WASHINGTON — Army officials are upping enlistment bonuses for 15 MOS’s to boost numbers in those hard-to-get specialties.
The latest change, which went into effect on Tuesday, is the eighth time this year Army officials have increased the enlistment incentives, designed to attract more recruits to the service.
Mark Brophy, director of the enlistment bonus program, said six jobs — psychological operations specialist, fire control repairer, utility equipment repairer, preventive medicine specialist, health care specialist, and Multiple Launch Rocket Systems repairer — were added to the bonus list because of continued shortages in those specialties.
“Because of the recruiting situation, they were behind,” he said. “The concern is that also affects targets for [fiscal] 2006.”
The bonuses for these six specialties range from $1,000 to $6,000, depending on for how long enlistees agree to sign on. Brophy said another nine specialties had their bonuses increased because of similar recruiting lags.
Conversely, incentives will be trimmed for four specialties where recruiting has been successful. Armament repairers, parachute riggers, intelligence analysts and signal intelligence specialists will be offered between $1,000 and $4,000 less than before the changes.
In all, the Army is offering bonuses for 64 specialties. Enlistees who qualify for special forces assignment continue to see the largest enlistment bonuses, with a $20,000 incentive for a six-year commitment.
The changes do not affect other existing enlistment bonuses. Airmen switching to the Army through the Blue to Green program are still eligible for up to $10,000 in other incentives, and Guardsmen and reservists who are leaving their units can receive up to $14,000.
Recruits with no prior service may also be eligible for additional bonuses depending on their level of education.
In July, the Army reached its recruiting goals for the second straight month after four months of missing those targets. The service still sits more than 7,000 recruits below its year-to-date goals.
August recruiting and retention figures are scheduled to be released Sept. 12.
A complete list of MOS enlistment bonuses is available at https://www.hrc.army.mil/site/active/index2.asp in message 05-226.
