Army downplaying concerns about overstressed force.

• Author: Erwin, Sandra I.
• Position: National Guard

Seeking to slow down momentum on Capitol Hill to increase the size of the Army by at least 20,000 troops, top service officials recently offered a surprisingly upbeat outlook on troop retention and recruiting.

Army officials said that, despite news reports to the contrary, the Reserves and National Guard are not likely to see mass departures as a result of dangerous and extended tours in Iraq.

"It is counterintuitive," acknowledged Lt. Gen. James R. Helmly, chief of Army Reserve.

As of late July, the active-duty Army met 101 percent of its recruiting goals for fiscal year 2004, and Reserve recruiting is at 102 percent, while the National Guard is at 88 percent, the Army reported.

Fiscal year 2004 retention is above 101 percent for the active-duty Army, 99 percent for Reserves and 100 percent for the National Guard. The healthy numbers seen in 2004, however, may take a downturn in the years ahead, cautioned the chief of staff. Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker. He told lawmakers at a July hearing that he expected the 2005 and 2006 recruiting and retention to be a "challenge."

Many news accounts have reported growing unhappiness among reservists and guardsmen who have seen their tours of duty in Iraq extended. Despite the lengthy deployments and hazardous duties. the force is highly motivated, Helmly told Pentagon reporters.

"They don't question our motives and the need for their being there, and they're proud of what they're doing," Helmly said.

Lt. Gen. H Steven Blum, chief of the National Guard, also was optimistic. "We're having better success reenlisting our experienced soldiers, some of whom have now been on active duty as much as two years, with one year boots on the ground in a combat zone," he told reporters. At the same news conference, Schoomaker said that although the service will be growing by 30,000 soldiers during the next three years, he does not believe the Army should increase its...