Military sees increase in recruits
By ROSCOE BARNES III Staff writer
Chambersburg Public Opinion


Lack of jobs, little money and uncertain futures have prompted a rise in the number of people signing up for military duty.

Recruiters of all military branches are seeing a steady increase in the numbers. In some cases, the military has raised its entry requirement in order to select better applicants.

"I have more people coming in right now than they have jobs available," Senior Airman Ronald Yarnell, Air Force recruiter, said Monday. "It's pretty much the same nationwide."

The Air Force in particular has become more selective, Yarnell said. That's especially true with certain law violations. The new standard is applied so that only those with the best qualifications will enter.

"It's always been a challenge to qualify. Now it's a little more of a challenge," he said.

People with a record of law violations have always been an issue of concern for the Air Force. Now it has simply "cracked down on what it will allow and not allow," according to Yarnell.

In terms of the economy, he said: "We have a lot more interest this year because of job force security the Air Force offers. The numbers are a little higher. We need the best qualified people to put in, because that is what this country is demanding."

Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Levack, U.S. Army recruiter, said he has seen a number of cases involving people who could not find jobs. Some were college students. Others were recent high school graduates.

They apparently saw the military as the only answer, as well as an opportunity to grow and learn new skills, Levack said.

"I see a lot more people who don't have jobs coming in," Yarnell said. "The age range has not changed too much. They have to be in basic by their 28th birthday."

The average age for new recruits in the Air Force is 21 and 22. They're eligible from 17 to 27, Yarnell said.

Such is not the case for the Army, which has been known to increase the age limit. In an article about rising unemployment and it its connection to the military, The New York Times recently reported, "The pace of over-35 enlistment in the Army jumped sharply in the first months of this year."

It also reported that "in the three years since the Army raised its age limit for enlisting to 42, from 35, a steady stream of older recruits has joined."

According to an article released by the American Forces Press Service, all of the military branches met their recruiting goals for the 2008 fiscal year, which ended in September.

The article reported that the Army surpassed its goal of 80,000 by picking up 80,517; while the Navy topped its goal of 38,419 with 38,485 new recruits.

Results for the other branches include: Marines, nearing its goal of 37,967 with 37,848 recruits; Air Force, surpassing its goal of 27,800 with 27,848 recruits.

Sgt. Lucas Karr, recruiter for the U.S. Marine Corps, agreed with other recruiters on the current state of recruitment and its relationship to the economy.

"It's basically pretty much the same all around," he said. "People are signing up. There's a mixture of high school seniors and those who are going to be seniors."

Karr said the economy has had an impact. Those who sign up for the Marine Corps are making a good choice, he said. After all, he said, it has a lot to offer.

"We give leadership training and the skills to help them progress in life," he said. "We give them what they need to be a success while in the military and out of the military."

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Roscoe Barnes III can be reached at 262-4762 or rbarnes@publicopinionnews.com.



* U.S. Military Recruiting for 2008 Fiscal Year


Goal Recruits

Army 80,000 80,517

Navy 38,419 38,485

Air Force 27,800 27,848

Marine Corps 37,967 37,991




Goal Recruits

Army National

Guard 63,000 65,192


Army

Reserve 37,500 39,870


Navy

Reserve 9,122 9,134



Air Force

Reserve 6,983 7,323


Air National

Guard 8,548 10,749


Marine Corps

Reserve 7,628 7,628


* Source: U.S. Department of Defense


All Services Meet Fiscal Year Recruiting Goals

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/news....aspx?id=51478


Recruiting And Retention Numbers For Fiscal 2008

http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/...eleaseid=12277

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