campbell Soldier reenlisted. Staff Sgt. Michael Obleton, a truck driver assigned to the 101st Airborne Division, became the 64,200th reenlistment since Oct. 1, 2005. Vice Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Richard Cody presided over the ceremony. “What a commitment. Our Army has been at war longer than we fought in World War II. Soldiers still reenlist knowing full well the dangers, knowing full well the sacrifice,” said Cody. Obleton, of Columbus, Ga.,...

OTTAWA - Special forces units including Canada's Joint Task Force 2 and the British Special Air Service are hiking pay in an effort to stem the flow of skilled personnel to private security firms. Soldiers with the Ottawa-based JTF2 will see their financial compensation -- which is not technically part of their salary -- boosted through various means this year in recognition of their skills and the hardships they face on the job, such as in Afghanistan. Several weeks ago, British military leaders approved a 50% pay raise for those serving in the special forces, the Special Air Service and...

LOUISVILLE — The Presbyterian Church (USA) has launched a campaign to slow the rate of decline to 5 percent, according to the denomination. "People at the grass roots need hope and motivation," says a spokesman. "This is a positive goal we can all get behind." The Minus 5 Campaign aims to lower the attrition rate in spite of the denomination's continued struggle with moral issues, which has led to even greater exodus of members. Instead of losing 12 to 15 percent of members every decade, the group will now "work in great unity and joy to lose only five percent."...

Recruiting and retention rates released today demonstrate that young people see military service as a viable career option and, once they join, they want to continue serving, Defense Department officials said today. Active-duty statistics for March reflect continued across-the-board success for the 10th consecutive month, Air Force Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke, a Pentagon spokesman, told American Forces Press Service. Krenke said the numbers prove that recruitment-age men and women aren't dissuaded by the possibility of combat duty and want to serve in the U.S. armed forces. More than 13,000 people joined the active services during March alone, almost 5,400 of...

WASHINGTON, April 9 — Young Army officers, including growing numbers of captains who leave as soon as their initial commitment is fulfilled, are bailing out of active-duty service at rates that have alarmed senior officers. Last year, more than a third of the West Point class of 2000 left active duty at the earliest possible moment, after completing their five-year obligation. It was the second year in a row of worsening retention numbers, apparently marking the end of a burst of patriotic fervor during which junior officers chose continued military service at unusually high rates. Mirroring the problem among West...

CAMP TAJI, Iraq (Army News Service, April 6, 2006) – More than 90 days into the Combat Aviation Brigade’s deployment, the number of Soldiers reenlisting and the amount of bonus money awarded to those Soldiers places the CAB’s Retention Office at the top of the Ironhorse Division. Aviation brigade Soldiers have garnered more than $4.6 million in bonus money since the unit deployed in November 2005. According to career counselor Sgt. Preston Williams, the brigade is expected to reach $5 million by next month. Reaching such a significant milestone is a testament to the efforts of brigade and battalion retention...

WASHINGTON, March 10, 2006 – Recruiting and retention statistics released today reflect continued across-the-board success and continuation of a nine-month trend, officials said. A top Pentagon official called that a testament to hard work by recruiters and broad public respect for the military in light of the economic boom under way. "February, in recruiting, was another really solid month," said Bill Carr, deputy undersecretary of defense for military personnel policy, during an interview with the Pentagon Channel. In active-duty recruiting, the Army achieved 102 percent of its February goal, bringing more than 6,100 soldiers into the force. The Navy and...

WASHINGTON, Feb. 10, 2006 – All the military services exceeded their recruiting goals for January - a trend that's continued for eight consecutive months, Defense Department officials announced today. The January figures reflect continued recruiting successes since last June, Air Force Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke, a Pentagon spokesperson, told American Forces Press Service. "These successes are helping the services build the momentum they need as they approach the springtime months, which are traditionally slower times for recruiting," she said. Recruiting typically rebounds again during the summer months, following high school graduations, Krenke noted. During January, the Army recruited 8,337 new...

The Associated Press Drug use, weight problems and parenthood have been taking their toll on the military in the past three years, since the war on terror began, according to newly released Pentagon data. Documents released to The Associated Press under the Freedom of Information Act indicate the number of enlisted personnel leaving the military each year has increased from 8.7% in 2002 to 10.5% last year. Enlisted losses — including people whose enlistments had expired — increased from 118,206 in 2002 to more than 137,465 last year, while officer losses have increased from 5,619 in 2002 to more than...

