February 11, 2009 4:35 PM
- Text
About Face In National Guard Recruitment
(CBS)
Eighteen-year-old Manuel Caceres signed up for the Army National Guard today.
He is part of a dramatic turnaround in what had been a losing battle to fill the ranks. With the National Guard serving — and dying — on the front lines in Iraq, those ranks had fallen to a new low by the summer of 2005, CBS News national security correspondent David Martin reports.
"We had to take some different actions because what we were doing was not working," said Col. Mike Jones, the Guard's head recruiter.
Jones now pays members of the Guard $2,000 for every recruit they can deliver to basic training.
"That absolutely turned the corner," Jones said. "We've had over 35,000 people brought into the National Guard in the last 19 months as a result of the recruit assistance program."
Tabitha White is a private in the Guard and now a part-time recruiter. She'll get $1,000 for bringing Caceres in, and another $1,000 when he reports to boot camp.
For her, it's easy money.
"You can just walk into a store and you just stop somebody and tell them about the program," she said. "Very simple; it's just all about communication, about talking."
The Guard has also doubled the number of full-time recruiters to 5,000 and increased the enlistment bonus from $10,000 to $20,000. Surprisingly its ads emphasize the risks as much as the rewards.
One says: "We know the sacrifices. We know the consequences. We don't have a safe job and we're all willing to accept that."
"We're very candid that serving in the National Guard today is sometimes a dangerous business," Jones said. "Believe it or not, that message is selling."
It will have to keep selling because the Guard plans to add another 7,000 soldiers in the coming months.
He is part of a dramatic turnaround in what had been a losing battle to fill the ranks. With the National Guard serving — and dying — on the front lines in Iraq, those ranks had fallen to a new low by the summer of 2005, CBS News national security correspondent David Martin reports.
"We had to take some different actions because what we were doing was not working," said Col. Mike Jones, the Guard's head recruiter.
Jones now pays members of the Guard $2,000 for every recruit they can deliver to basic training.
"That absolutely turned the corner," Jones said. "We've had over 35,000 people brought into the National Guard in the last 19 months as a result of the recruit assistance program."
Tabitha White is a private in the Guard and now a part-time recruiter. She'll get $1,000 for bringing Caceres in, and another $1,000 when he reports to boot camp.
For her, it's easy money.
"You can just walk into a store and you just stop somebody and tell them about the program," she said. "Very simple; it's just all about communication, about talking."
The Guard has also doubled the number of full-time recruiters to 5,000 and increased the enlistment bonus from $10,000 to $20,000. Surprisingly its ads emphasize the risks as much as the rewards.
One says: "We know the sacrifices. We know the consequences. We don't have a safe job and we're all willing to accept that."
"We're very candid that serving in the National Guard today is sometimes a dangerous business," Jones said. "Believe it or not, that message is selling."
It will have to keep selling because the Guard plans to add another 7,000 soldiers in the coming months.
Latest Now in CBS Evening News
- Life on the streets of Syria
- In Japan, screaming "I love you" for Valentine's
- Syria's rebels "disillusioned" with America
- Evening News Online, 02.12.12
- Japan's men overcome shyness of sharing love
- Squatters cite old law to claim homes
- Death toll rises as extreme cold sweeps Europe
- Syria protesters grow frustrated with UN
- Unpopular austerity package ignites Greece protests
- Whitney Houston always remembered in her hometown
- Whitney Houston cause of death under investigation
- Whitney Houston never forgot New Jersey roots
- Former Pa. DEP chief on contaminated water from gas drilling
- Evening News Online, 02.11.12
- Catholic votes and the Obama contraceptive quarrel
- Making the 1st ever US women's Olympic boxing team
- Ohio unemployment hits 3-year-low
Latest CBS News Headlines
on Facebook Most Discussed Stories
on CBS News
- Mass. panel's findings on turbines to be discussed
- SC's ex-top cop among those defending video gaming
- After long break, Thornton back as director
- SC's ex-top cop among those defending video gaming
on Facebook Most Discussed Stories
on CBS News






