Spring Break
For U.S. military, bad economy aids recruiting
Anne Gearan - Associated Press
Issue date: 1/20/09 Section: News
WASHINGTON - Uncle Sam wants you, and in a poor economy, you might want Uncle Sam, too.
The Pentagon is hiring, and having less difficulty doing so than in flush economic times. The Army and each of the other branches of the military are meeting or exceeding their goals for signing up recruits, and attracting more qualified people.
Last year was the first since 2004 that all active-duty and reserve forces met or passed recruiting goals. That's particularly notable for the Army, the service hit hardest by combat casualties in Iraq and by long and repeated overseas assignments that began in earnest in 2004. That was the first full year of combat in Iraq and the year that it became clear that the war would be much longer and bloodier than the Bush administration had expected.
Figures released last week suggest that as President-elect Barack Obama takes office, the trends that make military careers more appealing will continue. Besides the sagging employment figures in a recession, those factors include Obama's campaign pledge to pull combat forces out of Iraq in 16 months and the drop in violence there. Obama has said he will add forces in Afghanistan, but that war is unlikely to strain military manpower and money as the Iraq conflict did.
For December, the Army signed 860 new active-duty soldiers, 115 percent of its target number of 750 enlistees. The Army also met or passed goals for October and November, meaning it has done so for the entire first quarter of budget year 2009.
The Army figures are still smaller than those for other services, in part a reflection of the much more difficult task that is Army recruiting. An Army recruiter generally talks to dozens, sometimes hundreds, of young people before signing up a willing and qualified recruit.
The Pentagon is hiring, and having less difficulty doing so than in flush economic times. The Army and each of the other branches of the military are meeting or exceeding their goals for signing up recruits, and attracting more qualified people.
Last year was the first since 2004 that all active-duty and reserve forces met or passed recruiting goals. That's particularly notable for the Army, the service hit hardest by combat casualties in Iraq and by long and repeated overseas assignments that began in earnest in 2004. That was the first full year of combat in Iraq and the year that it became clear that the war would be much longer and bloodier than the Bush administration had expected.
Figures released last week suggest that as President-elect Barack Obama takes office, the trends that make military careers more appealing will continue. Besides the sagging employment figures in a recession, those factors include Obama's campaign pledge to pull combat forces out of Iraq in 16 months and the drop in violence there. Obama has said he will add forces in Afghanistan, but that war is unlikely to strain military manpower and money as the Iraq conflict did.
For December, the Army signed 860 new active-duty soldiers, 115 percent of its target number of 750 enlistees. The Army also met or passed goals for October and November, meaning it has done so for the entire first quarter of budget year 2009.
The Army figures are still smaller than those for other services, in part a reflection of the much more difficult task that is Army recruiting. An Army recruiter generally talks to dozens, sometimes hundreds, of young people before signing up a willing and qualified recruit.
Be the first to comment on this story