Enlisted recruiting and retention data released for May show that the Air Force and its reserve components met or exceeded their accession goals. The Air Force met its goal of 2,227 accessions, while the Air National Guard acquired 71 more recruits than its goal of 475. The Air Force Reserve accepted 79 more than its goal of 695. Overall, the Army, Marine Corps, and Navy also met or exceeded their accession targets. Only the Army National Guard fell short of its stated target, by 673 new recruits. But even this shortfall was intentional, as the land component purposely slowed accessions as it is currently ahead in its year-to-date recruiting program.
An F-16 Fighting Falcon assigned to the Texas Air National Guard’s 149th Fighter Wing crashed during a training mission in Michigan on Sept. 17. The fighter's sole pilot ejected and is in stable condition at a local hospital.
