All the services and their reserve components continue to show strong recruiting and retention efforts. Statistically, the Air National Guard fell slightly short of its goal of 855 recruits for the month of July and the Army National Guard came in at only 72 percent of its goal of 3,549. However, according to the Pentagon release, both are readjusting their recruiting drives “to meet targeted end strength” and both remain “on track to meet or exceed” annual enlisted accession goals. Indeed, as we reported the previous month, the Army Guard noted it was in “contraction mode.” The Pentagon believes all active and reserve components will meet their recruiting quotas and end strength goals for Fiscal 2009.
President Donald Trump’s nominee for Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff touted his highly unusual background for the job as an asset and reaffirmed his commitment to stay apolitical during a confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee on April 1.