Recruiting pays for Guardsmen - $94,000

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070416/BUSINESS/70416012/1003

Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 04/16/07
BY ELLIOTT MINOR
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Sgt. Dana Kline of Macon, Ga., is so good at recruiting new National Guard soldiers that he's set to make a small fortune -- $94,000 in bonuses.

Kline has managed to get 47 recruits over 11 months, earning him Georgia's Meritorious Service Medal and, so far, the highest bonus paid to anyone through the Guard Recruiting Assistance Program.

Through the program, Guard members are offered a $1,000 bonus for every person they sign up and another $1,000 when the recruit ships out to basic training. The program is credited with bringing in 25,000 new Guard members since its launch 15 months ago.

"Kline is the highest in the group," said Col. Mike Jones, chief of the recruiting and retention division of the National Guard Bureau in Washington. "But there are some folks who are on his heels."

[ThomCat]

1. I just don't understand why anyone would join any branch of the

military right now. :shrug:

I hope they are all republicans, and part of Bush's dedicated 28%.

I truly hope it's not people who feel they have no other option but to join the military to get by. :(

[Squatch]

2. Because we serve a cause that is more persistent than any

temporary administrations that may be in power.

And, no. We are not "all republicans".

[Zywiec]

5. 29th - Let's Go!

I was in the 29th back in mid-90's.

[BluePatriot]

10. Sometimes, no choice

The "no other option" thing is it, especially for young men whose families can't afford college. It's either retail, whatever office job your limited connections can source you, truck driving, warehousing, or the military.

[AllegroRondo]

3. what next, press gangs?

$2,000 to get someone else to sign up is a pretty big incentive.

[Squatch]

4. $2000 is MUCH cheaper than having a full-time recruiter

bring a soldier on board.

The per capita assession rate when going through a recruiter is about $9400. GRAP cuts that cost by over 3/4

[AllegroRondo]

6. Do they still need full time recruiters?

or is the GRAP program just an addiion to the regular recruiting program?

[Squatch]

7. GRAP is in addition to the regular recruiting program.

Our recruiting force is pretty large, and GRAP is just to augment that force so that meeting recruiting mission requirements is assured at the end of the year.

[SoCalDem]

8. Bounty Hunters..

:grr:

[gratuitous]

9. We used to call it "blood money"

I hope we get over our national myth of redemptive violence someday soon.