Marines offered as much as $30,000 to reenlist

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2004/11/27/marines_offered_bonuses_to_reenlist/

SAN DIEGO -- With the prospect of continued fighting in Iraq, the Marine Corps is offering bonuses of as much as $30,000 -- in some cases, tax-free -- to persuade enlisted personnel with combat experience and training to reenlist.

The plan is working, officials said. Less than two months into the fiscal year, Marine reenlistment rates in several key specialties are running 10 percent to 30 percent ahead of last year.

Officials are confident that by midyear they will have reached their target for encouraging reenlistment among riflemen, the so-called grunts who are key to the Marines' ability to mount offensives against insurgent strongholds such as Fallujah, Iraq
...

''No amount of money is too much to retain combat experience in the corps, rather than starting over," said Major Mark Menotti, assistant head of enlisted retention for the Marine Corps.
...

Sergeant Joey W. McBroom, 30, of Lafayette, Tenn., a rifleman, said that he had planned to reenlist even without the bonus, but that the $28,039 ''helped my wife to agree to my reenlisting." In an e-mail from Iraq, McBroom said he plans to put 40 percent of the bonus in a mutual fund, 30 percent in an account for his children's college education, 15 percent in savings, and the remaining 15 percent for ''a nice wedding ring for the wife, finally."

Forget college for the kids, they don't need it and $8500 ain't gonna touch it anyway. Savings? Fuhgeddaboudit! Buy real estate for cash so you'll have a place to be when this whole mess crashes down!

"No amount is too much?" Then give 'em a million, you cheap bastards!

Suggested on Lou Rukeyser's Wall Street tonight - an international bond fund or an international equity fund. International bond funds buy bonds that are denominated in foreign currencies, not US dollars. Pesos, pounds, Euros - whatever.

front line for the rest of your tour."

We will 'stop loss' you if you don't.

United States Mercenary Military. They used to give incentives for personnel with specialties that cost the military "mucho buckos" to train. I can see they consider "in the field training" to resemble the same. In any event it is still a mercenary motive rather than "PATRIOTISM"!

It certainly costs less than the 'CONTRACTORS'!!


:crazy:

The guy is 30 and he calls his wife "the wife"? Nitpicky thing as it pertains to this story; but, "the wife"? aargh. Have we made NO progress in 50 years?

:argh:

That is why "the wife" agreed for him to go. 30k plus insurance pays for a lot ;)

Seriously though, I guess our government feels that 30k is what a life is worth these days.

LOL!

...of the mercenaries' pay! You know there is a big string attached to this.

But the MSM will report how wonderful it is they are being offered this exciting financial opportunity. Wonder how many of them will actually take it?

FEAR FACTOR PAYS BETTER!!!

:think:

you got to have plastic boobs to go on that show...:)

Fuck that.

Hopefully "the wife" won't mind getting her nice transfer tube next year along with that nice wedding ring. And there'll be nobody around to know, because he certainly won't be receiving a presidential sendoff when he's killed in action.

SIGH...

Well, if they're willing, then FINE, I guess. If they're willing to be bought off for 30 grand, maybe that's one less conscientious objector who'll have to be dragged there kicking and screaming. Such a shame that it's come to this. They have to be bought off.

one would have to stay alive for a year to collect any money?

n/t

30K is really underpaid for the wet work. I mean really, any Marine worth his stripes has to be able to kill several Iraqi's a day, say at least 1200 or so in a 12 month tour with 2 weeks R&R and weekends off. With paid assassinations going for 10K to 50K a pop that's at least 120M for a years worth of light work. Come-on Uncle Sam you cheap bastard. And there's this also, most victims of regular assassins don't have the weapons at hand to fight back so except for the easy kills (woman, children and old unarmed men) this Iraq wet work is much more dangerous.
sarcasm off

"Money for college" might become money straight up front. Of course, veterans' benefits would continue to be attacked after the recruit is used. Just speculation on my part. There could still be a draft. Bush loves to spend money, but not on low-income or moderate-income people.

