February 23, 2008:
The U.S. Army is
experimenting with a unique recruiting program. In order to attract sharp
recruits, the army is offering a special $40,000 bonus to those who will join,
and successfully complete, four years of service first. The bonus can only be
spent to buy a house or start a business. That is meant to attract recruits who
have goals, and are willing and able to work towards them. Reservists can get a
$20,000 bonus under a similar program. The army is testing the program in five
cities (Albany, N.Y., Cleveland, Ohio, Montgomery, Alabama., San Antonio, Texas
and Seattle, Washington). The recruits attracted by this kind of program can be
analyzed (for performance) over the next few years to determine if the army is
getting its moneys worth.
Since the army went all-volunteer in
the early 1970s, it has found that a small number of high quality recruits are
more useful than a much larger number of less capable troops. The army has been
doing a lot of research into screening recruits to find those who are best
equipped to make superior soldiers. This has led to new recruiting programs
designed to attract those people.