The active and reserve components are maintaining their recruiting and retention numbers right where they want in the new fiscal year, according to the Pentagon. Like the October results, November data show all the active duty branches at or above 100 percent in meeting their enlisted recruiting goals. And, while the Air and Army National Guard, alone of the reserve components, were significantly below their advertised goals, Pentagon officials say the Guard components had to adjust their efforts downward to prevent exceeding their authorized strengths. Air Force Reserve Command topped the list, bringing in 166 percent of its goal of 457 recruits. (Pentagon release)
The Air Force wants to pump more than $12 billion over the next five years into its new affordable long-range missiles program and recently asked industry to push the flights of some of those munitions beyond 1,200 miles.