Recruiting Update

Lefties and libertarians routinely slander our military as unintelligent, unemployable and disproportionately drawn from minority communities. They also disparage the prospects for military recruiting. I've repeatedly shown both are wrong--our recruits resemble the rest of America, albeit better educated and more fit, and military service recruiting has been steady and successful.

So how's military recruiting and retention now? Just fine. For fiscal year 2009, which ended last September:

All four services met or exceeded their [active duty] recruiting goals for fiscal 2009.

-The Army had 70,045 accessions, making 108 percent of its 65,000 goal.

-The Navy had 35,527 accessions, making 100 percent of its 35,500 goal.

-The Marine Corps had 31,413 accessions, making 100 percent of its 31,400 goal.

-The Air Force had 31,983 accessions, making 100 percent of its 31,980 goal.

Active Duty Retention. Retention was successful for all services in fiscal 2009.

Reserve Forces Recruiting for Fiscal 2009. All six Reserve components met or exceeded their goals for fiscal 2009.

-The Army National Guard had 56,071 accessions, making 100 percent of its 56,000 goal and the Army Reserve had 36,189 accessions, making 105 percent of its 34,598 goal.

-The Navy Reserve had 7,793 accessions, making 101 percent of its 7,743 goal.

-The Marine Corps Reserve had 8,805 accessions, making 122 percent of its 7,194 goal.

-The Air National Guard had 10,075 accessions, making 106 percent of its 9,500 goal, and the Air Force Reserve had 8,604 accessions, making 109 percent of its 7,863 goal.

Reserve Attrition. Losses in all Reserve components are among the best in recent years.

In July 2010, the most recent month for which figures are available, only the Marine Corps missed its active duty recruiting target, and only by one percent, and only the Army National Guard and Marine Reserves fell significantly below reserve recruiting goals (likely because most recruits want to serve immediately).

Why don't we hear more about this? Well, complaints about recruits and recruiting have abated somewhat -- its signature outrage was in 2006 -- partly because such missiles no longer can be aimed at George W. Bush. But it's also because the current recession and high unemployment make the military even more attractive. This is especially true because military pay has risen far faster than civilian compensation. And the benefits are better too.

Suddenly, some lefties look at Defense as just another jobs program--the stimulus package in uniform (presuming the stimulus worked). Though not former Labor Secretary Robert Reich--he would rather fund "things we really need" such as "light-rail trains" and "non-carbon energy sources".

Personally, I prefer national security. Guns and butter aren't necessarily incompatible--though guns and goofy green schemes may well be.

(via Carpe Diem)