Army Recruiting Bonus

[Warrior-Mentor]

Want to share an idea under development.

It's here because it applies to aspiring 18Xs.

The Army just paid out it's first $1,000 bonus for a Soldier who recruited a civilian. The key is the recruit must complete basic and AIT before the bonus is paid.

I am willing to donate the proceeds for personnel who list me as their inspiration for enlisting. I'm still researching the details of how to do this.

Question is:
Should I donate it to the SOWF? or another charity like that helps Wounded Warriors for example.

Your Thoughts?

[Gordon]

Although first thought would be to donate to SOWF, I would be more inclined to go with a charity that benifits all soldiers. I would like to belive we do a good job looking after our own in the SO community, but it really can't hurt to look back to what for many of us is our roots, the Army in general where we still have friends making alot of the same sacrafice.

[CoLawman]

In my opinion you contribute a great deal to The Warrior Foundation, financially and promotion. Your generosity is enough to benefit both causes you listed. And thanks for all you do!

[stakk4]

...but I'm a fan of AER and what they do. However, they get plenty of support from the Army. I'd say maybe a small percentage to AER and the rest to SOWF. Of course, there are more worthwhile charities than I can count. Helping wounded warriors would definitely get a big thumbs up from me.

My humble .02


S

[Team Sergeant]

Want to share an idea under development.

It's here because it applies to aspiring 18Xs.

The Army just paid out it's first $1,000 bonus for a Soldier who recruited a civilian. The key is the recruit must complete basic and AIT before the bonus is paid.

I am willing to donate the proceeds for personnel who list me as their inspiration for enlisting. I'm still researching the details of how to do this.

Question is:
Should I donate it to the SOWF? or another charity like that helps Wounded Warriors for example.

Your Thoughts?

Put it into your website, make it bigger and better. Or place it into your next book!

TS

[Kyobanim]

Or place it into your next book!

You have to do a sequel. Follow up on the people that used the first book as a training aid.

[Warrior-Mentor]

I'm thinking about adding a couple pages in the next reprint once I flesh out this idea...or perhaps in the chapter that points guys in th eright direction to sign-up....

Something like:
"If you're not in the Army and want SF...see a recruiter about 18X program....and ask the recruiter to credit WM for recruiting you and to donate the $1,000 to ______(charity here)____."

If we got just 20 guys a year to sign up that way, we'd fund another scholarship with SOWF or help $20k worth of wounded warriors.

Still ruminating on this....

[Weazle23]

...The key is the recruit must complete basic and AIT before the bonus is paid.

I am willing to donate the proceeds for personnel who list me as their inspiration for enlisting. I'm still researching the details of how to do this...



It's called Operation SMART and here is the official website:

www.usarec.army.mil/smart/

There are definate hoops to jump through including the applicant can't already be in the recruiters computer as a conducted appointment.
Here are some "small print" paragraphs:

"Soldiers must provide all information on the website including name, address, social security number and contact phone number of the referral using this process. The referring Soldiers are required to establish a user account prior to making a referral. Referring Soldiers are also required to submit their personal information on the website including their social security number to facilitate payment via DFAS. Please note that the bonus is paid only after the referral completes and graduates from Initial Entry Training (IET). Please refer to the messages and criteria for this program under the "Policies" link above."

"All information provided by the referring Soldier will be authenticated by the HQ USAREC program manager to determine their eligibility. Once contact is made with the referral the referring Soldier will receive a letter by mail of the referrals current status. If the referral becomes unqualified, does not enlist and ship to IET, or fails to complete IET the referring Soldier will also receive a letter by mail on the referrals status. Due to privacy requirements the exact reasons for disqualification or failure to complete training will not be disclosed. Any questions regarding the Referral Bonus Program should be directed to 1-800-223-3735 extension 6-0473. For referrals to the Army National Guard referring Soldiers should call 1-800-GoGuard (1-800-464-8273) or go to http://www.1800goguard.com/esar"

"Upon receiving the referral at HQ USAREC, the referral information will be submitted for contact and pre-qualification screening. Once contact and pre-qualification screening is completed, the referral information will be sent to the nearest Recruiting Station. The Recruiting Station will contact the referral and set up an appointment to discuss the enlistment opportunities and continue processing the individual for enlistment into the Army or Army Reserve"

[Warrior-Mentor]

Thanks Weazle. I'm not keen on the Army requirement for my SSN. Will need to think about that ne and how to work around handing my SSN out to the public....

[x SF med]

WM-
since this is going to be sent to a foundation - the tax exempt ID for the foundation might work. It might require the help of AL or RL to get it together from a legal standpoint, but it would relieve you of the tax burden on the 'unearned' income of the referral bonuses if it went directly to a tax exempt foundation rather than into your pocket then to the foundation.

Just my .02 as a (now) finance guy

[Weazle23]

Thanks Weazle. I'm not keen on the Army requirement for my SSN. Will need to think about that ne and how to work around handing my SSN out to the public....

The public wouldn't need your SSN, but you would have to register on the website using your SSN. The applicants would need to provide you with their inormation, including SSN, and you would have to put them into the website before their first time of sitting down and talking with a recruiter.

I think x sf med has a great point. If this were to really take off, your taxes might complicate matters.

[x SF med]

Thanks for the vote of confidence Weazle.

WM you may want to call
...regarding the Referral Bonus Program should be directed to 1-800-223-3735 extension 6-0473. For referrals to the Army National Guard referring Soldiers should call 1-800-GoGuard (1-800-464-8273) or go to http://www.1800goguard.com/esar" (sic, Weazle's post)
to see if there is a provision in the reg for direct donation to charity - they may have already thought of this situation (even if they are dirty stinkin legs - for the most part)

[Ammodawg]

Want to share an idea under development.

It's here because it applies to aspiring 18Xs.

The Army just paid out it's first $1,000 bonus for a Soldier who recruited a civilian. The key is the recruit must complete basic and AIT before the bonus is paid.

I am willing to donate the proceeds for personnel who list me as their inspiration for enlisting. I'm still researching the details of how to do this.

Question is:
Should I donate it to the SOWF? or another charity like that helps Wounded Warriors for example.

Your Thoughts?

I was curious if this meant non-prior service? I will be exiting the Air Force and joining the Army, not transferring over Blue to Green so I will technically be a civilian until I enlist again. I would be happy to list you as my inspiration for joining SF (but it was really NDD ;) )

[clapdoc]

I was watching The Bill O'Reilly show with guest host Laura Ingram.
They had a segment on about troops who were injured in Iraq and when they were shipped back to the states, the military was requiring them to repay part of their enlistment bonus.
This is a slap in the face of every person who has gone in harms way for this country.

Have we let the lawyers and bean counters overwhelm our good sense.

I don't usually get on a pedestal but this really offended me.

We need to make this an issue with our congressmen.


clapdoc sends.

[Pete]

...Have we let the lawyers and bean counters overwhelm our good sense.....
clapdoc sends.

Read all of this story. If you only read the first part you'll get mad.


http://www.myfoxstl.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=4996467&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.2.1


So you see, it's not military policy, somebody screwed up in the individual's case. Some fat bean counter messed up and they'll get it straight.

The only time the military fails to pay out a bonus is if it's the individual's fault or a pre-existing condition that comes up.

[clapdoc]

Hey Pete,

Thanks for the heads up on the article. I feel much better about the situation now that I know the senators are working on the problem. I still intend to get in touch with my one of my senators, Trent Lott, and make sure that he is on the case.



clapdoc sends.