It's literally always been this way for several decades - strong economy, lowered enlistment. Weak/unstable economy, higher enlistment. And your numbers didn't seem to break out how many were transitioning from active duty.
Toss in rising college costs these days on top of the economy, and that many National Guards will work to cover in-state tuition costs or provide assistance while you are in school and in the National Guard. You don't have to go serve your enlistment for X amount of time (I think 2 or 4 years active-duty) and then become eligible for the G.I. Bill. Right now, for instance, Texas will pay for up to $10,000 a semester, with no minimum time served - you only need to be in and doing your drills, and you only reimburse them if you fail or drop a class.
He can go to pretty much to any large city in the US and find a solid job, and he's absolutely going to look elsewhere, at states that don't yank him around. His ties to Texas and desire to stay here are falling away as they transition into empty nesters and he starts looking at separation. Give him lemons, he will make lemonade. But I know plenty of others who were not happy about going to the border.
People sign up because they want to serve their state, because they are transitioning from active duty, because free or cheap college while they are in the NG (rather than after), because they want to serve their nation but NG or Reserves make the most sense given their situation, etc. Not because somebody wants attention from the President, especially when they are asked to do the same job that a better-paid civilian is doing.