Military brass are scrambling to boost the bonuses of elite commandos in a bid to fend off increasingly aggressive recruiting by security companies, Sun Media has learned. Canada's small Joint Task Force 2 unit is fast becoming a prime poaching ground for companies providing security in war-torn countries such as Iraq, according to highly censored documents obtained under Access to Information.

The defence department's director of pay and policy development has been treating a plan to stem the bleed from the secretive unit through increased bonuses as its "highest priority," according to an October 2003 note to the deputy chief of defence staff's office.

'INVALUABLE TOOL'

"A substantial, tangible allowance structure meeting today's needs will be an invaluable tool in retaining the single-most critical resource JTF2 possesses," says a May 2004 memo from the military's pay division, referring to its soldiers.

JTF2 assaulters and their support staff receive the same basic pay as Canadian Forces soldiers of the same rank.

But they also get monthly bonuses to make up for their gruelling schedule and dangerous work. Those run from $320 extra for someone who provides basic support such as tending equipment to $983 monthly for highly skilled veteran assaulters.

Those amounts have not increased since 1997 and the memo says that is causing some soldiers to be "lured by a most lucrative civilian market."

Not only are JTF2 soldiers a sought-after commodity for security companies who pay upwards of $1,000 a day plus expenses and first-class travel, there are also many jobs available at the United Nations and other international organizations where their salary is tax free.

"International organizations, security companies and corporations are actively recruiting and the employment climate is definitely a seller's market," a 2004 memo says.

CUTTING TIME AWAY

Navy Lieut. Walter Moniz said the plan to increase the allowances is heading to the Treasury Board for approval and other measures are being considered to convince JTF2 members to stick with their unit, such as diminishing their time out of country.

"They want to retain the specialities that these guys have," Moniz said.

Moniz said commandos are being reminded that private security companies don't offer as good a pension as the Canadian Forces, and won't look after their family if they are injured or killed.

"At the end of the day you're looking at a life and a career as opposed to a job," Moniz said.