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Army Recruiting Falls Short Again

War, better jobs elsewhere trigger shortfall

By Sam Biddle, Newser Staff

Posted Jul 10, 2007 5:06 AM CDT

(Newser) – For the second month in a row, the army has failed to meet its recruitment quota. Only 7,000 new soldiers signed up in June—15% short of the 8,400-recruit goal. The recruitment quota came up 7% short in May. "We're not taking this lightly," said an Army spokesman.

The shortfalls, in the midst of a Pentagon attempt to beef up both the Army and Marine Corps, are being blamed on increasing dissatisfaction with the war in Iraq, a strong economy that offers better alternative job prospects, and the fact that seven out of 10 would-be recruits are failing to meet military standards for weight and education.

U.S. Marine Corps recruiter Staff Sgt. Patrick McClung administers a written test to high school student Todd Farris, 17, at his office in Fairfax, Virginia, on December 14, 2004. McClung was trying t (KRT Photos)

Recent teenagers recruited by U.S. Marine Corps recruiter Staff Sgt. Patrick McClung at his office in Fairfax, Virginia. (KRT Photos)

Army recruiter Sgt. Keinet Williams, right, talks with student David Liston, center, about signing up during a visit to Mt. Diablo High School in Concord, California. Liston's brother-in-law is in the (KRT Photos)

Army recruiters hand out pamplets like this when visiting schools and out recruiting in the community. (KRT Photos)

U.S. Marine Corps recruiter Staff Sgt. Patrick McClung speaks to an English class at Robinson High School in Fairfax, Virginia, on December 14, 2004. (KRT Photos)

U.S. Army Swears In Recruits In Times Square (Getty Images)

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Army Recruiting Falls Short Again

War, better jobs elsewhere trigger shortfall

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