Accord
ing to the latest Pentagon data, retention for active and reserve components remained strong for the month of March. Recruiting for the active forces also was on track, with all the services making at least 100 percent of their goals. However, the Air National Guard fell to 90 percent and Army Reserve to 80 percent of their respective recruiting goals for March. This is the second month in a row that ANG recruiting has come up short, yet its strong retention level—111 percent in March—continues to sustain Air Guard end strength at 99 percent.
The Pentagon’s cost estimate for the Iran War has risen to $37.5 billion, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told a congressional committee July 21—and without emergency supplemental funding, the military will have to “curtail” training to cover those costs, he added.