SUMMARIZED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Total numerical strength of the Armed Forces on April 30, 1996, based
on preliminary reports, was 1,490,436. This is a decrease of 2,955 from
March 31, 1996 and a decrease of 69,079 from the same time in 1995.
These figures represent full-time military personnel comprising both
regular and reserves on active duty and officer candidates, including cadets
at the three military academies.
Excluded from these figures are approximately 65,000 full-time military
personnel who are paid from other than active duty military personnel appropriations.
This group is funded from appropriations for reserve components and Corps
of Engineers civil functions. A comparable figure for Fiscal Year 1995
was also 65,000 military personnel.
April 1996 strength figures for each service with month-ago and year-ago
figures for comparison are:
04/30/96 03/31/96 Change from Prev. Month
(Preliminary) (Actual) Amount Percent 04/30/95
Total DoD 1,490,436 1,493,391 -2,955 -0.20% 1,559,515
Army 495,273 499,145 -3,872 -0.78% 529,506
Navy 429,916 428,412 1,504 0.35% 447,671
Marine Corps 172,500 172,434 66 0.04% 171,928
Air Force 392,747 393,400 -653 -0.17% 410,410
Please note the active duty personnel strength data provided does not
include Selected Reserve strength ordered to active duty by the President
under Title 10, United States Code 12304.
