With the war in Iraq claiming American lives nearly every day
and college attendance at an all-time high, military recruiters
across the nation are working harder than ever to interest young
people in joining the service. But in the South Valley region,
where good-paying jobs are harder to find, enlistment has been
consistent, say area recruiters.
Hollister – With the war in Iraq claiming American lives nearly every day and college attendance at an all-time high, military recruiters across the nation are working harder than ever to interest young people in joining the service. But in the South Valley region, where good-paying jobs are harder to find, enlistment has been consistent, say area recruiters.
Money for college is a big incentive, as is having a job ready upon graduation, said Michael Hansen, a recruiter for the U.S. Air Force, who frequently visits local schools to talk about what students stand to gain from enlisting.
“A lot of people want to get out of Hollister and we offer a lot of opportunities that the kids are otherwise not going to have,” said Hansen.
About 100 people from Morgan Hill, Hollister, San Juan Bautista and Gilroy enlisted in the five branches of service in 2004, some 25 less than the previous year, according to figures provided by the U.S. Army. Of those, 31 were from Hollister, including about 20 graduates of San Benito High School.
Recruiters visit local campuses almost every week to meet with interested students and give presentations. If they want to, they are also allowed access to student files as the result of No Child Left Behind Act, which required schools to provide names and phone numbers of students to recruiters.
Recruiters see themselves as the vital link between potential recruits and the Armed Forces and they eagerly fill students’ ears with stories of exhilarating adventures in exotic lands, money for college and generous enlistment bonuses that in some cases can go up to $20,000.
“Everyone has a different reason for wanting to join,” said Sfc. Felipe Davila, a local recruiter for the Army National Guard. “Some want money for college, some want a job and some need that adventure.”
Melissa Shupe, a senior at Anzar High School, who is scheduled to join the Navy after graduation, said that the money and a chance to see the world was what motivated her to enlist.
“I think it helps with structuring your life,” said the 17-year-old resident of San Juan Bautista. “Without it, I’d be on my own without anyone telling me what to do.”
Despite most of her friends eyeing college after graduation, Shupe wasn’t interested in it. Her father served in the Navy and helped her make the choice, she said. After school Shupe works at a local grocery store and said she was hoping to do something better with her life.
Nationwide, enrollment figures for the U.S. Army have decreased in recent years, dropping from over 88,000 in ’90 to 77,000 in 2004. That’s why the Army has had to change its tactics by paying special attention to college-age students, especially those who started college, but dropped out because they couldn’t afford it. To entice them, they use the G.I. Bill and the Army’s 100 percent tuition reimbursement to interest potential recruits. But since more youth than ever are going to college – whether it is junior colleges or four-year-schools – the task can be daunting.
“Most young people nowadays see the military as an interruption to college,” said Douglas Smith, a spokesperson for the U.S. Army Recruiting Command in Ft. Knox, Kentucky.
The improvement in the economy in the past year has also contributed to the drop in fresh-faced cadets, who now have more options upon graduation. The war in Iraq that had claimed 1,418 American lives by Wednesday, is another deterrent for enlistment, said Smith.
“There’s a certain amount of hesitancy among parents and young people,” he said.
In the South Valley region, recruitment peaked in 2001 when the Sept. 11 attacks occurred and again in 2003 coinciding with the start of the war. Since then, numbers have leveled off and are expected to stay there, said recruiters.
A recent survey on post-school career plans at San Benito High School showed that only 5 percent of graduating students intended on joining the military, according to Jeanie Churchill, a career counselor at the school.
Seniors at the school also took the Armed Services Vocational Battery, a free aptitude test given by the Department of Defense to identify students’ skills, even if they have expressed no interest in joining the military. The test is given twice a year, which teachers and counselors urge students to take, even if only to figure out what they are good at.
The high school also has a Navy ROTC program which teaches life skills such as leadership and responsibility using a military model, but its teachers say they don’t necessarily push students in the program towards a military career.
Shupe, the Anzar student, took the test last year. And despite her school counselor’s warning – who she calls “kind of a hippie” – that she at least consider applying for college, Shupe’s mind is made up. As soon as school is over, she is flying to Illinois to start basic training.
“It is an easy way out for me,” she said.
Karina Ioffee covers education for the Free Lance. Reach her at (831)637-5566 ext. 335 or ki*****@fr***********.com
