Army, in tough slog, hits recruiting goal

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The U.S. Army, which has done some of the toughest and longest fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, has met its recruiting and retention goals for active-duty soldiers in the fiscal year that ends today.

The Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps also achieved those goals at a time when the 1.4-million-person armed forces is under intense deployment pressures because of the global war on terrorism.

The Army did suffer setbacks in the government's fiscal 2004. The National Guard will miss its recruiting goal of 56,000. It had signed up only 43,827 by Aug. 31. Critics say frequent call-ups and 12-month deployments are driving prospects away, but the Army cites the fact that more soldiers are being kept on active duty, which means they are not available for Guard recruiters.

On the retention front, both the Guard and Army reserves will miss targets slightly -- by 1 percent and 3 percent, respectively, the Army projects.

But overall, the Army brass say they are pleased at 100 percent-plus retention rates for enlisted active-duty soldiers, especially in its 10 active-combat divisions, which have seen some of the bloodiest combat in Iraq cities such as Najaf, Baghdad and Sammara. The goal of retaining 56,100 will be exceeded by about 800 soldiers.

On new recruits heading to basic training, the target of 77,000 was exceeded 10 days ago by a margin of 47 inductees.

"It goes completely against the conventional wisdom. But it's true," said Lt. Col. Bryan Hilferty, an Army spokesman at the Pentagon. "We understand that we need to continue to show good leadership and focus resources to get citizens to enlist and to re-enlist. But we're doing it."

Democratic presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry and other party members have contended that the war is putting so much stress on the force that President Bush will be forced to reinstitute the draft -- a scenario denied by Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld.

Keeping the Army ranks filled comes with financial and manpower costs.

The Army has relied on a procedure known as "stop-loss" to keep soldier specialists on active duty who might otherwise return to civilian life. It also has recalled soldiers from the Individual Ready Reserve to increase overall manpower levels.