Following a difficult deployment to Iraq, the Hawai'i Army National Guard is working to overcome an expected 20 percent to 40 percent exodus from its ranks — a rate double its usual attrition.

Such a loss, if not stemmed by new recruits, could lead to units being stripped away, less federal money, fewer jobs and diminished capacity to respond to state disasters in future years.

"Knowing this, and knowing what other states have gone through, we're trying to prepare ourselves and put some programs into place that will prevent that," said Maj. Laura Soares, recruiting and retention commander for the Army Guard.

The Guard Recruiting Assistance Program, G-RAP, trains existing Guard soldiers to be recruiting assistants who get paid $1,000 when they recruit a new soldier, and an extra $1,000 when a recruit goes through basic training.

The "Hawai'i Heroes" program was created in partnership with business so Guard soldiers can log on to a Web Site and apply for jobs online.

The stories and situations vary, but a year in Iraq and Kuwait for the 29th Brigade — its first combat deployment since the Vietnam War — was a test of family relationships as well as suspension of jobs, school and everyday life for citizen soldiers who previously had been in uniform one weekend a month and a two-week training period a year.

For Sgt. Richard Sauque, six months of full-time training and a year in Iraq was enough.

"I just want to finish school. I don't want to deploy anymore," said the 24-year-old from Hau'ula. "I did my part for my country."

After six years of Guard service, he plans to get out next March. The same is true for about 25 other soldiers in his 35-soldier platoon, he said.

A few others have left the Guard to be part of the regular Army.

FAMILY COMES FIRST

After 25 years in the Guard and a year in Iraq, Staff Sgt. Clinton Haina, 43, re-enlisted for three more years. He'll be watching closely for signs of a new combat deployment before he goes any further. He'd like to make 30 years.

"I served my country. Would I do it again? It all depends," the Big Island resident said. "My family always will come first. They supported me in this 18 months away from home."

His wife, Gina Bernabe-Haina, will have a say in those future plans.

"When he was making his decision (to re-enlist), I told him I wasn't sure if they went back to war ... (that) I could go another 18 months or a year," she said.

Their 9-year-old is close to dad, and when the deployment came, there was separation anxiety.

"We went through this whole thing at school," Bernabe-Haina said. Unit-wide, there were "just a lot of divorces. It was awful, and it's still going on, domestic abuse and all that stuff."

Retirements and other departures have the Guard worried about this fiscal year and what it may mean for two new units expected with a reorganization of the 29th Infantry Brigade Combat Team as part of an Army-wide effort to make brigades more combat capable.

A new military police internment company and new engineer company are anticipated, but may depend on whether the 29th Brigade makes its "end strength" or year-end goal.

For this fiscal year, ending Sept. 30, that's 3,035 soldiers. The Army Guard now has 2,974 soldiers, a difference of 61.

"We will definitely recruit more than that between now and the end of September," Soares said. "However, the flip side of that is the retention side with soldiers intending to leave."

How many retirements and other departures are expected this fiscal year is unclear. There is anticipation that more than usual will leave the Guard.

Nationally, Guard units returning from Iraq duty have lost between 20 percent and 40 percent of their force. Hawai'i Guard officials are figuring they'll experience similar attrition.

MORE GO ACTIVE DUTY

Soares said those results really won't be seen for a year as service contracts start to expire.

Normally, the state's Army Guard recruits about 300 new soldiers a year. This year, the Guard is seeking an undisclosed number higher than that to counter the number retiring or leaving for other reasons. As of last week, the Guard had enlisted 190 soldiers.

"We're definitely falling short of our recruiting mission," she said.

Full-time soldiering pay also has proven to be attractive, and Soares said she's seeing "quite a few soldiers now requesting to go active duty."

"So we're seeing them go out through the back door because they are joining the active duty," she said. Policy allows them to make the switch within six months of deploying back home.

The Hawai'i Guard has been averaging five such requests a week, compared to one a month before deployment, she said.

If the Guard doesn't make its end strength, the National Guard Bureau could move the new engineer and military police units to states that are meeting the benchmarks, officials said.

"If we don't make force structure and that continues, that could chip away (at other units)," said Col. Bruce Oliveira, the 29th Brigade's deputy commander. "I don't really foresee that. I think we'll be able to make end strength."

About 10 years ago, the Hawai'i Army Guard lost the 1st Battalion, 299th Infantry of about 600 soldiers, officials said.

"We don't want a reduction in our force structure," Soares said. "We want to maintain the current strength that we have."

Despite the anticipated troops losses, Haina said many of the younger soldiers in his platoon re-enlisted in Baghdad, picking up $7,500 bonuses for a three-year commitment and $15,000 for six years.

"A lot of the younger soldiers re-upped because of tuition and school; not to go back to another war, but schooling," he said.

Federal monies of $204 million represented 96 percent of the Hawai'i Army and Air National Guard's operating budget for fiscal 2005. State monies amounted to $9.4 million. The Hawai'i Air National Guard has more than 2,400 air personnel.

Budget cuts could affect the units, the less than 400 full-time jobs within the Army Guard, and the state's ability to deal with emergencies.

NEW WAYS TO RECRUIT

Maj. Gen. Robert G.F. Lee, head of the Hawai'i National Guard, said new approaches are being taken to attract recruits. The Guard is looking at ways to have its strength at 110 percent or 115 percent to provide a buffer, he said.

Efforts to make war deployments less frequent and more predictable mean "we're pretty much assured that we're not going to be touched for six years," Lee said.

Lee said he really likes the new G-RAP program providing financial incentives for Guard soldiers bringing in new recruits. Lee said he was at McKinley High School Thursday night "and a recruiter showed me how two of the enlistees got $2,000 checks for bringing in their friends, so it's starting."

The younger recruits joining the Guard will tend to bring in their friends as, " 'Hey, let's do this together.' That's what we're encouraging," Lee said.

Reach William Cole at wcole@honoluluadvertiser.com.