Likely due to the still shaky economy, the military services are continuing to reap recruiting dividends following a banner year in 2009. In the first month of the new fiscal year, according to the latest statistics released by the Pentagon last week, all the services and their reserve components achieved a hundred percent or better toward their enlisted recruiting goals for the month of October. And active duty retention remains on target; there was no corresponding information on reserve retention.
After nearly a yearlong vacancy, the Air Force has a Vice Chief of Staff once more. The Senate confirmed Gen. John D. Lamontagne to the service’s No. 2 job on Jan. 30 in an uncontroversial voice vote, along with a new head of U.S. Southern Command and five Air Force three-stars.


