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OTTAWA - Special forces units including Canada's Joint Task Force 2 and the British Special Air Service are hiking pay in an effort to stem the flow of skilled personnel to private security firms. Soldiers with the Ottawa-based JTF2 will see their financial compensation -- which is not technically part of their salary -- boosted through various means this year in recognition of their skills and the hardships they face on the job, such as in Afghanistan. Several weeks ago, British military leaders approved a 50% pay raise for those serving in the special forces, the Special Air Service and...

LOUISVILLE — The Presbyterian Church (USA) has launched a campaign to slow the rate of decline to 5 percent, according to the denomination. "People at the grass roots need hope and motivation," says a spokesman. "This is a positive goal we can all get behind." The Minus 5 Campaign aims to lower the attrition rate in spite of the denomination's continued struggle with moral issues, which has led to even greater exodus of members. Instead of losing 12 to 15 percent of members every decade, the group will now "work in great unity and joy to lose only five percent."...

Recruiting and retention rates released today demonstrate that young people see military service as a viable career option and, once they join, they want to continue serving, Defense Department officials said today. Active-duty statistics for March reflect continued across-the-board success for the 10th consecutive month, Air Force Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke, a Pentagon spokesman, told American Forces Press Service. Krenke said the numbers prove that recruitment-age men and women aren't dissuaded by the possibility of combat duty and want to serve in the U.S. armed forces. More than 13,000 people joined the active services during March alone, almost 5,400 of...

WASHINGTON, April 9 — Young Army officers, including growing numbers of captains who leave as soon as their initial commitment is fulfilled, are bailing out of active-duty service at rates that have alarmed senior officers. Last year, more than a third of the West Point class of 2000 left active duty at the earliest possible moment, after completing their five-year obligation. It was the second year in a row of worsening retention numbers, apparently marking the end of a burst of patriotic fervor during which junior officers chose continued military service at unusually high rates. Mirroring the problem among West...

CAMP TAJI, Iraq (Army News Service, April 6, 2006) – More than 90 days into the Combat Aviation Brigade’s deployment, the number of Soldiers reenlisting and the amount of bonus money awarded to those Soldiers places the CAB’s Retention Office at the top of the Ironhorse Division. Aviation brigade Soldiers have garnered more than $4.6 million in bonus money since the unit deployed in November 2005. According to career counselor Sgt. Preston Williams, the brigade is expected to reach $5 million by next month. Reaching such a significant milestone is a testament to the efforts of brigade and battalion retention...

WASHINGTON, March 10, 2006 – Recruiting and retention statistics released today reflect continued across-the-board success and continuation of a nine-month trend, officials said. A top Pentagon official called that a testament to hard work by recruiters and broad public respect for the military in light of the economic boom under way. "February, in recruiting, was another really solid month," said Bill Carr, deputy undersecretary of defense for military personnel policy, during an interview with the Pentagon Channel. In active-duty recruiting, the Army achieved 102 percent of its February goal, bringing more than 6,100 soldiers into the force. The Navy and...

WASHINGTON, Feb. 10, 2006 – All the military services exceeded their recruiting goals for January - a trend that's continued for eight consecutive months, Defense Department officials announced today. The January figures reflect continued recruiting successes since last June, Air Force Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke, a Pentagon spokesperson, told American Forces Press Service. "These successes are helping the services build the momentum they need as they approach the springtime months, which are traditionally slower times for recruiting," she said. Recruiting typically rebounds again during the summer months, following high school graduations, Krenke noted. During January, the Army recruited 8,337 new...

The Associated Press Drug use, weight problems and parenthood have been taking their toll on the military in the past three years, since the war on terror began, according to newly released Pentagon data. Documents released to The Associated Press under the Freedom of Information Act indicate the number of enlisted personnel leaving the military each year has increased from 8.7% in 2002 to 10.5% last year. Enlisted losses — including people whose enlistments had expired — increased from 118,206 in 2002 to more than 137,465 last year, while officer losses have increased from 5,619 in 2002 to more than...

Active duty recruiting. The Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force met or exceeded its recruiting goals in August. Active duty retention. All services met or exceeded their overall retention goals for August and are projected to meet their retention goals for the current fiscal year. Reserve forces recruiting. Three of the six reserve components, Marine Corps Reserve, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, met or exceeded their August recruiting goals. The Navy Reserve numbers are unavailable due to system failures as a result of Hurricane Katrina. Reserve forces retention. For August, Army National Guard retention was 103 percent...

