Bad Economy Good For Military

Bonuses and other incentives lured Cadet Beau Person to enlist as an army reservist.  8 months later he has finished basic training and is a full-time college student.  The Army pays for his tuition, books and gives him spending money.

Cadet Beau Person: “I have a mortgage and two cars and life gets in the way of so many of our goals and getting back to school was a priority for me and I had no idea how I was going to pay for it but the army gave me the answers I needed and gave me the way for me to go back to school and still have everything I need.”

With a temperamental stock market and a slow economy some economists are predicting the unemployment rate to hit 7 or 7 and half percent by late 2009.

But military leaders see these tough economic times as opportunity for military recruiting.

Army recruiter Leland Harford says more civilians turn to the army when the economy slows and jobs are harder to find.

“Just as the economy continues to have hard times people begin to see the army more as a viable option with all the increased incentives because right now the army has been tasked to increase the army’s overall strength over 70,000 troops by the year 2010.

Sgt. Harford says the incentives are attractive, paid college tuition, spending money and signing up for active duty can get you up to a $40,000 dollar enlistment bonus; reservist can get up to $20,000.

Cadet Person: I certainly see more people using it as a method to get their education usually in times where the economy is lowest people look towards to increasing their education so when they get back in the workforce they have better options.