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Army misses recruiting goal in May

The Army failed to make its May recruiting goal, the first time since last September that it came up short, the Pentagon announced Monday. But despite growing domestic discontent over the direction of the war in Iraq, the Marine Corps signed up 560 more recruits last month than it had hoped to enlist.

The Army enlisted only 5,101 of the 5,500 recruits it wanted to bring on board, or 93 percent. The Marines did far better, percentage-wise, signing up 134 percent of its goal of 1,665. The Navy and Air Force both met their goals for May — 2,709 and 2,451 recruits, respectively.

Despite coming up short last month, the Army is 2,000 recruits ahead of its overall year-to-date goal at this point, the Pentagon said.

But the Army National Guard once again fell short of its monthly goal, signing up only 88 percent of the 6,403 it had hoped to attract. That figure was down from April’s 89 percent. The Air National Guard’s May figures also lagged April’s. The Air Guard successfully recruited only 77 percent of its goal of 955, down from its 84 percent figure for April.

Two reserve components rallied following shaky April showings. The Army Reserve reached 106 percent of its recruiting goal — a total of 3,929 recruits — compared with April’s 81 percent. The Navy brought in 105 percent of its May goal of 866 recruits, well above April’s 94 percent.

The other two components continued strong April showings. The Marine Corps Reserve was down slightly in May compared with April but still well above goal, pulling in 111 percent — 937 recruits — compared with its 124 percent showing last month. And the Air Force Reserve successfully recruited 675 troops, 104 percent of its goal, which bettered its 100 percent mark in April.

The Defense Department provided no active-duty retention figures, saying only that the services all met or exceeded their goals. Reserve retention figures, which lag the active branches by one month, were also not provided, except for the Army National Guard and Air National Guard. They reached 108 percent and 99 percent, respectively, of their cumulative goals, and their individual total end strength figures are 100 percent and 99 percent, respectively.

Losses in the other four reserve components are “well within acceptable limits,” the Pentagon said.