Data from the last month of the fiscal year did little to change the overall military recruiting picture for 2005. The Army still came up short—way short, recruiting nearly 6,700 less than its active duty goal of 80,000. The Air Force recruited 300 more than its goal of 18,900, while the Navy and Marine Corps each came close enough to claim a round 100 percent. For the Air Force, the recruiting pinch showed up in the Air National Guard, which was slightly more than 1,400 short—86 percent—of its 10,272 goal. However, the Army Guard and Army Reserve fared much worse, reaching only 80 percent and 84 percent, respectively. ANG officials say that the Air Guard’s higher than anticipated retention of current members more than offsets the recruiting statistic—meaning ANG has no shortage of personnel.
The Air Force ramped up operations and maintenance spending to keep its F-35A fighters flying over the past six years, but readiness continues to lag behind goals, according to a new report from the Government Accountability Office.