Army National Guard enlistments up in state

Despite mounting casualties and relentless sectarian violence in Iraq, the Massachusetts Army National Guard recruited more soldiers in fiscal 2006 than in any year since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

The 1,360 Army recruits exceeded the previous year's total of 900 by 51 percent and topped the former post-Sept. 11 high of 1,350 recruits in fiscal 2002.

National Guard officials said the surge, which exceeded their goal of 1,200 new soldiers for the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, is linked to an expansion of cash bonuses, education benefits, and a strong sense of patriotism.

"I was very pleased; it was a positive year," said Major Charles Cody, recruiting and retention commander for the state Army National Guard. "There's no one reason. It's a lot of little things."

The overall size of the Massachusetts National Guard, which includes 5,900 soldiers and 1,900 airmen, also grew for the first time since the 2001 attacks, said Major Winfield Danielson, the Guard spokesman. Before the 2006 fiscal year, the Massachusetts National Guard shrank from 9,500 soldiers and airmen in fiscal 2002 to 7,500 in fiscal 2005.

"Since I've been tracking the numbers since 1998, we hadn't had a year where we've grown," Danielson said. "This is at least the best year since then."

The Massachusetts Air National Guard experienced a slight decline in recruits last fiscal year, to 172 from 198 in fiscal 2005.

Overall, the Massachusetts National Guard lost its lowest percentage of soldiers and airmen since fiscal 2002. The 17 percent attrition rate, which measures the number of Guardsmen who retire or do not reenlist, was the best retention mark that the Guard has posted since 16 percent of soldiers and airmen left the state Guard in fiscal 2002.

The state's trends mirror what has been a dramatic, upward shift in National Guard enlistments across the country and comes as President Bush considers increasing the number of troops in Iraq.

According to the National Guard Bureau, which manages the federal missions of the Guard, a total of 78,180 soldiers and airmen were added across the country in fiscal 2006, compared with 59,129 and 57,511 recruits in 2005 and 2004, respectively.

Despite the increases in enlistments, the Guard remains short of its federally authorized strength in Massachusetts and nationwide. Through November, the state National Guard was at 89 percent of its authorized size of 8,800. At the end of fiscal 2006, the Guard across the United States was at 99 percent of the 456,800 soldiers and airmen approved by the National Guard Bureau.

In Massachusetts, Danielson said, recruits list educational benefits as the Guard's top attraction. Under the state's "Welcome Home" bill approved in 2005, National Guard members are entitled to free tuition and fees at any state university or college, including graduate school, up to a combined maximum of 130 semester hours.

In addition, Massachusetts Guardsmen who have been deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan receive a $1,000 tax-free bonus, just like their counterparts in the active-duty services.

Nationwide, recruits who choose high-demand jobs such as the infantry or driving trucks receive a $20,000 bonus when they enlist in the Guard, a 100 percent increase from $10,000 in 2005. Guardsmen also receive $2,000 for each new recruit they refer.

Eric Johnston, a 37-year-old father of three from Milford, said the added benefits were a key factor in his decision to enlist in May. Johnston said he intends to use federal benefits for National Guard members to help pay for his final year at Newbury College. Those benefits include up to $4,500 in tuition and fees each fiscal year at private, accredited institutions, and a total of $10,368 for other college expenses, Guard officials said.

Looking toward retirement, Johnston said he can add the military's benefits to whatever his civilian employer provides.

But Johnston, who manages a Sprint Nextel retail store in North Attleborough, said his decision also was swayed by patriotism.

"It was a chance to do my share," he said. "If everyone else can step up, I guess I should, too."

Massachusetts currently has about 800 Guardsmen overseas, including 500 in Kosovo, 300 in Iraq, and a handful in Afghanistan, Danielson said.

Johnston said he and his wife had long discussions about military service. After two years of soul -searching, Johnston enlisted for an eight-year commitment and will leave next month for basic training in Missouri.

Johnston, who has chosen the military police, said he is prepared for the possibility of deployment to Iraq. "I'll move forward if that happens and meet the challenge," Johnston said. "If I get ordered to go, I get ordered to go."