November 30, 2005: The U.S. Department of Defense revealed that most of the military services made their recruitment goals in October. Actually, all the active services exceeded their goals (the army by five percent). Recruiting was less successful in the reserves. The marines and army beat their goals for their reserve components, but the navy fell 11 percent short, and the air force reserves were short a third of their numbers.
The air force reservists, who operate a lot of aerial tankers and transports, have been worked particularly hard over the last three years. Most of these reservists have been mobilized at least once, and many have been sent overseas several times. While their work is not very dangerous (compared to what army and marine reservists must face), it does take you away from home, and that is not popular in the air force (which has its people do three and six month tours overseas, rather than 12 months, like the army.) |