Eight 
months into the fiscal year, the Air Force’s Total Force is right on track to meeting its recruiting goals for Fiscal 2102, according to the Pentagon’s newest recruiting statistics. Released on June 29, the data show that the Air Force’s Active Duty component, the Air National Guard, and Air Force Reserve have all met or exceeded their fiscal-year-to-date numerical accession goals through May. The Active Duty component brought in 18,952 accessions through May, matching its goal. Meanwhile, the Air Guard attracted 5,669 new recruits, four more than its target. The Reserve met its goal by accepting 5,691 accessions. Across the US military, only the Army National Guard fell short of meeting or exceeding its year-to-date goal through May. (See also our coverage of April’s recruiting figures.) (For more on the Air Force’s recruiting efforts, read 21st Century Recruiting from Air Force Magazine’s June issue.)
Since President Donald Trump first unveiled his “Golden Dome” missile defense initiative in late January, much of the focus for it has been focused on space—how the Pentagon may deploy dozens, if not hundreds, of sensors and interceptors into orbit to protect the continental U.S. from missile barrages. But the Air…