"Make part of your past, part of your future."

For former soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines who may be toying with the idea of getting back into uniform, the Army has a new offer: Join us and regain your old rank without repeating basic training. It is the latest twist in the Army's pitch for recruits at a time when the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are making it increasingly difficult to enlist young people and meet the Army's need for 80,000 new soldiers a year. Starting this month, the Army sent mailings to 78,000 people who left the Army, Navy, Air Force or Marine Corps less than five years ago, including 7,000 officers, as first reported Monday by The Army Times. "This is your opportunity to answer the call to duty again," the recruiting brochure says. "Make part of your past, part of your future."