Chapter 5 - Characteristics of Selected Reserve Accessions

FY 2001 Reserve Component recruiting results for NPS and prior service gains and assigned end-strengths are shown in Table 5.1. In FY 2001, the Reserve Components recruited 156,428 enlisted persons compared to the Active Component's 182,976. The ARNG has the largest Reserve Component recruiting program, followed by the Army Reserve (USAR). The ARNG recruited 33,405 NPS enlistees, about 12,600 more than the USAR. The ARNG also recruited about 4,500 more prior service recruits than the USAR.

Selected Reserve recruiting achievements decreased by approximately 3,300 enlisted accessions from FY 2000 to FY 2001 (from 159,687 to 156,428). The USNR, ANG and USAFR experienced an increase in enlisted accession while all other components experienced a decrease.

Due to differences in mission and force structure, the size of recruit cohorts by component varied greatly. Therefore, comparisons between the Reserve Components percentages must be interpreted with care. The Army Components—the ARNG and USAR—had the largest Selected Reserve recruit cohorts, recruiting 71 percent of total Reserve Component accessions (39 and 32 percent for the ARNG and USAR, respectively) in FY 2001. The Naval Reserve (USNR) and Air Force Reserve (USAFR) had the highest proportion of prior service recruits (81 and 70 percent of their total recruiting efforts, respectively). The Marine Corps Reserve (USMCR) had the lowest proportion of recruits with past military experience (39 percent). Prior service accessions provide the Reserve Components with a more experienced personnel base, contributing to increased readiness to meet future missions.

Table 5.1. FY 2001 Selected Reserve Non-Prior Service (NPS) and Prior Service Enlisted Accessions and End-Strengths
Components	Enlisted Accessions				Enlisted End-Strength
Components	Non-Prior Service	Prior Service	Total	Prior Service Percent of Components Total	Enlisted End-Strength
Army National Guard	33,405	28,942	62,347	46.4	315,250
Army Reserve	20,801	24,461	45,262	54.0	164,760
Naval Reserve	3,652	16,002	19,654	81.4	68,872
USMC Reserve	5,845	3,704	9,549	38.8	35,881
Air National Guard	5,844	5,198	11,042	47.1	95,060
Air Force Reserve	2,603	5,971	8,574	69.6	56,819
DoD Total	72,150	84,278	156,428	53.9	736,642
Also see Appendix Tables C-1 (NPS Age by Component and Gender), C-9 (Prior Service Age by Component and Gender), and C-15 (Enlisted Member Age by Component and Gender)

The increase in availability of prior service recruits, a temporary phenomenon due to the larger number of active duty members leaving service during the drawdown, ended in the late 1990s. The result is fewer prior service individuals from which the Reserve Components can recruit. In fact, the more successful the Military Services are in retaining active duty members, the smaller the prior service pool becomes. Thus, the Reserve Components must recruit NPS individuals, in direct competition with the Active Components. The numerical effects of the drawdown, changes in the Reserve mission with increased combat risks due to an increased operating tempo (OpTempo), as well as quality of life and compensation issues have made Reserve recruiting difficult as we enter the 21^st century. Potential recruits are likely to find combat risk, family hardships, and financial losses during a mobilization more important in the Reserve participation decision today and in the future.[Footnote 3]

[Footnote 3] Asch, B.J., Reserve Supply in the Post-Desert Storm Recruiting Environment (Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 1993), p. 5. [back to paragraph]