I had just read this story when I switched over to the NYTimes and it was there also. It appears that rather than lose our top soldiers to Blackwater and their ilk, we have been paying out some damn hefty bonus.
WASHINGTON (AP) -- 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 are offering big salaries...
Overall, more than 1,200 of the military's most specialized personnel near or already eligible for retirement have opted for payments of up to $150,000 in return for staying in uniform several more years. Military offers millions in bonuses to retain elite commandos
I have the breakdown on the flip.