thedrifter
12-27-07, 09:14 AM
Recruiters regulars at GHS
Dec 26, 2007 @ 11:17 AM
By ALISON EHRHARD
Knox News Team
GALESBURG -
Travis McClay, a 17-year-old Galesburg High School junior, joined the U.S. Army Reserves to be a mechanic working on diesel trucks, 5-ton and under.
“I just always had it in me,” McClay said. “The Army would help me get into college and start my life out. I didn’t think I had much options.”
McClay blames his lack of options and bad grades on himself. “I’m just lazy,” he said.
McClay did not consider college an immediate option. He took the military aptitude exam to help with his decision to be a mechanic.
Jean Glasnovich, McClay’s counselor, has 360 students assigned to her and meets with each one at least once a year, but wishes she could give more attention.
“Do I get enough time with each student? No,” Glasnovich said. “I think some kids think that (the military) is their only option or think that it’s their ticket to do better. It’s rare if it’s their only option. It may be their best option.”
Galesburg now has three students in the delayed entry program for the Marines and two going into the Army Reserves. Josh Bazon, a counselor, knows five students with a strong interest in the military, and Glasnovich knows two going into the military. Exact numbers are not yet available.
The Army Reserves recruiter visits Galesburg High School at lunch every other Thursday, the Marines the first Tuesday of every month, and the Army National Guard comes to the school every day. A total of 23 military brochures are on display in the counseling center at the high school. In the Galesburg area, there’s an Army National Guard Recruiting Center off North Linwood Road, and in the Carl Sandburg Mall are offices for the Army Reserve, the Marines and the Navy.
“The military is very visible here,” Glasnovich said.
Under the federal No Child Left Behind Act, the high school is required to give the names, addresses and telephone numbers of all incoming juniors and seniors over the summer to the military recruiters, unless parents indicate otherwise.
“We have certain milestones we must meet to contact everyone,” said Sgt. 1st Class Troy Bleyaert, the Army Reserve recruiter for the area and Travis McClay’s recruiter.
Recruiters from the three branches must document the initial contacts.
According to Bleyaert, a junior student like McClay who is 17 can only be in the Reserves, not active duty. Once students sign a contract, they cannot get out of the commitment unless they receive a federal scholarship for a military school.
As juniors, they have the option to do drill weekends but they do not get paid like the seniors.
“By law, the military can’t gainfully recruit people under the age of 17,” Bleyaert said. “We can’t talk about benefits and programs because the numbers will change by the time they’re 17.”
Unlike the Army Reserve, the Marine Corps has a delayed entry program open to seniors only, which potentially guarantees a job and a “ship day” to go to boot camp for the summer after their senior year.
The military sets up a table outside the lunch room containing brochures, literature and free lanyards. The recruiters will sometimes be in uniform to attract students and will hold push-up contests where the winner receives a free T-shirt.
Staff Sgt. Nicholas Strode, the Army National Guard recruiter, said, “The lunch table display is like mass marketing. I just go and give stuff away. It’s not the biggest way to get people. It’s sales more than anything.”
Strode prefers not to rely on phone lists and brochures but to talk directly with the kids and educate them on college benefits, job training experience and all the different opportunities for service.
“I tell them if you can accept the fact you might deploy then go for it,” said Strode, who served one year in Iraq. “If you can’t, then this job isn’t for you.”
Nate Thierry, a junior at Galesburg High School, agreed. “They’ll tell you the risks if you ask.”
But Cody Tracy, another junior, disagreed. “It’s pretty ridiculous. They lie to us about how great it is. You’ll only go to Iraq and die.”
Quita Brown, a freshman, is considering joining the Army and is not discouraged by the war.
“I would be happy to see something else outside of Illinois. I’m so used to being in Galesburg.”
Toni Dubet, a cafeteria worker and mother of junior Daniel Dubet, said, “No parent wants to see their child go to war and fight. If a son or daughter wants to do it then they should do it. I’m fine with the lunchroom tables.”
“If a company or a business wanted to have a table for recruitment purposes then the school probably would let them, but we don’t get much of that,” said Tim Johnson, a chemistry teacher.
According to No Child Left Behind, “Same access must be granted to the military as is granted to post-secondary educational institutions or to prospective employers of those students.”
Galesburg High School has never set up a business recruiting table alongside the military recruiters, according to GHS principal Chiles.
“We would have to make a determination of that if it was requested,” he said. “Initially, I would parallel the military recruiting to a college recruiting more than paralleling it to a business recruiting.”
The military recruiters at the lunch tables let the interested students approach them for the most part, not the other way around, according to the students, teachers and Dubet.
During Alumni Day every December, juniors have the opportunity to talk to a graduate who is in the military.
When a student is interested in the military, Glasnovich questions where the interest is coming from and then she will contact a recruiter. She makes sure before they sign that they know the deal they’re getting and that they understand the military is not a commitment they can easily get out of. She thinks that students with bad grades are aware that the military requires a lot of work
“It’s not the best avenue for them,” Glasnovich said. “They will struggle.”
The counselors try to educate students on all their options, and the military recruiters have a job, too.
“It’s my job to educate, not steer people away from the military,” Strode said. “Seven out of 10 people don’t make it. Sometimes people just want to do it.”
Strode believes the brochures are accurate, that college is 100 percent paid for.
Bleyaert saw a girl wearing a Western Illinois University sweatshirt and he asked her if she was going there next year. Bleyaert gave her information on an alternative way to pay for school through the Amy after she said she could not afford Western Illinois.
As for McClay, he will go to basic training during the summer between his junior and senior year. During his senior year, he will get paid to do drill weekends for one weekend a month. After his senior year, his education will be paid for and he’ll be in the Army.
