The U.S. Army is reporting a remarkable increase in people seeking to enlist. While the danger is clear-- on-going wars overseas-- people are flocking to recruitment offices because they face economic dangers here at home. Clinton Lara and Nick Moore are about to graduate high school and go into the army.A momentous decision for these Seminole Ridge High School seniors, but one that became easier to swallow once they talked to their local recruiter and saw the benefits of joining. "Job security, pre-paid college tuition, you can't get that training anywhere else," said Lara.
But is that worth the risk of getting killed in Iraq or Afghanistan? These two don't seem to phased by it. "I always wanted to join the Army, since I was little," said Lara.
The military has always represented a stable and meaningful career in any economy. The fact is, unlike most forms of employment or training, the military offers long term benefits. College after enlistment, full medical, housing, retirement at 38 if you stay in, and many other options. The military also gives you a sense of pride, knowing that what you do makes a difference. Why did/would you join?
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As a former S1 of a Recruiting Battalion, I know full-well the challenges that recruiters face meeting their monthly recruiting quota. While I am glad to see that it has become easier to meet the Army's recruiting goals, it is unfortunate that it took a withering economy to make a turn-around occur.
I was a part of USAREC during a robust economic phase in the U.S. (1998-2000). During this time, you saw young men and women joining the Army for love of country and having a desire to serve; their service was not due to an inability to find a job in the civilian sector. I am not saying that today's recruits are not joining for patriotic reasons, but the tone of this article implies that a downturn in the economy is the reason for a recruiting uptick. I will be the first to admit that I would rather have a company of Soldiers who joined for reasons other than the inability to find a job in the civilian sector. I fear that those joining due to econominc reasons will be the first to abandon the military once the economy gets back on-track and we will experience the same shortages that have plagued the military in the last several years.
The key to long-term success for the military is to be able to recruit during good times and bad, followed by the ability to retain these personnel. I do not pretend to have the answers to these problems and there are men and women focused on this issue 24/7 in USAREC who are much smarter than me. I wish them the best as I know the challenges they face. I am hopeful that the Army can find the solution to its recruiting problems regardless of the situation on Main Street.
The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Army, Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.
I was a part of USAREC during a robust economic phase in the U.S. (1998-2000). During this time, you saw young men and women joining the Army for love of country and having a desire to serve; their service was not due to an inability to find a job in the civilian sector. I am not saying that today's recruits are not joining for patriotic reasons, but the tone of this article implies that a downturn in the economy is the reason for a recruiting uptick. I will be the first to admit that I would rather have a company of Soldiers who joined for reasons other than the inability to find a job in the civilian sector. I fear that those joining due to econominc reasons will be the first to abandon the military once the economy gets back on-track and we will experience the same shortages that have plagued the military in the last several years.
The key to long-term success for the military is to be able to recruit during good times and bad, followed by the ability to retain these personnel. I do not pretend to have the answers to these problems and there are men and women focused on this issue 24/7 in USAREC who are much smarter than me. I wish them the best as I know the challenges they face. I am hopeful that the Army can find the solution to its recruiting problems regardless of the situation on Main Street.
The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Army, Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.