Somehow, I suspected it would come to this.
As one of the "innovative recruiting initiatives" authorized by the 2006 National Defense Authorization Act, the office of the commanding general for the U.S. Third Army, Lt. Gen. R. Steven Whitcomb, has announced that applicants for enlistment AND re-enlistment who volunteer for service within the territory of Central Command now qualify for bonuses which are competitive with those long offered to certain members of opposing forces, the well-known offer relating to the availability of 72 virgins in paradise.
Here's a link to the DefenseLINK news article which refers generally to the initiatives:
article . The specific Military Personnel message which announces the new CENTCOM enlistment bonus appears below the fold.
MILPER MESSAGE NUMBER: 06-015
REFERENCES
A. MILPER MSG #05-083, AHRG-EPT-A, ISSUED 4 APR 05, SAB.
B. MILPER MSG #05-116, AHRG-EPT-A, ISSUED 9 MAY 05, SAB.
C. HQDA MSG DAPE-MPA 01-11-06, SUBJ: CENTCOM SPECIAL COMPETITIVE INCENTIVE INITIATIVE.
D. CHAP 5 AR 601-210, CHAP 5 AR 601-280
1. THIS MILPER MESSAGE WILL EXPIRE NLT 31 DECEMBER 2006.
2. POLICY CONTAINED IN REF D.
3. ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE FOR USAREC: TO AVOID FUTURE CLAIMS OF ERRONEOUS OR UNFULFILLED COMMITMENTS, REQ CDR USAREC ENSURE RECRUITERS AND MEPS PERSONNEL ARE KNOWLEDGEABLE OF THE CONTENTS OF THIS MESSAGE.
4. ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE FOR DFAS: TO AVOID FUTURE CLAIMS OF ERRONEOUS OR UNFULFILLED COMMITMENTS, REQ CDR DFAS ENSURE THAT ALL FAO'S ARE KNOWLEDGEABLE OF THE CONTENTS OF THIS MESSAGE.
5. RULES:
A. EFFECTIVE 1 FEB 06 A NON-PRIOR SERVICE (NPS) SEASONAL ENLISTMENT BONUS (SB) IS AVAILABLE TO NPS APPLICANTS FOR A TERM OF SERVICE (TOS) OF THREE OR MORE YEARS IN ALL MOS WHO VOLUNTEER FOR SERVICE WITHIN CENTRAL COMMAND (CENTCOM). AN SB OF 72 VIRGINS UPON ADMISSION TO HEAVEN.
B. EFFECTIVE 1 FEB 06 A PRIOR SERVICE SB IS AVAILABLE TO APPLICANTS WHO HAVE BEEN SEPARATED FOR MORE THAN 90 DAYS FROM AN ACTIVE COMPONENT ENLISTING FOR A TOS OF THREE OR MORE YEARS IN ANY MOS. AN SB AMOUNT OF UP TO 28 ADDITIONAL VIRGINS UPON ADMISSION TO HEAVEN IS AVAILABLE FOR APPLICANTS WHO SERVED PREVIOUSLY WITHIN CENTCOM.
6. HRC POC FOR THIS MESSAGE IS LT. GEN. R. STEVEN WHITCOMB, CDR.