DENVER—The Army, which has already given hundreds of millions of dollars in bonuses to recruit soldiers and get veterans to re-enlist, will be offering incentives of up to $150,000 to senior special forces members nearing retirement.
Karen Linne, spokeswoman for Fort Carson, said the bonuses are being offered Army-wide, and that bonuses have traditionally been used to try to keep skilled people beyond their retirement dates. There are 1,100 members of the 10th Special Forces Group at Carson.
The money for the special forces comes from a fund for critical skills retention, said Army spokesman Paul Boyce.
Veterans of other groups also are being offered thousands of dollars to re-enlist, based on their skill and length of service. The so-called “enhanced selective re-enlistment bonus” program offers $1,500 to $33,000, according to a list published in Army Times.
The Army was expected to announce more incentives Thursday aimed at keeping middle ranks officers on board. “The Army is considering new programs that will be announced soon,” said Boyce.
Incentives announced so far include combat pay of up to $1,200 a month, which will be offered to soldiers who deploy more than once, Army Times reported. New recruits are being offered $20,000.
The Army has several programs aimed at competing with Blackwater and other companies who provide security, often ex-soldiers, but at much higher pay than the Army can offer.
One version includes flat-rate payments for soldiers nearing their end of their enlistments who have specialties that are priorities for an Army stretched thin by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
