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Of recalled recruiters, half unable to show up

Recruiting stations got a boost in August when hundreds of soldiers who had completed their recruiting duties were called back from their current assignments for a three-month stint.

The Army had missed its recruiting goals for two months straight and more boots on the ground were needed to help meet the year-end goal of 80,000 by Sept. 30.

But of the 1,105 former recruiters notified they would be going back to their stations, some with only a few days’ notice, only about half were able to make it.

According to the Army Recruiting Command, 506 soldiers are filling the assignment, which is slated to conclude by Oct. 15.

Waivers were granted to approximately 520 soldiers for pending medical or physical evaluation boards; separation; use-or-lose leave; extreme family situations; planned leave with nonreimbursable monetary considerations; pending deployment; high-risk pregnancy or surgeries; approved retirements; soldiers with less than 12 months dwell time from a previous deployment; soldiers assigned to special duty or special units; soldiers in a 90-day reintegration period; senior noncommissioned officers filling operational billets; soldiers serving as casualty assistance officers; and those in other critical operational positions.

The recruiting assignments are being performed on temporary duty status and soldiers are scheduled to return to their home stations afterward.

The Army missed its active-duty recruiting goal by 16 percent in June, the worst showing in two years, but rebounded in July by exceeding its mission, bringing 102 percent of the monthly goal. The numbers for August are not expected to be released until early September.