Army offering $20,000 bonuses to new recruits

Army officials are pinning their hopes on a $20,000 bonus to attract recruits, including some Army Reserve soldiers, who sign up for active duty to increase the Army force strained by deployments.

The bonus offer is in effect through the end of September, allowing more than a month for applicants who must ship to training bases by then.

"They must enlist in the active Army for at least two years plus training if they have no prior military service," Col. Patrick Walsh, commander of the Army's 6th Recruiting Brigade, said in an e-mail Wednesday.

The brigade, based in North Las Vegas, oversees recruiting in the Western region.

"If they have prior military service, they must enlist for three or more years," he wrote.

The Army failed to meet its recruiting goal for two consecutive months, but it is expected to announce it met its target for July.

In the Las Vegas Valley, only "four or five" recruits have taken advantage of the offer, but it's too early to tell if the bonus will cause a rush in sign-ups, Army recruiters said.

"Number-wise, we negotiated maybe four of five contracts in the Las Vegas area. They were already in the system, and they were just moved forward so they could take advantage of the $20,000," said Al Villa, public affairs chief for the Salt Lake recruiting battalion.

The battalion includes Army recruiters in Southern Nevada.

Army Reserve officials meeting in Las Vegas said the Army Reserve expects to reach its recruiting goals for the year, with more than 1,500 soldiers completing training who are eligible for a $2,000 bonus.

"With the announcement that the new inductees will receive a $20,000 bonus, the likelihood of success has increased dramatically," said Col. Tony Daniell, of the Army Reserve's 63rd Regional Readiness Command.

The new $20,000 bonus can be combined with the Army's other cash enlistment bonuses, up to a maximum combination of $40,000 if an enlistee signs up for at least four years, officials said.

The new policy doesn't prevent the majority of Army Reserve soldiers from enlisting in the active Army, but it does prevent them from enlisting while they are deployed or assigned to units transitioning into a "ready year" of the deployment cycle.

Army Reserve Chief Lt. Gen. Jack Stultz hasn't put a "stop movement" order on most Army Reserve soldiers who want to enlist in the active Army.

The Army had failed to meet its recruiting goals in May and June, raising the possibility that the unpopular Iraq war and strong economy could slow enlistment at a time when the force is fighting two wars as well as trying to increase its overall size.

The Army expects to meet its recruiting goal of 80,000 for the budget year ending Sept. 30, the official said.

"To attract interested young men and women, we know that we must have cutting-edge enlistment and retention options to acquire and retain America's best soldiers," Lt. Gen. Michael Rochelle, deputy chief of staff for personnel issues, said in a statement.

May was the first time in about two years that recruiters didn't meet the goal for the Army, which is under great strain with repeated and lengthy tours of duty in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Army met its goal in the 2006 budget year after missing its target in fiscal year 2005 for the first time since 1999.

To attract more to the service, it has added recruiters and offered recruiting bonuses, referral bonuses and other incentives such as schooling and career advancements.

It also is paying bonuses to entice soldiers to re-enlist.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates has set a goal of increasing the size of the active-duty Army by 65,000 to a total of 547,000 within five years, partly to ease some of the strain on the force.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.