COUNTERING MILITARY RECRUITMENT
Articles: Military Recruiting: Student Privacy
Recruiters Target Teenagers
Amanda Gonzalez, Indian Echo
Oct 30, 2006
While the students hurry into the cafeteria for lunch, the militaryrecruiter prepares his display for what could be a successful day. As
students come up to him, he begins to answer questions and tries to
persuade them to consider joining a branch of the military.
"Basically the process for school recruiting is we let recruiters sit
on
the landing during lunch and we have students come to them," Assistant
Principal Mike Cook said. "We've made it clear that it is strictly a
volunteer thing on our students part."
Military recruiting in schools is intended to give students the
opportunity
to talk with a recruiter about enlisting in some area of the armed
forces.
"I think it (recruiting) is a good thing," Recruiter Corporal Michael
Geiger said. "It gives the kids a chance to see what we do and gives us
a
chance to answer questions for them before they get of age."
Recruiters are allowed on the campus during lunch hours only and are
not
allowed to approach students. However, recruiters may go into
classrooms
with teacher permission to give a presentation.
"In some aspect recruiters do recruit when a student comes to them to
talk
about military opportunities, but we don't allow recruiters to mingle
in
the cafeteria or go into the classrooms without teacher permission,"
Cook
said. Many feel that although recruiters are limited to certain rules,
they
can still apply too much pressure on students.
"Once or twice I've had recruiters that I felt over stepped their
bounds,"
Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) teacher Colonel Donald
Bills
said. "To me that's the only negative, because it reflects badly not
only
on recruiters as individuals but their branch. I think recruiting is
fine
as long as recruiters know their parameters."
Although recruiters are supposed to stay on the landing during lunch,
they
have approached some students at tables.
"The army lady came over to everyone's tables and told us (to) come up
to
the landing for some free stuff and information" sophomore Sierra
Dennis
said. "We were like 'no' but she wouldn't leave us alone and we saw her
telling (others) to go to the landing."
Other students said that the recruiters continuously asked them
questions
to try and start a conversation.
"Recruiting in schools feels like an attack," senior Kelsey Mako said.
"It's like leave me alone. It's none of your business if I should
join."
Due to the methods recruiters take to get students attention in school,
some think recruiting in schools is unnecessary.
"Recruiters coming to school is not a good idea because if people are
interested in going into the army, navy or whatever then they'll go to
recruiters," senior Billy Mills said.
While recruiters are criticized for pressuring students, several sense
that
their intentions are good.
"They (recruiters) do get a bad rap," former army recruiter and JROTC
teacher First Sergeant David Nash said. "(But) it's a great opportunity
for
a young person if they decide not to go to college."
Many recruiters think that by being in schools they are providing
students
with various opportunities after high school graduation.
"For the most part, when kids get up to graduating what they do is
either
struggle to get into school or find a job," Geiger said. "By going into
the
schools, we let them know that (in the military) you get education and
a
good job all in one."
Some students want to join the military because of the education aid.
"The army does pay for college, in some aspects, so it's probably some
of
the motivation that kids have (to join)," Mills said. "But I think it'd
be
a better idea to go to college first."
Some students choose to go into the armed forces because they can't
afford
college.
"If an individual has the ability and the finances to go to college,
I'd
tell them to go," Bills said. "However, many students don't have the
money.
So for those individuals, the military is a good option."
Bills said that although college is important, many students may not go
and
joining the military gives them another option.
"The military will teach them and in all cases the military is very
strong
on continuing education," Bills said. "Now obviously that's not as good
as
actually going to a university but it is a good second option and it
doesn't cost them anything."
Teachers and recruiters suggest that before making a decision about
life
after high school, students should review all of their options.
"If they (students) are considering joining the armed forces I think
they
should do some research before they jump into something," Nash said.
"They
should make sure this is something they want to do."
Most recruiters, teachers and students think young people should
consider
all their options before making a decision.
"Students who go to the army right after high school have the right to
do
what they feel they must," junior Rosalva Lopez said. "If it was their
decision to enlist then hopefully they will serve the country at their
best."
Those students who have already enlisted in the army believe the
experience
will be just as rewarding as going to college or starting a career.
"Just knowing that you're doing something for your country, means
something," senior Alex Widner, who already enlisted in the military,
said.
"I'm one of those people that can't do a 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (job). The
only
place you can really get a job that's not like that is in the
military."
Even though many feel recruiters are trying to influence younger people
who
don't know what they want to do after school, some recruiters claim
they
only want to give students another opportunity.
"We don't necessarily do it to reach a younger age, were not out their
to
try and drag people," Geiger said. "I think it's a great way to get the
word around to people and let these kids know there's another option in
life."
Nash said that students who enlist in the military are not always going
to
be directly in combat.
"When you graduate from high school you are going to go out into the
workforce, go to college or most likely join the armed forces, so if I
decide not to go to college here's another avenue I can take," Nash
said.
"Anything that you can imagine doing we have in the armed forces. So
not
everyone is in combat arms."
While some students believe that joining the military is dangerous
because
of the war going on now, others feel it gives graduates opportunities
they
wouldn't have otherwise.
"I think the positive thing is that even now with the situation in
Iraq,
with soldiers being killed everyday, that the military is a very good
way
of life because soldiers have a lot of opportunities that a lot of
civilians don't," Cook said.
Recruiters view enlisting in the military as a positive choice after
high
school.
"I look at the army the same way I look at college," Nash said. "Not
everybody is ready for college and not everyone is going. The army is
an
opportunity and you want to look at all your opportunities and make the
best choice for you."
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articles culled by members of the Counter-Recruitment List Serve from printed
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material relevant to the work of