The just released May recruiting numbers show that the Air National Guard recorded its weakest month so far this fiscal year, making only 77 percent of its goal of 955 accessions. The Air Guard has fallen short of its goals for the last four months. Both the active and reserve numbers are down for the Army. The other services met or exceeded—in the case of the Marine Corps—their goals for the past month. According to the Pentagon, the Air Guard’s strong retention is keeping it at 99 percent of its end strength.
Trainees in Basic Military Training and technical school no longer have the option to try alternate PT drills if they fail an initial assessment, according to a policy change the Air Force made in April. The move is part of a larger shift out of the classroom and into hands-on,…