The Military has seen a decline in new recruits lately and the Army has decided to do something about it. Now, the Army is offering a bonus of $20,000 for new recruits, hoping to reach 80,000 new recruits by the end of 2007.

The Army states that this is the largest bonus they have ever given, having previously given out bonuses of 10,000 in March and 15,000, but never have they given a bonus of this magnitude before.

The bonus does come with a stipulation however. You see normally when a man or woman enlists in the army, they usually wait about 40 days before they are sent overseas for combat. With the $20,000 bonus, they may be sent to combat immediately (after completing basic and their advanced training). The new bonus program was initiated on July 6th and has already caused a surge in recruits. So far, 6,200 new enlistees have accepted the offer. When a new soldier finishes basic training, they will receive fifty percent of their bonus, the rest of the bonus is received after they have completed all of their training and have begun their active duty.

The $20,000 bonus doesn’t replace other benefits such as the G.I. Bill; the enlistee is still eligible for the college tuition money as well as their other benefits. For those who are considering enlisting, the bonus has been a huge incentive. In fact, the bonus is more than most young adults who are enlisting have ever made before. The bonus comes at a time where many people are hoping that troops will begin to pull out from Iraq.

The war has been undergoing intense scrutiny as people (particularly Democrats); are calling for an end to the war, however the President has pledged to stay on course and this means that we need more recruits.

How do you feel about the bonus? Do you think it is a good incentive, or do you think it is an unfair tactic being used by the government to sway young adults into joining the military? Also, do you think it’s worth it? Would you be tempted to join the Army for a $20,000 bonus?

Many people have already voiced their opinions that they don’t think the $20,000 bonus is a good idea. However, the new recruits don’t seem to agree. Analysts expect that by the end of September, the army should reach their goals for new recruits.

The Quick Ship program means that you will leave for basic training within one month, and you may serve in combat within four months of your initial enrollment date. It doesn’t seem to bother many of the new recruits, however. They seem to be very excited about the $20,000 and they don’t seem to have any problems with the Quick Ship rules or policies. If you are interested in finding out more about the Quick Ship program or would like more information regarding the $20,000 bonus, you may want to contact one of your local recruiters for further information.

The Iraq War is the basis for many new movies, and the current film, “In the Valley of Elah” we see fiction imitating reality. Directed by Paul Haggis, who wrote the screenplay for Million Dollar Baby, Crash, and Casino Royale, Paul Haggis definitely brings experience and expertise to the viewers with In the Valley of Elah.

In the Valley of Elah features an all-star cast including Tommy Lee Jones, Charlize Theron, Susan Sarandon, Jonathan Tucker, James Franco, Frances Fisher, Tim McGraw, Jason Patric, and Mehcad Brooks.

The movie is based upon the true story of Specialist Richard R. Davis. After returning home from Iraq, Specialist Davis and four of his friends went out. Specialist Davis never made it back. He was stabled thirty three times and then his body was burned. Two of his friends later confessed to the crime.

In the Valley of Elah tells the story of Mike Deerfield who ends up missing and goes AWOL. Tommy Lee Jones plays his father, and Susan Sarandon plays his mother. Charlize Theron plays a police detective who tries to unravel the mystery.

One thing is certain; many people will play close attention to In the Valley of Elah due to the notoriety of Paul Haggis. With so many outstanding films, people expect this one to do well, however, it should be stated that the U.S. Military has not endorsed the film.

The movie does cause great concerns regarding how the war will impact the troops in the long run. It is very sad and a stark reality that war is one of the world’s greatest atrocities, and our troops are not being spared any of the horrors. We know that our troops are dealing with lifelong disabilities, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Depression, and Suicide. Now, we are looking at the consequences of war on personalities that may have already had serious emotional and psychological flaws.

That is the question that people are asking, as it appears that many of our troops are exhibiting signs of anti social personality disorder and are acting out in increasingly violent ways.

You’ll find that after In the Valley of Elah hits the screens, that more of these questions will surface in conversation. People want to know what the effects of the war will have on the troops and citizens in the long run, and there really is no way to predict the future. All we can do is wait until all of our troops return home to find out what the major effects will be.

How do you feel about the latest war films? It does seem as though more people are dealing with the war through film. It may be that thanks to sites like You Tube and My Space, people are already viewing numerous movies and clips from the Iraq conflict. Today, media is readily available in all forms. Do you think this is good or bad? What are your views of seeing a movie about the war while we are still in war? Typically, it seems that movies are only released after the war is over. The movie is getting favorable reviews from soldiers who have stated that it is very realistic. In the Valley of Elah will be released on September 21, 2007.

We know there is a huge debate, and of course the President insists that we stay the course, but do you think it is time to leave? What do you think it will mean to the Iraqis and to the fight against terrorism, if we pull our troops out and come home? No matter what, our troops need our support, but do you think that we are doing well or do you think we have accomplished our mission by taking out Saddam and now its time to come home?

I am sure this is going to be a big battle in the upcoming elections, and of course the Democrats are proposing that we get out of Iraq as fast as possible, but I wonder what the impact of that would truly be. We were, and still are, supposed to be there until Iraq becomes a state that can operate under its own power and as a democracy, however with all of the insurgents that are becoming increasingly difficult it seems an endless battle and meanwhile the bloodshed continues. Of course we need to think of what is the best course of action for both our troops as well as the citizens of Iraq.

Now, two United States Senators are pushing the debate even further when Senator Joseph Biden made the announcement that the reality of seeing a government in Iraq wouldn’t happen during this lifetime. The fact is that the unrest is growing at an unprecedented rate in Iraq, and civilians are fleeing in huge numbers, roughly 100,000 people a month are leaving.

In addition, United States Senator Lindsey Graham just returned from Iraq and he states that after coming home from Air Force Reserve duty, that he believes the troops are making a difference and it is just a matter of time before the Iraqi government begins to take shape and Iraq will function as a state. The debate is based on whether or not we should keep our troops in place until we see Iraq operate with full autonomy.

Now with the upcoming elections, the debate is even greater. If we wait until Iraq is established, and keep just enough troops back to help train the Iraqi soldiers many people wonder just how long that will take.

Meanwhile there is an issue that is being overlooked, and that is the toll that the war is taking on our soldiers. Our troops are coming home wounded, battered, and scarred. How will this war affect the future of American citizens?

However, amidst all of the controversy, one thing is certain. Many people have compared the Iraq War with Vietnam, and they are definitely not the same. Vietnam had initiated a draft and the amount of American lives lost was immense. Iraq is not seeing the death toll that Vietnam saw and that is one good point regarding the war. However, no one wants to see our troops hurt, injured, or suffering and one can only stop and wonder how this war will effect our troops thirty or forty years from now. Today, we still have numerous Vietnam veterans who are continually suffering from the horrors they experienced in Vietnam, hopefully we won’t see that in the coming years with the veterans of the Iraq war.