Armed Forces News

Responding to a National Guard Bureau survey (previous item), Pentagon spokesman Army Lt. Col. Dan Stoneking said, “First, this is a ‘voluntary’ survey. If you have a survey at a dining facility about the food, who is going to fill it out?” But Stoneking said the National Guard deserves some credit for conducting the survey and anticipating problems. “This gives them time to put together a program for recruiting and retention,” he said. National Guard officials asserted that people should not overreact to the survey because it is just one tool they use to measure retention intentions, and it should not be viewed out of context. They pointed out that history indicates many soldiers who say they intend to leave the service ultimately will re-enlist once they get home and spend time with their families.