WASHINGTON — The Pentagon has paid more than $100 million in bonuses to veteran Green Berets and Navy SEALs, reversing the flow of top commandos to the corporate world where security companies such as Blackwater USA offer big salaries.
The retention effort, started nearly three years ago and overseen by U.S. Special Operations Command in Tampa, Fla., has helped preserve a small but elite group of enlisted troops with vast experience fighting unconventional wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to Defense Department statistics.
Overall, more than 1,200 of the military’s most specialized personnel close to or already eligible for retirement have opted for payments of up to $150,000 in return for staying in uniform several more years.
In addition to being proficient with weapons, many of these troops have advanced education, the ability to speak the languages of the Middle East, and the cultural awareness that comes with living among the local populations.
“Back in 2005, we saw quite a few exits,” said Rear Adm. Michael LeFever, director of the Navy’s military personnel plans and policy division. “What we’re seeing lately is just the opposite. We’ve become very aggressive.”
Defense Secretary Robert Gates remains so concerned over the lure of high salaries in the private sector that he has directed Pentagon lawyers to explore putting no-compete clauses into contracts with security companies that would limit their recruiting abilities.
In addition to retention bonuses, enlisted special operations personnel also qualify for a special duty pay of $375 a month above their normal salary.
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