WASHINGTON -- The Army says it will...

WASHINGTON -- The Army says it will suitable its 2006 recruiting goal, pulling itself up from a simple shortfall last year.

The Pentagon's largest service -- and the common bearing the brunt of the load in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan -- enlisted 10890 persons last month.

BIGGER BONUSES HELP

That brings the total to 62505 for the year and bring forwards the Army on course to fitting its goal of 80,000 for the governmental estimate year ending next month, Jeff Spara, Army recruiting division chief, said Thursday.

"We are going to make the mission," he told a Pentagon briefing, crediting an array of changes that included adding more recruiters, boosting pay bonuses and other incentives and changing policies upon eligibility.

Spara challenged contentions that the service was lowering its standards for recruits because it has been stretched thin after three years of an increasingly unpopular war in Iraq.

"They are qualified medically, physically and morally to perform the duties that they are enlisted for," Spara said.

An extra-hard push to sign up more men and women has been in subordination to way since the Army cessationed last year nearly 7,000 tribe short of its goal, the first shortfall since 1999 and its largest in 26 years.

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