The US Army is offering up to $50,000 to new recruits

(CNN) – The US military is offering a reward of up to $50,000, the largest ever, to some new recruits who enlist for six years in an effort to bolster their ranks amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“This is an opportunity to get people to think about the military,” he said. It’s a statement Brigadier General John Cushing, Deputy Commanding General for Operations, U.S. Army Recruitment Command (USAREC). “We’ve taken a look at the critical (military occupational disciplines) that we need to cover to maintain the training bases, and that’s where we focus a lot.”

USAREC said incentives for new recruits range from $1,000 to $40,000 for certain jobs that the Army needs to fill quickly or that are difficult to fill due to required qualifications, such as special forces or radar repairers.

Aside from job-based rewards, there are “Fast Ship” rewards for those who are ready to go into basic combat training within 90 days. These incentives range from $2,000 to $9,000, and the earlier an individual is sent, the higher the dollar amount.

For example, says USAREC, enlistment for six years as a member of the Air and Missile Defense Crew starts at $40,000 and also qualifies for a $9,000 critical income bonus. If the new recruit decides to go to training within 90 days, the additional expedited charging bonus will make the new recruit reach the maximum amount.

Previously, bonuses for new full-time employees did not exceed $40 thousand.