The holdup on the bonuses resulted from President Bush’s veto of the 2008 defense authorization bill passed by Congress at year’s end.
According to The Associated Press, the Iraqi government has objected to a provision in the bill that would freeze Iraqi assets deposited in the United States while victims of Saddam Hussein file lawsuits.
Sgt. 1st Class Clint Moosman at the Killeen recruiting station said it’s too early to see if the hold on bonuses will have any effect.
“If they don’t end up passing a bill, it could affect recruiting,” Moosman said. “However, I’m sure this will get straightened out.”
Moosman said the bonus is still advertised and is still put into the enlistment contracts. But the applicant has to sign a statement of understanding that the bonus is on hold, he said.
He said that in Killeen three out of 10 applicants say they join because of the bonus. Most have families, Moosman said.
They are looking at the bonus coupled with total pay and allowances as a way to escape low-paying jobs, he said.
“Killeen has a different dynamic than the rest of the country,” Moosman said. “Almost everyone has a relative or close friend in the Army so they understand how the system (of Army benefits and allowances) works.”
Moosman said the seven out of 10 who don’t come looking for the bonus see the Army as a job opportunity with training and decent pay and allowances.
He said they can also earn a college degree while on active duty, drawing an annual $4,500 a year through the Montgomery GI Bill.
Moosman said enlistment bonuses can range from $10,000 to $40,000 depending on the applicant’s work background, test scores and the job description for which they qualify.
He said he has seen an average of two bonuses per month paid in the $40,000 range. Typical job descriptions are fueler, communications specialist and truck driver.
The Killeen station is consistently above mission, recruiting some 30 applicants a month, he said.
Sgt. Thomas Mosley in Copperas Cove said most of his prospects don’t join for the bonus.
Mosley said about two out of 10 come in asking about the bonus and usually have families and are working for substandard wages.
“It’s nice to have money, but they don’t join to get rich,” he said. “Most are Army dependents who join for the life experiences and training. We tell them they may get a bonus but it’s not assured.”
He said he sees the commercials still running on TV but thinks they were likely scheduled in advance.
Sgt. 1st Class Neil Shaw at the Temple recruiting station said the bonus has not been an issue.
“I don’t think they are joining for the bonus,” he said.
Shaw said Temple over-produced for the month of December at 120 percent of mission goal.
Like Moosman, he said he thought the issue would be rectified in the short run.
“It’s no different than when the federal government shuts down for lack of passing a budget,” he said. “It’s just the bureaucracy on hold.”
All three recruiters said walk-in traffic has not been affected by the freeze. Most walk-ins turn out not to qualify for lack of education or problems with the criminal justice system.
The recruiters said the bulk of their applicants come through the local high schools and colleges and the 2-K Referral Program where active military, reservists and retirees make referrals.
