The US Army announced Wednesday that it would start offering up to $50,000 to new recruits to entice them in the door. This at the same time the Army is looking to (possibly) boot almost 3,000 for not complying with the vaccine mandate.

Over 60 Soldiers came to Olive Theater on Fort Knox, Ky., to participate in a sensing session led by Lt. Gen. Gary M. Brito, Army G1, along with Sgt. Maj. Mark Clark. Brito and Clark addressed a myriad of topics that the service members asked during the 90-minute long session. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Kevin Spence)

In October 2021, Lt. Gen. Gary Brito, Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, briefed that the Army had met its 2021 end-strength goals, exceeding retention goals by almost 2,000 soldiers. The Army also met its retention goals in 2020, despite the pandemic and the ongoing fight against the virus. Brito credited the Army’s ability to meet goals to leadership’s ability to adapt and evolve to the ever-changing social landscape.

Army Basic Training

The Army has made some changes recently to its basic training programs. They have increased the ratio of drill instructors to recruits and begun training on sexual harassment, assault, and Army Ethics almost immediately upon arrival at training. According to Army.mil, attrition rates during basic training have dropped from 10.8% in FY 2020 to just 5.5% in FY 2021.

Consistently meeting recruiting goals, lowering attrition in basic training, and exceeding retention rates all point to a healthy, sustainable force. Why, then, is the Army offering massive enlistment bonuses to attract the talent they report they have been able to retain?

Bonus Money

Bonuses offered by any military branch must be taken with a grain of salt, and fine print exists in military contracts the same as any cell phone carrier. The $50,000 number is extreme, offered only if many criteria are met. The benefits page on GoArmy.com shows some of the career fields eligible for enlistment bonuses and tells potential recruits they may be eligible for “quick ship” bonuses, prior-service bonuses, and annual bonuses for medical personnel.

What you don’t see until you’re actually signing up is how the bonuses stack (or not), whether you actually qualify for those bonuses (many don’t), and how these bonuses are doled out (News flash: You’re not getting it all!). I won’t go into detail on the ins and outs of the bonus program, but many of the readers have probably already dealt with some sort of bonus during their careers. For those that haven’t, here’s a little rundown:

Enlistment Bonus: tied to the number of years of enlistment. Enlist for six years instead of four: bigger bonus.

Critical Skills Bonus: tied to the career field a Soldier is enlisting into. Higher demand equals a higher bonus.