In fact it is just about impossible for the Army to meet year-end goals. The successes of June and July are really noteworthy only for not adding to the year-end shortfalls. Having written that, it is easy to miss the forest for the trees when looking at these numbers. From the same source, we learn that retention is a completely different story: Active-duty retention during July remained high, with all services meeting or exceeding their overall retention goals for the month, and expected to meet their goals for the fiscal year. This is fantastic news, and should really be the...

WASHINGTON, Aug. 10, 2005 – A fresh supply of recent high school graduates, more recruiters and more enticing enlistment incentives are being credited with the Army's second straight successful month of meeting its recruiting goals, according to the Defense Department's acting deputy undersecretary for military personnel policy. Bill Carr offered his assessment today as the Defense Department released statistics reflecting all four services' recruiting and retention figures for July. The Army, Marine Corps and Air Force met or exceeded their goals for the month, and the Navy achieved 99 percent of its July goal, DoD officials reported. The Army recruited...

With all the commentary, protests and Monday morning quarter-backing taking place on a daily basis regarding the Iraq war, I was struck by a USA Today report about the Army's re-enlistment rates. It turns out that soldier re-enlistment rates are one-third higher than the Army's target. The report attributes the increased numbers to better monetary bonuses and to "a renewed sense of purpose in fighting terrorism."I'm curious how much air time this particular report will receive in the mainstream media today and this week. "The biggest thing is that soldiers believe in what they are doing," said. Col. Debbra...

The Department of Defense announced today its recruiting and retention statistics by the active and reserve components for the month of June. Active duty recruiting. The Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force met or exceeded their recruiting goals in June.

BRAC commissioners worry about retention in guard, reserves By Megan Scully, CongressDaily Members of the Base Realignment and Closure Commission questioned Pentagon leaders Monday about their recommendation to consolidate National Guard and Reserve bases around the country, stating that such a move might exacerbate the force's recruitment and retention problems. The decision, made as part of the 2005 base closure and realignment round, could strain some troops' ability to report for weekend drill duties, commission members told Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Richard Myers during a hearing on Capitol Hill. "I really think you're going...

The Army Reserve is facing what it calls an "extreme" shortage of officers amid Iraq's increasingly violent insurgency, and so far has refused to accept many resignations. Captains especially are in short supply, and are critical because they lead companies — groups of 100 to 200 soldiers that are the linchpin of combat operations. The Reserve also is losing entry-level officers, the first and second lieutenants that form the military's cadre of younger officers. "Obviously we're concerned," Army Reserve spokesman Steve Stromvall said Friday. "The numbers are not that bad right now if you look at it overall, but we...

California's Republican governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, is trying to keep his state's military installations out of the Pentagon's sights during next year's round of base closures. Schwarzenegger this week appointed an 18-member council to advise state and local communities as well as coordinate with the California congressional delegation on base closing and retention issues. And in case the recommended strategies don't work, the council will also recommend ways of mitigating the adverse effects of closing or downsizing bases. The council is to be chaired by Leon E. Panetta, former chief of staff to President Bill Clinton and a former House member...

My wife takes the credit for this one. The US Armed Service retention numbers are high. Are there any projections, based on those who are now serving, what the numbers would be if Kerry were elected?

WASHINGTON - Just when the U.S. military needs them most, senior Green Berets, Navy SEALs and other elite forces are leaving for higher-paying jobs. After getting years of training and experience in the military, they leave for other government jobs or for what defense officials said Tuesday has been an explosion in outside contractor work. "What makes them so valuable to us makes them highly marketable on the outside," said Chief Master Sgt. Robert V. Martens Jr., senior adviser at the U.S. Special Operations Command, which also oversees equipping and training elite Army Rangers and Air Force special operations commandos....

Army hits retention mark By Courtney HicksonJuly 19, 2004 WASHINGTON (Army News Service July 19, 2004)-- The active Army is at 100 percent mission accomplished of its retention rate for the third quarter. In addition, said Brig. Gen. Sean Byrne, chief of Military Policy, G1, said, in a media round table Friday, all 10 divisions are at or above 100- percent retention. He also said the aggregate number of the Army is 100 percent. When units have Soldiers deployed, those units often have lower retention rates, but when Soldiers return to the base those numbers rebound. Byrne said some...

Army on track to meet recruiting, retention goalsBy Sgt. 1st Class Marcia Triggs May 26, 2004 WASHINGTON (Army News Service, May 26, 2004) -- One of the Army’s most deployed divisions is on schedule to meet its retention goals for fiscal year 2004, and the rest of the Army appears to be on track as well. Media coverage -- not always favorable of the war -- has apparently not deterred America’s youth from enlisting in the armed forces. Recruiting numbers so far have surpassed expected quotas. Last week 15 Soldiers re-enlisted at Fort Drum, N.Y., boosting the numbers for...