New perks for reservists who recruit others

[unhappycamper]

New perks for reservists who recruit others
By Trista Talton - Staff writer
Posted : Saturday May 3, 2008 8:01:33 EDT

JACKSONVILLE, N.C. — Marine reservists are eligible to receive more retirement points for getting civilians to sign on the dotted line, according to a recently released Corps-wide message.

Reservists also will get additional points for persuading prior-service Individual Ready Reserve Marines to affiliate with a Selected Marine Corps Reserve unit or serve in an Individual Mobilization Augmentee billet for at least 90 days, according to Marine Administrative message 247/08.

“With today’s increased reliance on the reserve, the Marine Corps seeks to capitalize on all members of the dispersed throughout the U.S. as spokesmen or spokeswomen to recruit or re-engage Marines for service in the Marine Corps,” the message states.

“This policy change provides enhanced opportunities for an RC Marine to be awarded enough retirement points to remain a satisfactory participant and potentially be credited with a qualifying year of service for reserve retirement.”

The new rule covers most Marines who are in positions to obtain drilling points, including those in the IRR. The policy comes as recruiters face tough challenges. An internal Defense Department survey that tracked the opinions of potential recruits, mostly young men ages 16 to 21, shows interest in military service has declined to its lowest levels in more than 25 years.


Rest of article at: http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2008/05/marine_reserve_050308w/



uhc comment: Do you think recruitment is down? I mean, the war department is advertising on Bush and Nextel NASCAR racers. Take a look in this forum and you'll see small numbers of soldiers going and returning from Iraq. Today (so far) there were two articles about going and coming soldiers. Why are they talking about small numbers of people? Could they be fresh out of deployable folks?