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thedrifter
10-05-05, 07:10 AM
Senate gives nod to recruiting older citizens
By Rick Maze
Times staff writer

Legislation allowing military recruits to enter service up to age 42 and to create a new $1,000 finder’s fee for service members who tip off recruiters to good prospects has received tentative approval in the Senate.

A package of 81 approved amendments to the 2006 defense authorization bill unveiled Monday includes a recruiting and retention plan, proposed by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and prepared by the Army, that also:

• Raises the maximum enlistment bonus.

• Allows people with prior military service to get more than one bonus for joining the reserves.

• Increases the maximum bonus for officers joining the reserves.

Sen. John Warner, R-Va., the Senate Armed Services Committee chairman who submitted the package of approved amendments, said the 81 amendments in it represented those on which agreement had been reached between Democrats and Republicans during the two-month delay in work on the defense bill.

Warner said the package has amendments offered by 68 of the 100 senators, and that he and Sen. Carl Levin of Michigan, his committee’s ranking Democrat, would urge its adoption when the Senate gets back to work on the bill, which could be this week.

Raising enlistment and re-enlistment bonuses is the military’s traditional response to past problems in manning the force, but increasing the maximum recruiting age and paying a referral bonus are new ideas, both aimed at the Army and its recruiting difficulties.

The current age limit for active-duty recruits, 35, would increase to 42 for the all of the services.

The provision is not controversial because it is expected the military would use the new authority sparingly. The Army is the only service to express interest, and Army officials told the House Armed Services Committee earlier this year that the new authority would be used only for a few critical specialties.

The finder’s fee idea, however, does come with some controversy. Under the proposal, a member of the Army, Army Reserve or Army National Guard could receive a $1,000 bonus for referring a person who has never served in the armed forces to a recruiter.

For the finder to get the fee, the potential recruit would have to enlist in the Army, Army Reserve or Army National Guard and finish basic and advanced training. No payments would be given for referring an immediate family member, and anyone in a recruiting or career counselor assignment would be ineligible.

McCain’s proposal limits the number of bonuses to 1,000 as an initial test and would cancel the program on Jan. 1, 2008.

Army officials have talked about wanting to offer bonuses of up to $2,500 and another new enlistment incentive of up to $25,000 that could be used as a down payment on the purchase of a home.

Ellie

yellowwing
10-05-05, 08:15 AM
A 42 year old recruit? I can just hear it now, "Hey Poppa Smurf, get your nasty eyeballs off me!" :banana:

Osotogary
10-05-05, 09:41 AM
I'm wondering if the older citizens would be placed in combat ? Do you think that they would remain stateside?

RLeon
10-05-05, 01:37 PM
Doesn't look like the Marines are to interested in this prospect.
Right now in Ft. Benning There's a father & son going through basic training together. The dad decided to join the National Guard with his son when the army increased the age limit for guardsmen.

maspotente2
10-05-05, 02:01 PM
I got out of the Corps in 1977. If it was possible, I would like to go back on active duty. Believe me, I've tried to get them to take me back but because of my age 50+), it is not allowed. I can still pass the PFT...so I know I am still in shape to be on active duty.:marine:

hrscowboy
10-05-05, 03:29 PM
well my 2 cents are if your able to do the job and your prior service who gives a rats ass how old you are...

maspotente2
10-05-05, 04:11 PM
Right on hrscowboy! I just ran a 5k race this past w/e. Included in this race were 6 Marines (late 20's & early 30's). I had a better time than 3 of them. My time...24 minutes, 20 seconds. Not bad for a 50 year old!

Semper Fi...Oorah!
:marine:

junker316
11-04-05, 12:21 PM
I like this...Of course the older "citizen" would not be excluded from the combat zone. Why do you think there is such a problem. From years in the military I have seen a lot of younger generation come in just for the college fund. When they had to "earn" the money they decided it wasn't worth staying in. They got the college fund and got out. Most of the older generation, like the prior service, know that there may come a time that you are called on to do the business that we all train for. So the older "citizens" probably wouldn't have an issue with the massive deployments and re-enlisting because of the love for GOD, Country , Family, and Corps.
I'm wondering if the older citizens would be placed in combat ? Do you think that they would remain stateside?

rb1651
11-04-05, 12:33 PM
Well said junker316.

But we must also remember that there are many fine young men and women in our Armed Forces today that have no problem answering the call to arms.
(LCpl Shawn Seeley and Devil Doc Randell come to mind)

And as hrscowboy said, if we can still do the job, what's age got to do with it?