Army hopes higher bonuses will attract recruits (up to $90K for re-enlist)

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

WASHINGTON - After falling well short of its recruiting goals last year, the Army has set even higher monthly targets for this summer, hoping that bonuses as high as $90,000 will encourage soldiers to re-enlist and recent graduates to join. The new financial incentives aim to attract new recruits in the face of mounting deaths in Iraq.

From June to September, the Army will try to recruit between 8,600 and 10,400 soldiers per month — well above the numbers achieved last year. To reach those goals, recruiters will be armed with more than catchy slogans and national pride.

A new law will allow the Army to give larger financial bonuses for enlistments and re-enlistments — doubling the maximum payment to new active duty recruits from $20,000 to $40,000, and from $10,000 to $20,000 for reservists. It also will let older recruits sign on by raising the top age from 35 to 42. And the top re-enlistment bonus for active duty soldiers would increase from $60,000 to $90,000.

“We’re going to have heavy recruiting goals in the summer, so the timing of these incentives is good,” said Douglas Smith, spokesman for Army Recruiting Command. “The idea was to focus some more on those high school and college students who will graduating from school in the summer.”

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10897030/



Wisconsin Army National Guard recruiter Sgt. Erik Hoffman talks with Jessica Davis, left, 18, and her mother Hannelore Davis in the cafeteria at Blackhawk Technical College in Janesville, Wisc., in May 2005.

[Glidescube]

1. Well they are gonna need that money

Seeing how the GIs are having to buy their own bullet proof vests and armour plating for their humvees, that extra 90k may just come in handy. And come to think of it doesn't it all sound like a scheme to make armour plating and bullet proof vest companies more money.

Does Halliburton own an armour plating or bullet proof vest companies?

I think I smell a rat!

[Army]

2. Ha HA

Mr. President, let me make sure I am speaking clearly:

Not if you gave me the cash personally and invited me to kick you in the balls, coward.

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

3. Welcome to DU, Army!

:patriot:

[flordehinojos]

4. those who wanna sell their lives cheap and short will enlist-re-enlist.

[havocmom]

5. Bonus $$ upfront when they sign or after they complete obligation

providing, of course, they live that long? It would seem to be a pertinent question.

[AllegroRondo]

6. Typically its spread out over the length of the enlistment

so on a four year contract, you get 25% every year on the anniversary of the signing date.