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thedrifter
03-15-06, 06:30 AM
Limiting military recruiters
As services push to meet enlistment goals, high schools restrict access at parents' request

Anne Ryman
The Arizona Republic
Mar. 15, 2006 12:00 AM

High schools, long a key target for military recruiters, are placing more limits on recruiters' access to students because of parents' complaints.

A growing number of schools throughout the country have set limits over the past year, including two of Arizona's biggest school districts. The changes come after parents complained that recruiters were overzealous or were on campus too often.

In Arizona, the Tucson and Sunnyside unified school districts limited each military branch to one visit per month. Paradise Valley Unified School District in the Valley is moving to confine recruiters to the counseling office; they used to roam the campuses almost freely, talking to students.

The limits are spreading even as the military tries to bounce back from a tough year of recruiting. The war in Iraq dampened enthusiasm to enlist in 2005. But active-duty services have met their goals so far this year, with some reserve services coming up short.

It's not clear whether many more high schools will adopt restrictions - a few have loosened them at the military's request - but recruiters are concerned.

Army recruiters in Arizona, for one, have a lot at stake. Last year, Arizona seniors made up 871, or about 41 percent, of the enlistments by the Army's Phoenix Recruiting Battalion, which handles recruiting for most of the state. Seniors made up 12 percent of Army enlistments nationwide. Even if students don't sign up in high school, their encounters with recruiters at school often inspire future enlistment.

The importance of students to the military is borne out by one of the goals of every Arizona Army recruiter: to contact 100 percent of seniors in their assigned ZIP codes, in person or by phone. Some schools are open to recruiters while others are not, said Army Lt. Col. Kenneth Hickins, who oversees recruiting in most of Arizona, New Mexico and western Texas.

It's hard to tell whether the recent limits have affected recruiting numbers, he said.

"Does it make work harder for recruiters? Yeah," he said.


Recruiter's day


It's lunchtime at Horizon High School, and Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Carlos Garcia talks and jokes with students in the courtyard.

Dressed in a spotless uniform and shiny black shoes, the 28-year-old stands out among students in blue jeans and T-shirts. Horizon is one of several Paradise Valley high schools that plan to restrict recruiters to the counseling office.

Garcia feels a little apprehensive about the changes.

"Right now, we're holding our breath," he said.

Given the choice, he loves the courtyard because it's easier to talk to more students. Besides seeking prospects, he answers questions about the military and checks in with students who have signed up to join the Marines once they graduate.

Garcia recruits at two other area high schools: Fountain Hills and Desert Mountain in Scottsdale. His personal goal is to recruit at least five students from Horizon this year, four from Desert Mountain and two from Fountain Hills. He is close to his goal at Horizon, with four, and halfway there at Desert Mountain, with two. He has none at Fountain Hills. Garcia visits each school at least once a week.

Recruiters must reach out to a lot of students to land a few.

"Everyone is a potential recruit, and I treat them as such," said Garcia, who has been in the Marines for 10 years.

For every 10 students he talks to, three will be eligible for service and one will be interested. Some won't pass the medical requirements or background screening, or score high enough on the Armed Services aptitude test.


Recruiting challenges


Military recruiters face a unique situation: It's the first time in U.S. history that an all-volunteer force is being used during a long war.

The operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and for homeland security have required large numbers of personnel, which magnified recruiting challenges. In 2005, the military had to retain tens of thousands to maintain its 2.7 million force.

Last year, five of the 10 services - the Army, Army Reserve, Army National Guard, Air National Guard and Navy Reserve - missed their recruiting goals by 8 percent to 20 percent.

The Army came up 6,627 short of its 80,000 recruitment goal. It made up for it with more than 69,500 in re-enlistments, the highest in five years.

The Army launched several new initiatives to bolster enlistments, including adding recruiters, increasing the maximum enlistment age for Army Reserves and raising the signing bonus for certain jobs.

Since October, when the military's fiscal year began, active-duty services have met their goals every month, though some reserve services have come up short. Four of the six reserves failed to meet their goals in February. One notable exception was the Army National Guard, which signed up more than 26,000 soldiers in the first five months of fiscal 2006, beating its target by 7 percent, its best performance in 13 years.

