May. The bonus, which is in addition to other enlistment bonuses, is for recruits who have already shipped out for basic training or are scheduled to ship out before May 31. Also eligible are recruits who signed up to enter basic training after May 31 but are willing to start earlier. The money is paid after recruits finish their technical training in one of about 100 specialized, technical career fields.
Spring is traditionally a busy time of year for military recruiters enlisting high school graduates.
The military, which is struggling to meet recruiting goals, anticipates the bonuses will help recruiters compete with colleges, a good economy and low unemployment for enlistees. Fifteen to 20 potential recruits have contacted the Air Force recruiting office in Abilene after hearing about the bonus through public service announcements, said Senior Airman Matthew Kostas. And about 60 percent of the airmen who have enlisted are trying to move up the date they enter basic training to qualify for the bonus. I wish they'd had that when I was coming in. Although his office has met recruitment goals since the beginning of the year, he said the bonus has definitely made a difference for recruiters in the last two weeks.