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thedrifter
02-27-09, 08:11 AM
Marines recruit controversy on campus
While strict rules apply to the recruiters, some still remain uneasy
By: Evelyn Carmack
Posted: 2/26/09

The reliable income and job security that the military offers can look very attractive to any one of the thousands of Americans getting laid off every day.

It can be an attractive option for a college student trying to pay for school, or a new graduate entering a bleak job market. This is why college campuses are an especially lucrative location for recruiters.

With the state of the economy rapidly plunging, and the rate of unemployment reaching record highs, many people are looking for new and different ways to support their financial needs. It comes as no surprise, then, that military recruiters have been enjoying the recent surge in the jobless population.

The presence of these military representatives on college campuses is a controversial subject, especially at a time when students are more vulnerable to being recruited. "It makes me worried," said Nancy Soto, the director of Student Life, when asked how she feels about the recruiters being here.

This subject hits close to home for Soto because her son was recruited in 2003. He joined the armed forces when they offered him a firefighting position alongside civilian firefighters. Four months before the end of his term, he was reclassified as an electrician in an engineering battalion and deployed to Iraq.

Before he signed his contract, the recruiters told Soto and her son that there was no chance he would be sent into a war zone. "It's not right for them to promise what they can't deliver… there are no guarantees."

Although Soto understands that "students have the right to hear what [recruiters] have to say," she doesn't particularly like them being on campus. "The students' priority is to get an education."

One could argue that these representatives are simply exercising their right to free speech. But others believe that they are out of place in a learning environment.

Anastasia Gallardo, assistant to the director of Student Life, doesn't think it's appropriate for military representatives to be at a school. "People are here to be encouraged to learn, not encouraged to go off to war," she said.

To prevent students from being encouraged or pressured to join the military, Chabot has "very strict rules," explained Soto. "The on-campus recruiters are not allowed to actively follow or recruit students, walk around outside of their designated area, or be intrusive in any way. They are here only to provide honest information to people who ask."

However, even if they aren't following or harassing students doesn't mean that they aren't having an influence on them. "When students can't afford school, they see the military as a viable means of getting their education paid for," said Soto. At a time when almost everyone is having difficulty making enough money, it becomes especially tempting to explore the military as a means of income.

"There are many career paths you can explore through the military that don't involve combat," said Marine Corps representative Torres, one of the visiting on-campus recruiters. However, he added that "in a time of war there is no guarantee that you will not be sent to a combat zone."

Ellie