USNAviator
11-29-10, 12:58 PM
Despite hitting 202K, Corps needs recruits
By Dan Lamothe - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Nov 29, 2010 12:39:31 EST
MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. — Recruiting Command is riding a high and meeting all major goals, but it faces obstacles in coming years, including potential budget cuts and projected increases in the number of recruits needed in future years, said the two-star officer overseeing the command.
The Corps cannot get complacent with recruiting, even though it met its goal to grow the service to 202,100 active-duty Marines last year, said Maj. Gen. Robert Milstead. In fact, with tens of thousands of Marines who joined the service during its initial wave of growth in 2007 and 2008 expected to leave after their four-year contracts expire, the Corps likely will need more recruits in 2011 than it has in years.
“We’re into a steady state, but the funny thing is, it’s not intuitive but our mission is higher,” Milstead said during a recent interview in his office. “People go, ‘You’re at 202. What’s the deal?’ But that whole small farm animal that the snake consumed in 2007 and 2008 hits four years, and so you have to come back.”
The Corps brought in 38,217 recruits in fiscal 2006, before the 202K push began. That number mushroomed to 40,890 in 2007 and 42,226 in 2008, but it dropped to 37,114 in 2009 and 33,887 last year, as the Corps hit the brakes on growing the service. The goal will increase again to about 37,330 in fiscal 2011 and 41,500 in 2012, Milstead said.
That means added pressure on recruiters to meet mission, but the Corps begins 2011 with deep pools of potential recruits from which to choose. Even the most highly qualified recruits currently wait six to eight months before they’re shipped to boot camp, Marine officials said.
The Corps is confident enough it can meet the larger mission that it will cut 75 recruiters in both 2011 and 2012, after cutting 134 recruiter billets in 2010. The billets will be transferred to other parts of the Corps as part of an earlier plan to temporarily increase the recruiting force by 600 Marines to help with the 202K build. Recruiting command will keep the other 316 recruiters added before the 202K push to ease pressure on recruiters. There are about 3,100 recruiters across the service, said Maj. John Caldwell, a command spokesman.
By Dan Lamothe - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Nov 29, 2010 12:39:31 EST
MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. — Recruiting Command is riding a high and meeting all major goals, but it faces obstacles in coming years, including potential budget cuts and projected increases in the number of recruits needed in future years, said the two-star officer overseeing the command.
The Corps cannot get complacent with recruiting, even though it met its goal to grow the service to 202,100 active-duty Marines last year, said Maj. Gen. Robert Milstead. In fact, with tens of thousands of Marines who joined the service during its initial wave of growth in 2007 and 2008 expected to leave after their four-year contracts expire, the Corps likely will need more recruits in 2011 than it has in years.
“We’re into a steady state, but the funny thing is, it’s not intuitive but our mission is higher,” Milstead said during a recent interview in his office. “People go, ‘You’re at 202. What’s the deal?’ But that whole small farm animal that the snake consumed in 2007 and 2008 hits four years, and so you have to come back.”
The Corps brought in 38,217 recruits in fiscal 2006, before the 202K push began. That number mushroomed to 40,890 in 2007 and 42,226 in 2008, but it dropped to 37,114 in 2009 and 33,887 last year, as the Corps hit the brakes on growing the service. The goal will increase again to about 37,330 in fiscal 2011 and 41,500 in 2012, Milstead said.
That means added pressure on recruiters to meet mission, but the Corps begins 2011 with deep pools of potential recruits from which to choose. Even the most highly qualified recruits currently wait six to eight months before they’re shipped to boot camp, Marine officials said.
The Corps is confident enough it can meet the larger mission that it will cut 75 recruiters in both 2011 and 2012, after cutting 134 recruiter billets in 2010. The billets will be transferred to other parts of the Corps as part of an earlier plan to temporarily increase the recruiting force by 600 Marines to help with the 202K build. Recruiting command will keep the other 316 recruiters added before the 202K push to ease pressure on recruiters. There are about 3,100 recruiters across the service, said Maj. John Caldwell, a command spokesman.