1,106 soldiers ordered back to recruiting duty

Via the Army Times (staunch fans of JACK ARMY, I'm convinced!):

The Army is immediately ordering 1,106 former recruiters back to that duty. The soldiers are being pulled from their current assignments and sent to recruiting stations across the nation as the army struggles to meet its mission in signing up 80,000 new soldiers this year.

The short-notice assignments are temporary — they begin Friday and will run no later than Oct. 15.

The names of soldiers detailed to these assignments can be accessed using an Army Knowledge Online username and password by clicking here.

[If you follow the link, using your AKO username and password, next click on the red link on the left side that says "Special Recruiter Initiative"]

More from the Army Times:

The recruiting assignments will be performed in temporary duty (TDY) status, and soldiers will return to home stations and regular assignments after completing their recruiting duties.

Noncommissioned officers selected for these assignments will be eligible for Recruiting Command’s $2,000 Referral Bonus Program.

This means the soldiers are authorized a $2,000 bonus for every applicant who successfully processes into the Army and completes initial entry training.

So, if you are selected and you don't like it, you now have an incentive to not only go back with a happy face, but put some extraordinary effort into "putting 'em in boots". You know that this is the thinking of USAREC folks:

"We are having a hard time making mission this summer, what are we gonna do about it?"

"I know, sir, we could have our own "Surge" and call back former recruiters for the summer and then send them back when the fiscal year ends."

"Fabulous idea. But, what if they don't want to come? What if they refuse to recruit when they get here? What are we going to do about that?"

"Hey! We could let them use the Referral Bonus Program! That way they'll be making money for recruiting and we don't have to pay them Recruiter Incentive Pay."

"Brilliant! But... err... what about our regular recruiters? Won't they get pissed that they don't get paid the $2000 referral money?"

"Oh, sir, not a chance. They are getting the Recruiter Incentive Pay already and they aren't producing. They have nothing to whine about."

"I guess yer right. Bring on the Surge!"

Army Times again:

While recruiters are running at 101 percent of their year-to-date mission of 51,150, Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey recently cautioned that the recruiting environment is “very difficult.”

The fiscal 2007 mission, which ends Sept. 30, requires Recruiting Command to generate at least 30,000 enlistments during the remainder of the summer. Included in that fourth quarter mission are enlistments for July, which have not yet been tallied.

I hope they make it. I hope all the TDY, rental cars, per diem payments and Referral Program money is worth it. Good luck, y'all!

Oh, why didn't they ask me to come back, do you suppose? Well, maybe because somebody from USAREC recently read this post of mine. I re-read it, too, and while it sounds a bit harsh after some time has passed, my feelings haven't changed much. I still feel like the command hung me out to dry. I know there are two sides to every story, but I can only tell mine. USAREC hasn't told their side and won't likely. I wouldn't either were I to be them.

Oh, and I'm not the only one that left USAREC with a bad taste in my mouth... but I'm not bitter!

Update: In case you were wondering, or not, I would love this kind of assignment. I love recruiting (little r) and working with people that want to enlist, go to OCS, want to try out for SF or Rangers, all that. I just don't love Recruiting (big R) anymore. Recruiting without belonging to Recruiting, fun!

But I'm not bitter! Really, I'm not!


Military Recruiting