Active duty recruiting. The Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force met or exceeded its recruiting goals in August. Active duty retention. All services met or exceeded their overall retention goals for August and are projected to meet their retention goals for the current fiscal year. Reserve forces recruiting. Three of the six reserve components, Marine Corps Reserve, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, met or exceeded their August recruiting goals. The Navy Reserve numbers are unavailable due to system failures as a result of Hurricane Katrina. Reserve forces retention. For August, Army National Guard retention was 103 percent...

In fact it is just about impossible for the Army to meet year-end goals. The successes of June and July are really noteworthy only for not adding to the year-end shortfalls. Having written that, it is easy to miss the forest for the trees when looking at these numbers. From the same source, we learn that retention is a completely different story: Active-duty retention during July remained high, with all services meeting or exceeding their overall retention goals for the month, and expected to meet their goals for the fiscal year. This is fantastic news, and should really be the...

WASHINGTON, Aug. 10, 2005 – A fresh supply of recent high school graduates, more recruiters and more enticing enlistment incentives are being credited with the Army's second straight successful month of meeting its recruiting goals, according to the Defense Department's acting deputy undersecretary for military personnel policy. Bill Carr offered his assessment today as the Defense Department released statistics reflecting all four services' recruiting and retention figures for July. The Army, Marine Corps and Air Force met or exceeded their goals for the month, and the Navy achieved 99 percent of its July goal, DoD officials reported. The Army recruited...

With all the commentary, protests and Monday morning quarter-backing taking place on a daily basis regarding the Iraq war, I was struck by a USA Today report about the Army's re-enlistment rates. It turns out that soldier re-enlistment rates are one-third higher than the Army's target. The report attributes the increased numbers to better monetary bonuses and to "a renewed sense of purpose in fighting terrorism."I'm curious how much air time this particular report will receive in the mainstream media today and this week. "The biggest thing is that soldiers believe in what they are doing," said. Col. Debbra...

The Department of Defense announced today its recruiting and retention statistics by the active and reserve components for the month of June. Active duty recruiting. The Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force met or exceeded their recruiting goals in June.

BRAC commissioners worry about retention in guard, reserves By Megan Scully, CongressDaily Members of the Base Realignment and Closure Commission questioned Pentagon leaders Monday about their recommendation to consolidate National Guard and Reserve bases around the country, stating that such a move might exacerbate the force's recruitment and retention problems. The decision, made as part of the 2005 base closure and realignment round, could strain some troops' ability to report for weekend drill duties, commission members told Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Richard Myers during a hearing on Capitol Hill. "I really think you're going...

The Army Reserve is facing what it calls an "extreme" shortage of officers amid Iraq's increasingly violent insurgency, and so far has refused to accept many resignations. Captains especially are in short supply, and are critical because they lead companies — groups of 100 to 200 soldiers that are the linchpin of combat operations. The Reserve also is losing entry-level officers, the first and second lieutenants that form the military's cadre of younger officers. "Obviously we're concerned," Army Reserve spokesman Steve Stromvall said Friday. "The numbers are not that bad right now if you look at it overall, but we...

California's Republican governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, is trying to keep his state's military installations out of the Pentagon's sights during next year's round of base closures. Schwarzenegger this week appointed an 18-member council to advise state and local communities as well as coordinate with the California congressional delegation on base closing and retention issues. And in case the recommended strategies don't work, the council will also recommend ways of mitigating the adverse effects of closing or downsizing bases. The council is to be chaired by Leon E. Panetta, former chief of staff to President Bill Clinton and a former House member...

My wife takes the credit for this one. The US Armed Service retention numbers are high. Are there any projections, based on those who are now serving, what the numbers would be if Kerry were elected?

WASHINGTON - Just when the U.S. military needs them most, senior Green Berets, Navy SEALs and other elite forces are leaving for higher-paying jobs. After getting years of training and experience in the military, they leave for other government jobs or for what defense officials said Tuesday has been an explosion in outside contractor work. "What makes them so valuable to us makes them highly marketable on the outside," said Chief Master Sgt. Robert V. Martens Jr., senior adviser at the U.S. Special Operations Command, which also oversees equipping and training elite Army Rangers and Air Force special operations commandos....

Army hits retention mark By Courtney HicksonJuly 19, 2004 WASHINGTON (Army News Service July 19, 2004)-- The active Army is at 100 percent mission accomplished of its retention rate for the third quarter. In addition, said Brig. Gen. Sean Byrne, chief of Military Policy, G1, said, in a media round table Friday, all 10 divisions are at or above 100- percent retention. He also said the aggregate number of the Army is 100 percent. When units have Soldiers deployed, those units often have lower retention rates, but when Soldiers return to the base those numbers rebound. Byrne said some...

