Shocking statistics anyone?
The May enlistment figures will be released on the 10th, but the end of April end strength figures have been released. They always lag one month.
April 30, DOD active duty strength was 1,392,394.
Down 41,498 in 9 months. Down 9 months in a row.
The Navy lost 1,243. USNAV is now understrength.
USAF lost 2,129. USAF is now understrength.
USMC and the Coast Guard both added 40 men.
Army end strength was 490,472. Down 9 out of the last 10 months, and April 2005 was the largest decline. The decline is accelerating.
Army end strength authorization was just recently increased 10,000 to 512,400 plus a 30,000 man supplement to bring it to 542,400.
The active duty United States Army is now 51,928 men below the level DOD and Congress have mandated to sustain current military operations. The Army is short more than 3 Infantry Divisions.
Maybe 8 enlistment bonus increases in 60 days were not enough. After all this is America, we can solve any problem by throwing enough money at it - even if the problem is preserving Liberty.
Right?
uw |
