For the first time since the advent of the all-volunteer force in 1973, each branch of the armed services set records for the number and quality of recruits who joined their ranks for the 12-month period between Oct. 1, 2008, and Sept. 30, 2009. The active Army saw 70,045 enlist during fiscal year 2009, exceeding its target of 65,000. The active Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps matched their targets, with 35,527, 31,983, and 31,413 new members respectively. The Army National Guard met its goal, with 56,071 new accessions, while all other reserve components exceeded theirs. The Army Reserve reported 36,189 new accessions, ahead of its goal of 24,598; the Navy Reserve reported 7,793 new members, with a goal of 7,743; the Air National Guard signed 10,075 new members, ahead of its goal of 9,500; the Air Force Reserve reported 8,604 new accessions, ahead of its goal of 7,863; and the Marine Corps Reserve reported 8,805 new members, ahead of its goal of 7,194. The services strive to ensure that at least 90 percent of all recruits are high school graduates. During fiscal 2009, however, 73 percent of all active-duty and 95 percent of all reserve component recruits held high school diplomas. DoD officials also noted that 96 percent of all active duty and 72 percent of all reserve component recruits scored average or above average on the Armed Forces Qualification Test – far exceeding the department’s 50-percent standard. While DoD officials acknowledge that the recession is a likely significant factor in the high numbers, bonuses and recruiting efforts also played a significant role.