The Army's Phoenix Recruiting Battalion reports steady enlistments in recent years and last year signed up 2,118 people from Arizona. Recruiters are meeting their goals so far this year, it said.


Reaching students


To reach students, recruiters not only visit schools but also call them at home. They also attend, wearing their uniforms, school events such as sports games and concerts. They volunteer to speak to classes, talking about Iraq, for example, or what it's like to be stationed in a foreign country.

High schools are priorities because many students are in one place, said Douglas Smith, spokesman for the U.S. Army Recruiting Command at Fort Knox, Ky.

"From a convenience standpoint and reaching out to as many people as possible, it's a perfect location," he said.

High schools that get federal funds must allow military recruiters the same access as they do colleges. If recruiters are confined to a table in the counseling office, the same will apply to college representatives.

In 2002, a provision in the No Child Left Behind Act required schools to turn over the names, addresses and phone numbers of students to the military unless parents opted out.

This made recruiters' jobs easier because some schools previously refused to give them the list or made the military buy it. But the change also had a downside. It stirred up the nerves of some parents, who complained that schools did a poor job of publicizing the opt-out clause.

The controversy has helped fuel new recruiting limits at schools. Over the past year, schools in Washington, Maine and Illinois have placed limits on military recruiting, from capping the number of visits to giving equal access to groups that promote alternatives to the military. Among the groups are the Coalition Against Militarism in Our Schools and militaryfreezone.com.


Parents object


At a recent meeting in the Paradise Valley District, parents raised concerns about recruiters' access to their children.

John Weimer, an assistant superintendent, said some complained that recruiters approached students who weren't seniors. The district decided to require recruiters to stay at a desk in the counseling office.

"I can recall two conversations where (parents) were really offended that the military would talk to students of that age because (the students) are so impressionable," he said.

Parents who want restrictions often prefer their teens go directly to college or worry they will be hurt or killed in the military.

A few months ago, Sunnyside Unified in Tucson limited each military branch to one visit a month after parents complained to the School Board.

One of those parents, Veronica Ahumada, said recruiters would "bug" students at lunchtime.

Her son, 19-year-old Jesus Ahumada, said he used to see military recruiters at Sunnyside High School at least three times a week. The recruiters walked around the cafeteria and talked to students at lunch. Ahumada said he also has gotten eight to 10 telephone calls at home from various military branches. Recruiters shouldn't be "going out and bothering people," Ahumada said, but should be restricted to one area of campus.

Rachel Ortiz, 16, of Tempe, disagrees. She isn't bothered by military recruiters at Tempe's Marcos de Niza High School. The high school junior has not ruled out a career in the military yet, but she wants to attend college first and become a veterinarian.

Some districts report no tensions. Dysart Unified in the West Valley, for example, has no plans to put in restrictions. Its high schools don't limit the number of days recruiters can visit. Willow Canyon High School in Surprise hosted a military recruiting night earlier this year.

In Scottsdale, Saguaro High School is relaxing some limits it established two years ago. Recruiters recently asked for more face time, so the school began allowing them to visit four times a year, rather than twice. All branches visit the same day and must meet with students during lunch in the career center.

"We do it during lunch so it doesn't disrupt instruction," Saguaro Principal Ty Timbrooks said.


Staying visible


At Horizon High School, Marine recruiter Garcia said he plans to make his recruiting goals this year despite the limits on access. But he added that he may have to change his approach and recruit more at shopping malls.

In the meantime, he strolls the courtyard to find future Marines.

One of those is Scott Cianfarano, 18, a Horizon senior who caught Garcia's attention months ago. Cianfarano says he likes the military's discipline and the physical challenge. He plans to enter the Marines later this year.

The soon-to-be-imposed ban on recruiters in the courtyard doesn't make sense to him.

"How will people find them?" Cianfarano said.



Reach the reporter at anne.ryman@arizonarepublic.com or (602) 444-8072.

Ellie