M
ilitary recruiters are doing a bang up job—or perhaps it is fears over the economy—so far in what defense officials initially thought would be a tough year. Each service and reserve component, except for the Army Reserve at 99 percent, met or exceeded its goal for the month of June, according to the latest statistics released by the Pentagon. For the Air National Guard, June turned into the fifth straight month it exceeded its goal; its recruiters delivered 143 more recruits over the goal of 767 for the month. Both the active Air Force and Air Force Reserve achieved 100 percent of their goals.
F-35As from the Vermont Air National Guard have deployed to Puerto Rico in recent days, continuing a major buildup of U.S. Air Force assets in Latin America aimed at combating drug trafficking and pressuring the regime of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.
