WAR: Underhanded Recruitment Methods Documented

Now I'm only about pretty sure that in-service recruiters don't get bonuses.

You know, concessions are made in the military all the time. While I was in, they dropped the ASVAB GT line score from 110 to 100 for qualification for Special Forces. I wouldn't be so suprised if they did offer monetary incentives to uniformed recruiters.

I mean look at what they're offering future soldiers that are not even soldiers yet. And since congress has really upped the bar and called for 80,000 more active duty troops during a timeframe unknown, they may have just decided to provide that incentive.

I would really like to see where it was mentioned that in-service recruiters were getting bonuses, though. If Sergeant Tim whatshisname had a $500 bonus in it for him like I did, he might just say screw integrity duty and honor for the money.

He doesn't have the option of just quitting the job like I did.

[edit on 2-5-2005 by DeltaChaos]

From the source article.

"Let me tell you something sir, I'm a soldier and have been a soldier for 20 years," Brodeur said. "This violates trust, it violates integrity, it violates honor and it violates duty."

The army says it is conducting a full investigation. Brodeur said there is no pressure or punishment for recruiters if quotas are not met. They are, however, rewarded when their goals are surpassed.

So there is no dollar amount specified, but I'm pretty sure it's a monetary reward. The armed forces are desperately in need of more soldiers, so this practice would make sense.

If a private company needs more workers badly, they hire headhunters and promise a cut of the first years pay for any employees hired as a result of the headhunters activity. This would seem in line with the new policy of making the government operate more like the private sector.

Anyway, it's an obvious violation to induce recruits to break the law, and it's an equally obvious motivation on both the part of the army and the individual recruiter. Troops and money.

It's a shame really. First that we're in this desperate situation, and second that the individuals can't muster enough integrity to turn down some quick cash for criminal acts.

Originally posted by WyrdeOne
DeltaChaos
The information about recruiters getting bonuses came straight from the Army. They get bonuses for exceeding their quotas, according to the gentleman interviewed for the article.

And does anyone have any opinions about the attack on the recruiting office? That struck me as very strange, almost unheard of.

My husband is a recruiter and I can assure everyone that there is no such thing as a recruiter getting a bonus for exceeding the quota. If that were so, I would like to know where our money is, because he has never recieved it. I don't know who the interview was done with, but they obviously don't have a clue.

As far as the attack on the recruiting station, it is not totally unheard of. In these times, people will do almost anything to get attention. Our station has also had problems with vandalism that stems from someone being upset about the war.

And for the recruiters being underhanded, I can also assure you that not all recruiters are stooping to those levels. I know for a fact that the recruiters from the station that we just left from and also the station that he is now in charge of are not like that. They will tell you like it is, and that is why my husband has been successful. Don't get me wrong, it is hard sometimes, and don't always meet quota, especially now, but, why would anyone want to put their CAREER on the line???

Originally posted by newm om 04
Don't get me wrong, it is hard sometimes, and don't always meet quota, especially now, but, why would anyone want to put their CAREER on the line???

Because you have to understand, if an in-service recruiter doesn't make mission, it could really screw up their carreer. If you are successful as a recruiter, it can help you a LOT! In the case of the civilian recruiter, like I was, it comes down to the bonus. A lot of people will do the wrong thing for cash, and at $500 bucks a head, and as hard as it is to find qualified applicants, the wrong thing might be a little more tempting.

I can see where you are coming from on the civilian side of it where bonuses are involved that it would be tempting, but we are active duty, so we don't get those bonuses. So, I would rather take the butt chewing than to put my career on the line, if it were actually me. But like I said, I see your point of the temptation.

Originally posted by newm om 04
I can see where you are coming from on the civilian side of it where bonuses are involved that it would be tempting, but we are active duty, so we don't get those bonuses. So, I would rather take the butt chewing than to put my career on the line, if it were actually me. But like I said, I see your point of the temptation.

Are you referring to the butt chewings soldiers receive when they don't make mission? Failing as a recruiter (not making mission) can be devastating to a soldier's career. That could, for some, be just as much a motivation as the cash.

Originally posted by DeltaChaos


Are you referring to the butt chewings soldiers receive when they don't make mission? Failing as a recruiter (not making mission) can be devastating to a soldier's career. That could, for some, be just as much a motivation as the cash.

Yes, for not making mission. But, I do know that that kind of stuff is not gong on in our area in particular. My husband is station commander at our station, and is is not up for risking his career for this kind of stuff. He plans on retiring from the Army, and does not want to jeopardize his chances of doing so. Also the station that we just left from, which is the next county over, which had another station commander, was not involved in that stuff either. Now, I'm not saying that there are not recruiters that would stoop that low. All I'm saying, is that there are a few bad recruiters that are giving ALL of them a bad name. And also that the recruiters that are active duty, not the civilian ones, DO NOT get any kind of bonuses for exceeding their quota. That is the issue that my origional post was on. But, I agree with you, not making quota can be devistating to the recruiter. If you read the reports on the recruiters that the case is about, it was said by the LtC for that area that recruiters are not punished for not making mission, that is not true, they are scolded or whatever you want to call it. And the report also said they are rewarded for exceeding their mission, the only way that they are rewarded is they say, "Ok, you had a mission of 4 this month and you met it, so let's make it 6 for next month". Some reward, huh. But I assuer you it is not monitary.
How Far Will The Army Go?
Take a look at this, scroll down to the bottom where the interview is with Lt Col Bordeur and you will see what I am talking about.

Yes, as a matter of policy, soldiers, airmen, sailors, and Marines are not permitted to accept any kind of monetary compensation for doing their job well or exceeding the standard.

This was much to my dismay when I realized that other (foreign) soldiers that were patrolling the same Serbian border as I was were receiving UN pay in addition to their normal salaries. This UN pay was not unsubstantial, and many of us were pissed about that, but that's how it goes.

And you're right, it is usually just a handful of soldiers in any case of wrongdoing that are the culprits. Unfortunately, those are the only ones that seem to hit the 6:00 news.

Why is it underhanded to help a kid detox? What's wrong with getting drugged out losers into the military? I don't disagree with that at all.

Originally posted by Geneticus
Why is it underhanded to help a kid detox? What's wrong with getting drugged out losers into the military? I don't disagree with that at all.

If you get drugged out losers in the military, then you get Abu-Ghraib. You get soldiers rolling grenades into command's tent. You open any number of cans of worms when you enlist people who are not morally qualified.

I'm not saying morally qualified as in ready and willing to kill people because they're told to do so, but people who have a sense of right and wrong that is strongher than their own sense of entitlement, and someone who hasn't killed brain cells to the point that right decision making becomes a problem for them.

Drugs, and people who use them, really have no place in the job. History would prove otherwise, but that's one of the problems with a draft. You can't really pick and choose then who you will allow to represent the American people overseas.

Originally posted by DeltaChaos

Originally posted by Geneticus
Why is it underhanded to help a kid detox? What's wrong with getting drugged out losers into the military? I don't disagree with that at all.

If you get drugged out losers in the military, then you get Abu-Ghraib. You get soldiers rolling grenades into command's tent. You open any number of cans of worms when you enlist people who are not morally qualified.

For a long time, I figured the military was the best place for drugged out losers. Especially knowing that if they are busted while in the military, they end up in a military prision, then get discharged.

But I think you are right DC. The job soldiers do is far too important and difficult for just anybody.