WASHINGTON, July 10 (Reuters) - The U.S. Army, strained by the war in Iraq, fell nearly 1,400 recruits short in June, the Pentagon said on Tuesday, marking the second straight month the military's largest branch missed its target for new soldiers. The active-duty Army recruited 7,031 soldiers in June, missing its goal of 8,400. That followed a shortfall in May, when the Army signed up 5,101 recruits, below its goal of 5,500. Other active-duty branches of the U.S. military met or exceeded goals, according to Pentagon data. For example, the Marine Corps, which too has been strained by deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, recruited 4,113 new Marines, exceeding its goal of 3,742 for June. Of the reserve forces, all except the Air National Guard met or exceeded monthly recruiting targets, the Defense Department said. Defense officials, speaking on Monday ahead of the release of the June figures, called the Army's shortfall troubling. June is typically a strong recruiting month, given the timing of high school graduation in the United States. Pentagon polling data has shown parental support for recruitment has declined. If the downward trend continues at current rates, the Army could miss its annual target of 80,000 new soldiers for the current fiscal year, ending Sept. 30. The Army last missed annual recruiting goals in fiscal years 2005 and 1999.
