Shortfalls
 

With the exception of the Marine Corps, each service expects to fall short of its recruiting goals in fiscal 2023. The Army expects to be about 10,000 soldiers short of its recruiting goal, service officials told Congress in April. The Navy is on track to be about 6,000 short. The Air Force will miss its mark by about 10,000.

Call me skeptical, but aren't the recruiting goals set by the services themselves? So, if they fall short, it gives them a better argument to ask Congress for more money.