Army on track to meet recruiting, retention goalsBy Sgt. 1st Class Marcia Triggs May 26, 2004 WASHINGTON (Army News Service, May 26, 2004) -- One of the Army’s most deployed divisions is on schedule to meet its retention goals for fiscal year 2004, and the rest of the Army appears to be on track as well. Media coverage -- not always favorable of the war -- has apparently not deterred America’s youth from enlisting in the armed forces. Recruiting numbers so far have surpassed expected quotas. Last week 15 Soldiers re-enlisted at Fort Drum, N.Y., boosting the numbers for...

Despite a rising tide of combat deaths and the prospect of deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan for years to come, Americans continue to volunteer for duty and are re-enlisting at record rates.

NORFOLK, Va. --Despite a rising tide of combat deaths and the prospect of deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan for years to come, Americans continue to volunteer for military service and are re-enlisting at record rates. The services believe a combination of patriotism and the economy is driving people to the military and keeping them there. "The war is not only not having a negative effect, but it is helping to reinforce the number of people who want to join," said Cmdr. John Kirby, a spokesman for the Navy's Bureau of Personnel. Even the Army National Guard, which has had 150,000...

U.S. armed forces report volunteers on the rise Despite a rising tide of combat deaths and the prospect of deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan for years to come, Americans continue to volunteer for duty and are re-enlisting at record rates. The services believe a combination of patriotism and the economy is driving people to the military and keeping them there. “The war is not only not having a negative effect, but it is helping to reinforce the number of people who want to join,” said Cmdr. John Kirby, a spokesman for the Navy’s Bureau of Personnel. Even the Army National...

WASHINGTON, March 29 — Senior American commanders and Pentagon officials are warning of an exodus of the military's most seasoned members of Special Operations to higher-paying civilian security jobs in places like Baghdad and Kabul, just as they are playing an increasingly pivotal role in combating terror and helping conduct nation-building operations worldwide. Senior enlisted members of the Army Green Berets or Navy Seals with 20 years or more experience now earn about $50,000 in base pay, and can retire with a $23,000 pension. But private security companies, whose services are in growing demand in Iraq and Afghanistan, are offering...

XX DROP IN TOP OPS XX Senior American commanders and top Pentagon officials are warning of an exodus of the military's most seasoned Special Operations forces to higher-paying civilian security jobs, the NEW YORK TIMES is planning to front on Tuesday, just as those troops are playing an increasingly pivotal role in combating terror and helping conduct stability operations around the world. Newspaper sources tell the DRUDGE REPORT, TIMES pentagon reporter Eric Schmitt will detail how senior enlisted Army Green Berets and Navy Seals with 20 years or more experience now earn about $50,000 in base pay. But private security...

BALAD, Iraq -- Talking to soldiers leaving Iraq after a year of tough duty, Gen. John Abizaid made a plea: Please don't leave the Army, too. It needs you and your combat experience in the global war on terror. Abizaid, commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Horn of Africa, made a point during a recent visit at Balad and other American outposts in Iraq first to thank departing soldiers -- and then to urge them to stay in uniform.

Saturday, February 14, 2004 With retention high, Air Force cuts re-enlistment period from 12 to 3 months By Lisa Burgess, Stars and StripesEuropean edition, Friday, February 13, 2004 ARLINGTON, Va. -- Beginning March 5, active-duty airmen will have only a three-month window during which they’ll be eligible to re-enlist, instead of the current 12 months, Air Force officials announced this week.The window will open three months before an airmen’s term of service expires, according to Master Sgt. Maria Cornelia, the Air Force’s chief of retention and bonus programs at the Pentagon.“We’re asking our members to make this life decision a...

Waves Of Soldiers Return After Year In Iraq POSTED: 10:28 p.m. EST February 1, 2004 FORT STEWART, Ga. -- The families of many Florida National Guard soldiers are celebrating the return of their loved ones, as waves of soldiers return to the United States. Nearly 100 jet-lagged Orlando soldiers from C-Company 2nd Battalion, 124th Infantry Regiment arrived at Fort Stewart late Saturday to the cheers of families and the music of an Army band. C-Company was called to active duty shortly after Christmas 2002. Seven hundred National Guard soldiers are due back from war duty, after long months of...

Up early because I've got a cold and needed some honey, lemon and tea. So as the water boils, I flip on the TV and there on C-SPAN (The "All A.N.S.W.E.R. All The Time Channel") is USMC Commandant Hagee testifying before some committee of Congress. He's speaking to a proposed eight percent increase in USMC end strength, i.e., numbers of bodies to those who don't speak "Beltway BS". And he's saying that he and the Joint Chiefs do not feel that they need that increase. In fact, as far as retention goes, in the first 3 months of the current...

