The United States Army will not meet its target of adding 80,000active duty soldiers this year and has officially lowered that goal.But Army leaders say they have been ableto persuade many experienced soldiers to stayin the military to satisfy a growing need for troops.Army Sergeant Major Daniel Dailey announced this monththat the new goal will be 76,500.Over the past six months, the armed forces has recruited just 28,000 new soldiers.Dailey said the goal is to grow the Army to 483,500, as approved by Congress.It is the Army's decision whether to add more recruitsor extend the military service of current soldiers.Daily noted that keeping current soldiershas been more successful this year than in the past.About 86 percent of current soldiers are staying on,compared with 81 percent in recent years.Army Secretary Mark Esper said there is a differencebetween the number of soldiers in the Army and the demand for more troops.He noted that the "strong economy does make it challenging."He said, however, that the Army will not sacrifice qualityand its standards will not be lowered to meet recruitment goals.The struggle to meet recruiting numbers— an increase over the goal of 69,000 last year — was expected.One reason is the strong American economy.Another is competition from business employers.They are able to pay high school and college graduatesmore money because of the economic growth.Major General Jeff Snow is head of the Army's recruiting command.He had said last year that the higher goal would be difficult to meet,considering economic conditions.He also noted the military's need for recruitsto pass physical tests that many young people are unable to complete.It will be a "significant challenge for the command,"Snow told The Associated Press in December.Meeting the goal, he said, could force the Army to take in more recruitswho would require special waivers for drug use,low test results or other health issues."The numbers don't tell the whole story," noted Dailey.He said that waivers require the Army to take a closer look at a recruitwho may have had a legal problem when they were youngeror has had some kind of health problem.The issue could be simple colorblindness or an arrest.But in December, Snow said his goal for 2017was to have fewer than 2 percent of the new recruits with low test results.Esper said that he had told the Army not to go past the 2 percent limit;currently, the Defense Department accepts up to 4 percent.Military leaders have increasingly warned of recruiting difficulties.They say that lower unemployment rates, a strong economy,and the lowering physical abilities of young Americanshave shrunk the number of people who can become recruits.Defense officials have said that after 16 years of war in Afghanistan,Iraq and Syria, the American public is increasingly disconnected from the military.Officials say many people have misunderstandings about military serviceand often do not personally know any service members.This time of year is usually the hardest for military recruiters.It is the time when high school seniors start learningif they have been admitted to colleges or universities.