Recruiting, retention stay high throughout services Published Dec. 15, 2010 WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- Recruitment and retention remained high throughout the services for the first two months of the fiscal year, with only the Air National Guard missing its accessions goal, according to numbers released by Pentagon officials Dec. 15. All four active-duty services met or exceeded their numerical accession and retention goals for October and November. The number of new recruits is 14,108 for the Army, 4,807 for the Navy, 4,785 for the Air Force, and 4,447 for the Marine Corps. The numbers reflect 100 percent of the recruitment goal for the Air Force, the Navy, and the Marine Corps, and 102 percent for the Army. All four of the active-duty services also met or exceeded their goals for retaining members during October and November. Five of the six reserve components met or exceeded their recruitment goals, with the Marine Corps Reserve coming in the highest with 1,953 accessions, or 124 percent of its goal. The Army Reserve brought in 111 percent of its goal with 5,514 accessions, while the Army National Guard brought in 108 percent of its goal with 9,563 accessions. The Navy Reserve maintained 100 percent of its goal by bringing on board 1,305 accessions, and the Air Force Reserve had 1,524 accessions, or 101 percent of its goal. The Air National Guard fell short of its goal of 1,203 accessions by having 1,048 new recruits, or 87 percent of its goal. National Guard Bureau spokesman Rick Breitenfeldt said the miss was intentional, because the Air National Guard has been over its authorized end strength for a couple years. "What they're trying do here is realign themselves with where they need to be, which is 106,700 (Airmen)," he said. "What they've not done yet is readjust the (accessions) goal." All of the reserve components were considered to be within acceptable limits of attrition, officials said. (Courtesy of American Forces Press Service)