Army's $20K bonus attracting recruits

[Herman Munster]

http://www.miamiherald.com/889/story/222877.htm

LEXINGTON, S.C. -- Bored with life on his family's South Carolina horse farm, Willard McCormick decided that military service was the right plan for his future. And when the Army dangled its new, $20,000 recruiting bonus in front of him, the decision got a lot easier.

"I wasn't going to go right away, but I heard about the bonus and decided to jump on it," McCormick, 19, said a couple of days after signing up.

The new bonus comes with a "Quick Ship" provision that cuts the average 40-day wait time between sign-up and departure for basic training.

McCormick, who leaves for basic and infantry training at Fort Benning, Ga., on Sept. 6., said the accelerated departure doesn't bother him or his family.

"My three brothers are ready for me to go," he said with a smile.

Since the bonus was unveiled in July, more than 6,200 recruits have signed up to begin basic training before Oct. 1, a move that boosts end-of-fiscal year recruiting numbers, Army officials said.

"People are calling here saying $20,000 is more than they've made in the past two years," said Staff Sgt. Brent Feltner, 27, commander of a strip-mall recruiting station in this central South Carolina town.

Feltner said most recruits are happy to leave early. "Maybe they want to get out of South Carolina, get away from Mom and Dad," he said.

[NC_Nurse]

1. I think the "maybe they want to get out of SC"

is probably pretty accurate.

[Middle finga]

2. Blood money

"People are calling here saying $20,000 is more than they've made in the past two years"

Poor people being used to fight the rich man's war

MF