Thursday, February 21, 2008

Captains less valuable than privates?

We're aware that the Army is now giving bonuses of $40,000 to new recruits. But, as Fred Kaplan points out in Slate, this may not be a good idea for a couple of reasons:
  • The money is paid after service is completed. Why should someone re-enlist?
  • The amount is a third more than the bonus given to captains who re-enlist. Who's more important - a captain or a private?
  • Emphasizing cash bonuses attracts people who are mainly money- rather than service-oriented.
Bring back the draft.

1 comment:

Flimsy Sanity said...

The real money is in joining the private armies like Blackwater.