Guard entices ranks to recruit

[IChing]

The Army National Guard, battling a falloff in recruiting, is offering troops a finder's fee for lining up new soldiers. The Guard recruited 50,219 troops — 20% short of its goal — in fiscal year 2005, which ended Sept. 30

The Guard Recruiter Assistant Program, launched this week in five states, offers National Guard members $1,000 for enlisting a recruit and another $1,000 when the prospect shows up for basic training.

"Bring in 10 people and you can earn $20,000," says Lt. Col. Mike Jones, deputy division chief for recruiting and retention at the National Guard Bureau.

The Army Guard and Reserve have struggled with recruiting as the Pentagon has leaned heavily on their soldiers to fight wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Before 9/11, Guard troops counted on drilling one weekend a month and two weeks each summer — not on overseas deployments as long as 18 months and the risk of death. As of Wednesday, 123,000 Guard and Reserve troops were on active duty.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-12-01-enticing-recruits_x.htm