They're staying on because they love army life or are getting out because they're sick of it, and the 10,000-dollar bonus offered to reenlist is not a factor, said US soldiers in Iraq.
"Not even a million dollars" would make Corporal Will Tate stay on after his four-year stint is over in July, he said as he burned waste material on a cliff overlooking the Tigris River near his base in Saddam Hussein's hometown Tikrit.
First Lieutenant Colin Crow, from Louisiana, said the extra cash might be an incentive for some troops, but for most soldiers "it's not the money, it's the guys you're serving with and the job you're doing."
The US Army has decided to offer bonuses of up to 10,000 dollars to troops who agree to extend their tours in Iraq, Kuwait or Afghanistan.
The size of the bonus runs according to speciality, rank and length of extension.