1、CRS INSIGHT Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress INSIGHTINSIGHTi i FY2022 NDAA: Active Component End-Strength Updated January 4, 2022 Background The term end-strength refers to either the authorized or actual personnel strength of a specified branch of the military on September 30th of a
2、given year (i.e., the last day of the fiscal year). Each year, in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Congress sets an authorized end-strength for active component personnel in each of the armed forces. The term authorized strength means “the largest number of members authorized to be in
3、an armed force, a component, a branch, a grade, or any other category of the armed forces” (10 U.S.C. 101(b)(11). Authorized end-strengths are maximum strength levels on September 30th, the end of the fiscal year. Congress also periodically sets minimum end-strength levels for the active component,
4、which may be identical to or lower than the authorized end-strength. While Congress authorizes minimum and maximum end-strengths, each military service manages its force, through recruiting and retention efforts, to achieve an actual end-strength. The actual end-strength is the number of individuals