Ellie
Dec 26, 2007 @ 11:17 AM
By ALISON EHRHARD
Knox News Team
GALESBURG -
Travis McClay, a 17-year-old Galesburg High School junior, joined the U.S. Army Reserves to be a mechanic working on diesel trucks, 5-ton and under.
“I just always had it in me,” McClay said. “The Army would help me get into college and start my life out. I didn’t think I had much options.”
McClay blames his lack of options and bad grades on himself. “I’m just lazy,” he said.
McClay did not consider college an immediate option. He took the military aptitude exam to help with his decision to be a mechanic.
Jean Glasnovich, McClay’s counselor, has 360 students assigned to her and meets with each one at least once a year, but wishes she could give more attention.
“Do I get enough time with each student? No,” Glasnovich said. “I think some kids think that (the military) is their only option or think that it’s their ticket to do better. It’s rare if it’s their only option. It may be their best option.”
Galesburg now has three students in the delayed entry program for the Marines and two going into the Army Reserves. Josh Bazon, a counselor, knows five students with a strong interest in the military, and Glasnovich knows two going into the military. Exact numbers are not yet available.
The Army Reserves recruiter visits Galesburg High School at lunch every other Thursday, the Marines the first Tuesday of every month, and the Army National Guard comes to the school every day. A total of 23 military brochures are on display in the counseling center at the high school. In the Galesburg area, there’s an Army National Guard Recruiting Center off North Linwood Road, and in the Carl Sandburg Mall are offices for the Army Reserve, the Marines and the Navy.
“The military is very visible here,” Glasnovich said.
Under the federal No Child Left Behind Act, the high school is required to give the names, addresses and telephone numbers of all incoming juniors and seniors over the summer to the military recruiters, unless parents indicate otherwise.
“We have certain milestones we must meet to contact everyone,” said Sgt. 1st Class Troy Bleyaert, the Army Reserve recruiter for the area and Travis McClay’s recruiter.
Recruiters from the three branches must document the initial contacts.
According to Bleyaert, a junior student like McClay who is 17 can only be in the Reserves, not active duty. Once students sign a contract, they cannot get out of the commitment unless they receive a federal scholarship for a military school.
As juniors, they have the option to do drill weekends but they do not get paid like the seniors.
“By law, the military can’t gainfully recruit people under the age of 17,” Bleyaert said. “We can’t talk about benefits and programs because the numbers will change by the time they’re 17.”
Unlike the Army Reserve, the Marine Corps has a delayed entry program open to seniors only, which potentially guarantees a job and a “ship day” to go to boot camp for the summer after their senior year.
The military sets up a table outside the lunch room containing brochures, literature and free lanyards. The recruiters will sometimes be in uniform to attract students and will hold push-up contests where the winner receives a free T-shirt.
Staff Sgt. Nicholas Strode, the Army National Guard recruiter, said, “The lunch table display is like mass marketing. I just go and give stuff away. It’s not the biggest way to get people. It’s sales more than anything.”
Strode prefers not to rely on phone lists and brochures but to talk directly with the kids and educate them on college benefits, job training experience and all the different opportunities for service.
“I tell them if you can accept the fact you might deploy then go for it,” said Strode, who served one year in Iraq. “If you can’t, then this job isn’t for you.”
Nate Thierry, a junior at Galesburg High School, agreed. “They’ll tell you the risks if you ask.”
But Cody Tracy, another junior, disagreed. “It’s pretty ridiculous. They lie to us about how great it is. You’ll only go to Iraq and die.”
Quita Brown, a freshman, is considering joining the Army and is not discouraged by the war.
“I would be happy to see something else outside of Illinois. I’m so used to being in Galesburg.”
Toni Dubet, a cafeteria worker and mother of junior Daniel Dubet, said, “No parent wants to see their child go to war and fight. If a son or daughter wants to do it then they should do it. I’m fine with the lunchroom tables.”
“If a company or a business wanted to have a table for recruitment purposes then the school probably would let them, but we don’t get much of that,” said Tim Johnson, a chemistry teacher.
According to No Child Left Behind, “Same access must be granted to the military as is granted to post-secondary educational institutions or to prospective employers of those students.”
Galesburg High School has never set up a business recruiting table alongside the military recruiters, according to GHS principal Chiles.
“We would have to make a determination of that if it was requested,” he said. “Initially, I would parallel the military recruiting to a college recruiting more than paralleling it to a business recruiting.”
The military recruiters at the lunch tables let the interested students approach them for the most part, not the other way around, according to the students, teachers and Dubet.
During Alumni Day every December, juniors have the opportunity to talk to a graduate who is in the military.
When a student is interested in the military, Glasnovich questions where the interest is coming from and then she will contact a recruiter. She makes sure before they sign that they know the deal they’re getting and that they understand the military is not a commitment they can easily get out of. She thinks that students with bad grades are aware that the military requires a lot of work
“It’s not the best avenue for them,” Glasnovich said. “They will struggle.”
The counselors try to educate students on all their options, and the military recruiters have a job, too.
“It’s my job to educate, not steer people away from the military,” Strode said. “Seven out of 10 people don’t make it. Sometimes people just want to do it.”
Strode believes the brochures are accurate, that college is 100 percent paid for.
Bleyaert saw a girl wearing a Western Illinois University sweatshirt and he asked her if she was going there next year. Bleyaert gave her information on an alternative way to pay for school through the Amy after she said she could not afford Western Illinois.
As for McClay, he will go to basic training during the summer between his junior and senior year. During his senior year, he will get paid to do drill weekends for one weekend a month. After his senior year, his education will be paid for and he’ll be in the Army.
Ellie