US Army offers bonuses up to $90,000
USA - Struggling to expand its ranks, the Army will triple the amount of bonuses it’s paying this year to more than $380million, including new incentives to woo reluctant soldiers to re-enlist. Some soldiers could get $90,000 up front by committing to another four or more years, officials told The Associated Press, as the Army seeks to reverse some of the downsizing that occurred under the Obama administration after years of growth spurred by the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. The enlistment campaign was driven by Congress’ decision late last year to beef up the size of the Army, echoing Trump’s campaign promises to significantly increase military staffing and firepower. Last fall, Trump unveiled a plan that would enlarge the Army to 540,000 soldiers. Army leaders back the general idea, but say more men and women must be accompanied by funding for the equipment, training and support for them. Under the current plan, the active duty Army will grow by 16,000 soldiers, taking it to 476,000 in total by October. The National Guard and the Army Reserve will see a smaller expansion. To meet the mandate, the Army must find 6,000 new soldiers, convince 9,000 current soldiers to stay on and add 1,000 officers. ‘We’ve got a ways to go,’ Gen. Robert Abrams, head of US Army Forces Command, said in an interview at his office in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. ‘I’m not going to kid you. It’s been difficult because a lot of these kids had plans and their families had plans.’ In just the last two weeks, the Army has paid out more than $26million in bonuses. The biggest hurdle, according to senior Army leaders, is convincing thousands of enlistees who are only months away from leaving the service to sign up for several more years. Many have been planning their exits and have turned down multiple entreaties to stay.
(dailymail.co.uk)