Australian military will recruit some noncitzens in a bid to boost troop numbers

By ROD McGUIRK
Associated Press

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The Australian government says its military will begin recruiting some noncitizens in a bid to boost troop numbers. Defense Minister Richard Marles says the move announced Tuesday is part of an effort to build a military that can resist foreign coercion through blocked trade routes. Only people from other members of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing partnership — New Zealand, the U.S., Britain and Canada — who hold Australian permanent residency will be eligible. Marles says the change is a major step toward addressing a 4,400 shortfall in the Australian Defense Force, which aims at 63,600 full-time personnel.