It is hard work to meet those goals. I suspect it has ALWAYS been hard work.
I know they struggled back in the Seventies...lot of pressure on those recruiters...I know because I spent several weeks working with them after I got out of A School...cush duty...for me at least.
I disagree that is has to do with the method of prosecution of the war...I think it has more to do with the nature of the military, and the constant negativism from the MSM outlets.
I spent many hours parading around for same.