Photo by Army.mil (top) and The National Guard (bottom)


Because of the economy it seems more people are turning towards alternate resources for their income. Some are starting their own businesses, while others are looking into the military.

“We are seeing more people who are approaching us than we did last spring,” said Lt. Gen. Benjamin Freakley, commander of the Army’s Accessions Command, which oversees recruiting and training.

While the Army’s pitch is geared toward service of country, it also offers up to $40,000 in bonuses to those who qualify for certain jobs. In addition, a soldier can get up to $81,756 to help pay for college through the Montgomery GI Bill and the Army College Fund.

While the Army and military services is a great option, especially with the mentioned benefits along with the experience and leadership skills that you can learn, it's still a pretty significant decision. One that shouldn't be taken lightly, or just for a means of employment.

Most of the years when unemployment went up were during peacetime, Freakley said. This time, the Army is fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

While there are the benefits of a job, bonuses and scholarships, “it’s still a very significant decision to join an Army while a country is at war,” Freakley said.
“It’s not about joining for employment. You’re joining for deployment.”

Although all of the services report meeting recruiting goals, the upsurge is helping the Army, which plans to add 30,000 more active-duty troops by Sept. 30, for a total of 547,000.

Read the full article from The State.