COUNTERING MILITARY RECRUITMENT
Articles: Military Recruiting: Personnel Crunch
New Initiatives Raise Hopes for Army to Reach Recruiting Goals
Donna Miles, American Forces Press Service
September 4, 2007
The Army's new "quick-ship" bonus programis showing success in getting prospective recruits to enlist and is
expected to help the Army make its end-of-year recruiting goal, the
Army's recruiting chief told Pentagon reporters today.
Maj. Gen. Thomas P. Bostick, commander of U.S. Army Recruiting
Command, credited the $20,000 quick-ship bonus with helping to
motivate would-be soldiers who were "on the fence" into joining the ranks.
The program was introduced in late July to provide a financial
incentive for recruits willing to ship off quickly to basic training.
In August alone, 200 recruits who were planning to ship in September
went a month early.
Bostick said it's one of several recruiting initiatives the Army has
put in place to ensure it meets its fiscal 2007 goals.
This year, for example, the average bonus was up to about $15,000,
but some run as high as $40,000, the maximum allowed by Congress.
A new $15,000 bonus and a two-year Army College Fund contribution for
soldiers taking the two-year enlistment option are gaining momentum,
too, Bostick said. The combination, introduced in July, doubled the
Army's two-year enlistments, he said.
Educational incentives like the Army College Fund, Montgomery G.I.
Bill and college loan-repayment programs are important, Bostick said,
because many recruits hope to further their education.
He called these incentives critical to the Army's effort to fill its
ranks with high-quality recruits at a particularly difficult time.
"This is the first time that we have had to recruit an Army into the
all-volunteer force during protracted combat operations," he said.
"So it is a bit more challenging. "
Many prospective applicants are concerned about the war in Iraq, he
said. That's reflected in the lowest interest among recruitment- age
youth in joining the military than at any other time during the past
two decades. Twenty years ago, 25 percent of 17-to-24-year- olds said
they'd likely serve in the military during the next three to five
years, Bostick said. Today, it's 15.7 percent.
Meanwhile, parents, coaches and other adult influencers concerned
about the war are less likely to encourage military service, he said.
Right now, 25 percent of mothers and 33 percent of fathers say they
would recommend military service to their children. That's down from
40 percent and 50 percent, respectively, in 2004.
This is all occurring when unemployment is at historic lows, giving
young people many career options.
"But we're not wringing our hands," Bostick said. "We are manning
this Army. We are doing a pretty good job of it. I think we have a
lot who are answering the call to duty."
As of July 30, 83,000 recruits had joined the active Army and Army
Reserve. Nearly 62,000 of them went on active duty, bringing the Army
about 1,000 troops ahead of its year-to-date recruiting goal. Nearly
21,500 recruits had joined the Army Reserve by the end of July, about
180 behind its year-to-date goal.
Bostick reported "a very good month" in August, but declined to
reveal the Army's recruiting numbers until the Defense Department
releases them next week.
He vowed to close any remaining gaps by Sept. 30 and meet the active
Army's year-end goal of 80,000 recruits and Army Reserve's goal of 26,500.
The mission of manning the Army isn't just a challenge for the Army,
he said. "This is a challenge for the nation. And if this nation
wishes to remain free and enjoy the democracy that we have in this
country, it will take soldiers that are willing to stand up and
defend this country as they are in Iraq, Afghanistan and throughout
the world."
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