Jan 20, 6:41 PM (ET) By Will Dunham WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Seeking to avert an exodus of part-time soldiers, the chief of the U.S. Army Reserve on Tuesday faulted the Army's treatment of reservists and proposed to give them a firmer notion of when they may be plucked from civilian life for active duty. The Army has been stretched thin by operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and has relied heavily on part-time Army Reserve soldiers, as well the Army National Guard. Army Reserve soldiers have complained about getting very little notice before being summoned to active duty, repeated mobilizations, and...

Chu Outlines Challenges in Management of Reserve Forces By K.L. VantranAmerican Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, Nov. 5, 2003 – Recruiting and retention has "held up nicely despite stress on the force as a whole," Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness David Chu told members of the House Armed Services Committee here today. And a survey of military personnel, active and reserve, which is done every four months, shows a "higher level of satisfaction with military life than three to four years ago," he added. "Their intentions to stay (in the military) remain strong." "The nation can be proud...

Almost a third of teachers leave the field within their first three years and half before their fifth year, according to a NCTAF report.School districts acted fast in the late 1990s when experts warned about an impending shortage of 2 million teachers. They offered hiring bonuses and housing loans and even imported teachers from as far away as the Philippines. Then, just as quickly, headlines proclaimed the shortage over, thanks to a recession that pushed new applicants into the field. As it turns out, though, it's not exactly a happy ending. For one thing, the right kinds of teachers...

                 10/2/2003 — National Guard Meets End Strength Goals FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ARLINGTON, Virginia — The Army and Air National Guard met their end strength goals for fiscal year (FY) 2003, announced Lt. Gen. H Steven Blum, chief of the National Guard Bureau today. “This is what sets us apart … the ability to recruit and retain good people,” Blum said. The Army National Guard’s programmed end strength for the fiscal year was 350,000. As of today, they have 351,091 members. The Army National Guard has achieved its end-strength mission for seven consecutive years. The Air National Guard’s...

Jack Fletcher, professor of developmental pediatrics at the University of Texas-Houston Health Science Center, said that reading and comprehension skills are essential for students to learn other subjects. "Years back, schools stopped emphasizing reading as much," Fletcher said, "and now we're realizing that if children are not reading by grade level in third grade, they remain behind even in high school." Melanie Pritchett, TEA associate commissioner for statewide initiatives, agreed that reading may not have been emphasized enough to current high schoolers. Recent test scores prove that. "Absolutely, a large part of the problem with high schools is reading comprehension,"...

Even before 9/11 and America’s global war on terrorism, U.S. military leaders argued that force levels needed to rise, or worldwide commitments needed to fall, to avoid wearing out troops and creating personnel shortfalls. Two years, two wars and two prolonged U.S. occupation forces later, the strain on forces is broader and deeper than at any time since an all-volunteer force began 30 years ago. The Bush administration has kicked the pace of operations into overdrive with the war in Iraq, on top of Afghanistan, homeland security, peacekeeping in Liberia and rising tensions on the Korean peninsula. Still, the...

03/14/03 - WASHINGTON -- The assistant secretary of the Air Force for manpower and reserve affairs has authorized the use of Stop-Loss to retain specific skills needed to meet national security objectives. Effective May 2, 43 officer and 56 enlisted specialties will be affected by Stop-Loss. "We do not take this action lightly," said Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche. "Stop-Loss is designed to preserve critical skills essential to supporting the global war on terrorism, while ensuring we're prepared to meet other contingencies." "We've implemented Stop-Loss to ensure we have the necessary skilled personnel to conduct operations,"...

DOJ: Two-Thirds of Former State Prisoners Rearrested U.S. Newswire 2 Jun 16:30 Two-Thirds of Former State Prisoners Rearrested for Serious NewCrimesTo: National Desk Contact: U.S. Dept. of Justice Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), 202-307-0784; stu@ojp.usdoj.gov After hours contact: Stu Smith, 301-983-9354, stu219@hotmail.com WASHINGTON, June 2 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Sixty-seven percent of former inmates released from state prisons in 1994 committed at least one serious new crime within the following three years, the Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) announced today. This was a rearrest rate 5 percent higher than that among prisoners released during 1983. State prisoners with the...

Merit Retention & Mandatory RetirementOf Justices Of the Supreme Court Merit retention is a system of selecting Justices established by the voters when they amended the Florida Constitution in the 1970s. Under merit retention, the Governor appoints new Justices from a list of three to six names submitted by a Judicial Nominating Commission. The Governor must select from the list. Once appointed, Justices eventually must face the voters in a "yes" or "no" vote as to whether they should remain in office. New Justices face their first merit retention vote in the next general election that occurs more than one...