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U.S. military meets 2008 recruiting goals
Friday, October 03, 2008 | No comments posted.
WASHINGTON (AP) — After seven years at war, the military paid recruits hundreds of millions of dollars over the past year as they answered the call to duty.
According to data obtained by The Associated Press, the Army and Marine Corps doled out nearly $640 million in the fiscal year that ended Tuesday to entice recruits to join up.
The two services continue to bear the brunt of the U.S.-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but recruits were buoyed by incentives that can be as high as $40,000 each. All told, the enlistment incentives coupled with the promise of thousands more for education, increased the costs of Army and Marine bonuses by 25 percent over last year’s totals, The Associated Press has learned.
The money has proved to be a strong recruiting tool, even as the U.S. death toll in Iraq surpasses 4,100 and violence in Afghanistan escalates.
As a result, the Army, Marines, Navy and Air Force all met their recruiting goals for the year.
According to data obtained by The Associated Press, the Army and Marine Corps doled out nearly $640 million in the fiscal year that ended Tuesday to entice recruits to join up.
The two services continue to bear the brunt of the U.S.-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but recruits were buoyed by incentives that can be as high as $40,000 each. All told, the enlistment incentives coupled with the promise of thousands more for education, increased the costs of Army and Marine bonuses by 25 percent over last year’s totals, The Associated Press has learned.
The money has proved to be a strong recruiting tool, even as the U.S. death toll in Iraq surpasses 4,100 and violence in Afghanistan escalates.
As a result, the Army, Marines, Navy and Air Force all met their recruiting goals for the year.
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