Army National Guard Recruiting Stats Looking Better Following Horrendous Year

The Army National Guard is behind on its recruiting goals for this year but is bringing more people into the ranks compared to last year, the worst recruiting year since the military went to an all-volunteer force.

The service component has come up about 10% short of its goals on recruits for each month between October and February, according to internal documents reviewed by Military.com. That’s a big improvement compared to the same time frame last year in which the Army Guard came up 40% short, on average. October is the start of the military’s fiscal year.

“We’ve seen a steady increase in our recruiting abilities,” Gen. Daniel Hokanson, the National Guard’s top officer, told lawmakers at a hearing last week. “The Army National Guard is on the path to meet our end strength by the end of the year. I am not declaring victory; I am saying that …