Might be old news, but via RightWingNews:
...But numbers compiled this week for the first half of fiscal 2004 show that those five combat units met, or nearly met, all retention targets for enlisted soldiers — the privates, corporals and sergeants who total 416,000 of the Army’s 490,000 active force.... The Army also met its recruiting goal of 73,800 inductees last fiscal year, and 34,000 for the first six months of this fiscal year, which began Oct. 1. "Soldiers are extremely resilient," said Col. Elton Manske, chief of the enlisted division at Army headquarters in the Pentagon. "There is absolutely no sign of a ’hollow Army.’ Soldiers are continuing to re-enlist at least at historic rates."
| That's because they're protecting their country. For the good ones, that's what they signed up to do. |
Officials attribute the soldiers’ recent votes of confidence to love of job, patriotism and cash. The Army in December created a new, $68 million pot that paid soldiers up to $10,000 to re-enlist and stay in their current unit for 12 months. Col. Manske said word of the coming bonus caused some soldiers to delay hitching up until January, causing first-quarter targets to be missed. The Army overall now stands at 99 percent of re-enlistment goals and expects to exceed 100 percent by year’s end on Sept. 30, he said. "Bonuses had a significant effect," he said. |