Podcasts Government Federal Drive with Tom Temin Air Force to fall short of recruiting goal for first time since 1999

Air Force to fall short of recruiting goal for first time since 1999

Published: Sept. 15, 2023, 12:12 p.m.

Amid a recruiting crisis that\u2019s impacted each of the military services for the last several years, the Air Force has fared better than most. This year though, it will join the Army and Navy in failing to meet its recruiting goal \u2014 something that hasn\u2019t happened in more than two decades.\nFor the fiscal year that ends this month, the active duty Air Force will be about 10% below the recruiting targets it set for the year \u2014 it had planned to add 26,500 new airmen to the force in fiscal 2023. Figures for the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve are even bleaker: Those components will miss their recruiting targets by about 30%.\nAnother concern: The population of recruits who\u2019ve agreed to join but haven\u2019t yet been formally onboarded into military service \u2014 the \u201cdelayed entry pool\u201d \u2014 is at uncomfortably low levels.\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices