Hawai'i Air National Guard recruiting jumped 24 percent in the 12 months ended Sept. 30 over the previous year.

But senior leaders say they still need to actively look for more men and women to replace the many who are retiring.

The 2,500-member force brought in 225 new troops in the most recent fiscal term.

"It was our best year since 9/11," said Brig. Gen. Kathy Berg, the Hawai'i Air Guard's chief of staff.

The force also boasts a high retention rate of 90 percent, Berg said.

Even so, the Hawai'i Air Guard still needs to mount an aggressive recruiting campaign because of a high number of forecast retirements, said Senior Master Sgt. Bridget Komine, recruiter and retention superintendent.

"Last year we lost 40 percent through retirement," Komine said, "and we are facing another large retirement group."

To boost recruiting efforts, Hawai'i Air Guard officials recently opened their first off-base recruiting station on the second level of the Aiea Shopping Center.

Berg said increased security measures at Hickam Air Force Base after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 made it harder for civilians, potential recruits and their families to talk with recruiters.

"This (the shopping center in 'Aiea) puts us in the community which we hope to serve better," Berg said.

Air Guard troops account for about half of the people in the Hawai'i National Guard.

In January, the Hawai'i troops will become the first Air National Guard unit in the nation to be partnered with the active Air Force when C-17 Globemaster jet cargo planes are based at Hickam Air Force Base.

Nearly 30 Hawai'i Air National Guard troops are getting some early experience with the planes, flying C-17 missions in Southwest Asia.

"We've flown more than 1,000 mission hours," Berg said, "even before we get an actual C-17 here."

The Hawai'i Air National Guard already maintains a fleet of F-15 fighter jets.