Naughty, naughty!

:silly:

Rich people start wars and poor people fight them

And they say this is not a class war!!?!?!?!

It increased the GI Bill for members of the military and extended benfits to those called up after Sept. 11.

So at least the military is getting money for college. High School recruiters are probably itching to tell students this too.

bad comparison- or statement- but i can't help but think of the way we condemn the 'arabs' for the money they 'pay' the families of those who kill in the name of 'Palestine" or 'Allah'- or how 'we' try to stop charities who give money to the families of those who 'die' or are willing to 'blow themselves up' in the name of their 'cause'-

i guess it all depends on 'which' side you are looking at it from-

Paying people to kill or be willing to die 'for a cause'-..... not like firefighting, or law enforcement..... (where the pay is ridiculously low considering the 'need' and 'risk'- ) just seems so ......

i realize i'll burn for this point of view-

It is perfectly defensible, although some might not agree with the notion of marines being compared to suicide bombers. But in both cases, families of people fighting for a cause are being recompensed for their sacrifice.

Guards! Bush should wear a toga and shower them with silver and gold!

PAX Americana, blood for oil...

have to pay it back pro rata if he is killed or wounded?

portion of the month that you are dead.

I'm sure that's just an unwanted side effect, though.


http://brainbuttons.com/home.asp?stashid=13
Buttons for brainy people - educate your local freepers today!

The neocons can't meet volunteer recruitment requirements and are willing to actually pay our force what they deserve.

Problem: this will still end at a draft.

That's like one or two months pay for a mercenary.

when I was in the Navy, '66 - '69 Viet Nam era, as a seaman frst class I was making $98 a month. The enticement to "ship for 6" - sign up for 6 more years - was a one time bonus of $1,500. Spread that out over 6 years it comes to $20 a month. I knew a couple guys who went for it and put a down payment on a new car. Supppose that new ride lasted 6 years? Or they could maintain it and the payments until it was paid for? I made E4 just before I got out and I seem to remember my pay skyrocketed to $103 a month. Whoopie!

I bet that 30 large is a one timer for 6 more years, 5 grand a year. And if they spread it out, and you don't live the next 6 - I bet they don't pay it.

I could be wrong. I was wrong once before...

this kind of money.

If you're going to be a killer-for-hire, then at least have the sense to cash in. Why work for a bloated bureaucracy that makes you buy your own armor? Become a civilian contractor; live the American Dream!

,...they kill me. Their recruits really believe that they are due and that they are at the fucking TOP of,...something.

I know. I have a relative being paid obscene money,...to fulfill evil intent. He's a pretty good guy,...just egotistical and,...in total denial.

they can't pay for medical benefits for when they come back. It is so sad that we are supposed to "support the troops" but the returning guys can't get medical or mental health care that they need and deserve.

lined in silk.

This is nothing new,

This stretches back at least as far as Bush41 and was widely used in the Clinton years in the US Air Force to retain critically manned career fields. Even in World War 2, certain high risk/elite jobs were payed higher salaries (Airborne).

I re-enlisted last year and got 58,000 (cap is 60k),,, they pay it out half up front and half in yearly installments during the course of your enlistment. Its only tax free when you reenlist in a combat zone. (Such as Iraq)

My first bonus in 1999 was in Tax free when I reenlisted in Kuwait

The US military is not an army of mercenaries.
And its counter productive for any wing of the democratic party to infer otherwise. You think we're going to take back the Senate, the house, or the Presidency by insulting the common soldier, airmen, marine or sailor?

Hate bush and the republicans for their policies but leave the military itself out of it, its an amoral institution.

somewhere between $96. and $144. extra a week to put
your life on the line for the little emperor.

Doesn't sound like nearly enough to me.

Well, if they're going to be forced to re-up,
why the hell not take the $30,000?
Better yet, let's kick Bush out of the WH
and pull out of Iraq, and they can keep the $30,000.

I know I can easily get $50,000 just in 15 minutes. Why would I want to die for $30,000. I hope "the Wife" feels it's worth it.