New York: The US armed forces, already struggling to meet recruiting goals, are mulling to raise the number of non-citizens in the ranks by opening recruiting stations overseas and putting more immigrants on a faster track to US citizenship if they volunteer.

Foreign citizens serving the US military, said the 'Boston Globe', is a highly charged up issue, which could expose the Pentagon to criticism that it is essentially using "mercenaries" to defend the country.

Analysts have voiced concern that a large contingent of non-citizens under arms could jeopardize national security or reflect badly on Americans' willingness to serve in uniform.

The idea of signing up foreigners who are seeking US citizenship is gaining ground as a way to address Pentagon's 'critical need,' while fully absorbing some of the roughly one million immigrants that enter the States legally each year, the report said.

The proposal to induct more non-citizens, which is still largely on the drawing board, has to clear a number of hurdles.

So far, the Pentagon has been quiet about specifics including who would be eligible to join, where the recruiting stations would be, and what the minimum standards might involve.

Meanwhile, Pentagon and immigration authorities have expanded a programme that accelerates citizenship for legal residents who volunteer for the military, the report said.

Since September 11, 2001, the number of immigrants in uniform who became US citizens increased from 750 to almost 4,600 last year, the report said quoting military statistics.