RETENTION BLUES: Desperate To Retain Troops, Army Offers $90K Reenlistment Bonuses.

To reach desired numbers, the Army will need to enlist 6,000 new recruits, retain an additional 9,000 current soldiers, and add 1,000 officers. Over the last two weeks, the Army has paid out over $26 million in bonuses, writes the Associated Press.

“The increased end strength of the Army will enable it to better meet the challenges of an ever-uncertain security environment but must be balanced against the readiness of the Total Force,” the Army said in a press release.

Officials tell the AP that their biggest concern between now and October will be whether they can persuade thousands of enlistees who are only months away from leaving the service to consider staying on active duty for four or more years.

Is retention difficult because of poor pay, frequent deployments, or P.C. B.S. — or all three?