Army to Expand Recruiting Incentives

WASHINGTON - Need a down-payment for your home? Need money to start a business? The Army wants to help - if you're willing to join up. Despite spending nearly $1 billion last year on recruiting bonuses and ads, Army leaders say an even bolder approach is needed to fill wartime ranks.

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Among the changes that have helped attract more recruits:

- Increasing to $20,000 the bonus for troops who join by Sept. 30 and leave for boot camp within a month.

- Raising the enlistment age to 42.

- Allowing recruits to come in with non-offensive tattoos on their hands and neck.

- Offering a $2,000 bonus to Army Soldiers who refer a new recruit.

- Enlisting recruits who don't meet weight standards and must trim down their first year.

- Advertising that targets potential recruits' parents.

- Increasing the number of recruits with general education diplomas rather than regular high school diplomas.

- Creating a more pleasant boot camp environment.

- Sending "gung-ho" Soldiers fresh from boot camp or war zones back to their hometowns to visit old friends and schoolmates to promote the Army.

- Increasing to more than 15 percent the number of Army and Army Reserve troops given waivers for medical and moral reasons or for positive drug and alcohol screen tests.