• The Wall Street Journal, Thursday, November 29, 2007 12:15 PM

The Army's core product--military service--is a tough sell right now, so its new marketing strategy will be to win over "influencers" of potential recruits with a pitch that offers up to $40,000 toward the purchase of a home or the creation of a business.

"If you want to get a soldier, you have to go through mom, and moms want to know what kind of future their children will have when they leave the Army," says Lt. Col. Jeff Sterling, the program's architect.

The new recruitment program, dubbed the "Army Advantage Fund," is meant to show parents and other adult "influencers" that Army service offers tangible benefits to young Americans. Recruits signing on for three years will be eligible for a $25,000 payout. The total would rise to $35,000 for those serving four years, and $40,000 for those committing to five. The soldiers would be eligible to receive the money as soon as they finish their initial Army service.

Read the whole story at The Wall Street Journal »