U.S. National Guard Misses its Recruiting Target by 30% for 2 Straight Months

[Ant]

WASHINGTON -- In the latest signs of strains on the military from the war in Iraq, the Army National Guard has failed for two straight months to meet its recruiting quotas, falling about 30 percent below its overall target since Oct. 1. In response, the Guard announced an array of new incentives, including re-enlistment bonuses of up to $15,000.

In addition, the head of the National Guard Bureau, Lt. Gen. H. Steven Blum, said on Thursday he needed $20 billion to replace arms and equipment destroyed in Iraq or Afghanistan or left there for other Army and Air Guard units to use, so that returning reservists will have enough equipment to deal with emergencies at home.

The sharp decline in recruiting is significant because National Guard and Army Reserve soldiers now make up nearly 40 percent of the 148,000 troops in Iraq.   

[Jimmy Cash2120]

nobody wants to go to war