Missouri National Guard tries recruitment incentive

~ A soldier can get up to $2,000 for getting another person to enlist.

To increase its recruitment numbers, the Missouri National Guard is offering financial incentives to citizen-soldiers who bring in new members.

Along with four other states, Missouri's National Guard is testing the Guard Recruiting Assistance Program. G-RAP is designed to increase National Guard numbers and keep all units full, said Master Sgt. Chad Craft, a recruitment officer for Area Five, which covers the area between St. Louis and Arkansas.

Craft said any current National Guard member can be a part of the program.

"The way it will work is that these soldiers will need to go online and complete a recruitment training program," he said. The soldiers will receive $50 and a resource kit, containing T-shirts and literature to assist with recruiting.

"These soldiers will then go into their communities, where they work, go to school, church, clubs and ask people if they are interested in joining the National Guard," Craft said.

For each person a soldier recruits, the soldier will receive $1,000 upon enlistment. After the enlisted person completes basic training, the recruiter will receive an additional $1,000.

Craft said that in the past, Missouri's National Guard typically had problems with recruitment.

At the beginning of 2005, Missouri was ranked 37th in the country for lowest number of recruited soldiers. Since the beginning of the year, Craft said the National Guard increased its focus on recruiting and currently ranks 11th in the country.

"We are not at our strength goal at this point, but we are on pace to do well," Craft said. During October and November, Craft said, 35 people were recruited into the Cape Girardeau unit. It was required to recruit 37.

With G-RAP, Craft believes the recruitment numbers should grow.

"This program should do nothing but help us," Craft said. "Our soldiers bring us referrals quite often, and now they will be getting incentives for it."

For local National Guard members who are unaware of G-RAP, Craft said it will be announced this weekend at the Guard's regular drill meeting.

"I think most of the members will be really excited about this program," he said. "It's a great deal for the soldiers and our recruiting force."

Missouri, Kentucky, North Dakota, West Virginia and Iowa began testing the program Wednesday. By the end of January, 11 more states will join the program. If it is successful, the program will be implemented in all 50 states by the end of September 2006.

National Guard members may apply for the program online at www.guardrecruitingassistant.com/.

jfreeze@semissourian.com

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