The Army National Guard will fall 5,000 soldiers short of its recruiting goal this year, in part because fewer in the active-duty force are switching to part-time service, knowing how frequently Guard units are being dispatched to war zones, the Guard's top general said Thursday.  It will be the first time since 1994 that the Guard has missed its sign-up goal.  Army Lt. Gen. H. Steven Blum, chief of theNational Guard Bureau, said in an Associated Press interview that he's concerned by the shortfall but believes it will not be a long-term trend. [more ]

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