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’09 retention goals cut by more than 15%

The Army has scaled back by 10,500 its retention goal for the year, officials said March 24.

The goal is now 55,000 instead of 65,500.

This is the first time, at least since 2001, that the Army has decreased its retention goals midway through the year, said Master Sgt. Patrick Johnson, the retention operations noncommissioned officer in the Army G-1.

Officials credit healthy recruiting and re-enlistment rates for adjusting this year’s goal.

As of Feb. 28, just five months into the fiscal year, the Army logged more than 41,200 re-enlistments, 75 percent of the annual goal.

In one example of high retention rates, officials at the 4th Infantry Division announced in March that they have met their retention goals for the year, retaining 3,154 soldiers. That’s 132 percent of the division’s goal of 2,383.

The Army’s retention goal was 65,000 in fiscal 2008 and 62,200 the year before. Officials report that in fiscal 2008, the Army retained 73,913 soldiers, 114 percent of the goal. In 2007 69,777 soldiers stayed in the Army, 112 percent of the goal.

The Army has achieved its target end strength of 547,400, three years ahead of schedule, and the goal now is to maintain the force and control its growth, said Lt. Col. Tom Erickson, chief of enlisted professional development policy for G-1.

“We’re easing off the accelerator,” he said.