Murtha's Musings Don't Undermine Enlistment Rates

So, it would appear that Rep. John Murtha's repeated comments have not had their intended effect on those enlisting in the US Military. The US Army exceeded its goals for the seventh straight month. And the other branches also met or exceeded their recruitment goals.

The Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps also exceeded their monthly recruiting goals — which were all two to three times the Army's number. All four military services also met or exceeded their reenlistment goals for the month.

According to the Pentagon, the Army recruited 741 soldiers in December, 6 percent more than its goal. The Navy recruited 2,022, just 1 percent more than its goal; the Air Force recruited 2,209, also 1 percent more than its goal; and the Marine Corps recruited 1,717, 6 percent more than its goal.

Four of the military reserves met or exceeded their recruitment goals. The Navy Reserve and the Air National Guard have been routinely falling short of their targets in recent months.