Military recruiters use computer games, sports, pop culture to attract volunteers [Archive] - Marine Corps

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02-23-04, 07:19 AM

Even with war, teens say 'roger' to the military

By Reid R. Frazier
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, February 19, 2004

Ryan Holets knows his road through the military might lead him to Baghdad or Fallujah, but the high school junior said he would have no problem putting himself in danger.
"I'm definitely aware of it. I read a statistic that one out of four of all fighter pilots don't come back alive. I'd rather go out doing something I love than sit around and wait for something to happen," said Holets, 17, a junior at South Fayette High School.

Holets and other local high school students interested in military service say the dangers of the war in Iraq haven't cooled their desire to serve. Neither has the debate over whether the Bush administration distorted intelligence on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, nor the failure to find such weapons so far.

"You have people who say that Iraq is pointless, but I think it's better to lose 500 people (in a war) than to lose a whole city," said Holets, a cadet with the Civil Air Patrol Squadron 603, based at the 911th Airlift Wing in Moon. The Civil Air Patrol is the Air Force's uniformed civilian volunteer auxiliary but does not recruit students for the military.

Military recruiters say the more than 500 U.S. military personnel killed in Iraq since last year -- about 400 of the casualties coming since May 1 -- haven't kept them from meeting recruiting quotas back home. Nationwide, the military signs up about 184,000 recruits a year to maintain an active-duty force of 1.4 million around the globe.

Allison Coleman, a senior at Penn Hills High School who will join the Naval ROTC at Duquesne University next year, said the Iraq war has made her more willing to join the military.

"I believe in everything we're doing. What's going on in Iraq is everything this country stands for," said Coleman, 17, a cadet with her school's Naval Junior ROTC.

The questions surrounding weapons of mass destruction haven't weighed on the desire of Ryan McCoy, 15, of Brookline, to join the military once his high school days are up.

"Whether this war was justified or not doesn't mean wars in the future are going to be justified or not. Either way, I'll be just as willing to give my life to my country," said McCoy, a 10th-grader at Keystone Oaks High School who is a cadet with the Civil Air Patrol Squadron 603.

Sgt. Mike Wiener, a Marine Corps spokesman based in Pittsburgh, said a recruit's decision to enlist isn't affected much by peacetime or wartime.

"They're doing it because they want to be a Marine," he said.

After missing its recruiting quotas during the boom years of the late '90s, the military has met its quotas every year since 2000, said Lt. Cmdr. Jane Campbell, a Department of Defense spokeswoman.

Staff Sgt. Todd Putnam, a local Marine recruiter, said the war in Iraq hasn't hindered his efforts, which include visits to local high schools and interviews with Marine Corps hopefuls.

"There's always a few that say, 'Hey, I don't want to go on the front line.' I try to get them to understand that not every Marine fights on the front line. At the same time, I tell them I can't promise they will be sent to fight, and I can't promise they won't," Putnam said.

Putnam, who is based in the Robinson armed forces recruiting substation, said he generally tries to recruit evenly between high school seniors and those who have completed high school.

Putnam said he has recruited men up to age 29. The cutoff age for Marines is 32.

Although fewer than 10 percent of local high school graduates go to the military, interest in the armed services hasn't wavered much, according to guidance counselors at several high schools.

Tony Indovina, guidance counselor at Shaler Area High School, said his experience as a Vietnam War veteran makes him emphasize to students what kinds of sacrifices the military expects if they join.

"I ask them to understand that the primary mission, apart from the career opportunities and educational benefits, is to prepare for combat, and that they make sure (they're) comfortable with all that before joining," Indovina said.

Indovina said students' families are key to helping them make their decision.

Kevin Van Shura, a guidance counselor at Montour High School, said the media play a large role in shaping students' opinions of the military, particularly since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

"I think it's the media glorification of the uniform, without the educational understanding for what it's all about," said Van Shura, who encourages his students to explore all the pros and cons of signing on with the military.

Leighann Mills, 18, of Reserve, said she decided to look into the military after seeing a TV commercial for the Navy last summer.

Mills, who will ship out for boot camp in August, said she knows the risks of joining the Air Force, which she preferred to the Navy.

"It's a little scary to think you might not be coming back, but so many people have defended our country before us," said Mills, a senior at Shaler Area High School.

James Marable, a senior at Penn Hills High School, said several uncles who served in the military helped him decide to put off joining the Navy until after college.

Marable, a 19-year-old cadet with his high school's Naval Junior ROTC program, said if called on to fight, he would do it.

"That's always a risk. If that does happen, I'm going to prepare myself now to get ready for it."

Reid R. Frazier can be reached at rfrazier@tribweb.com or (724) 779-7114.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/tribnorth/news/s_180040.html

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