Memorial Day has come and gone, but it should bring to our attention that there is a giant hole in our society right now, and we should be alarmed about it. The United States is going through one of the worst recruiting plights in our country’s history, and this should alarm us all.
I have lived for seventy years now, and in that time, I have had professions as a pastor, missionary, university professor, college administrator, business owner, business trainer, professional business headhunter, department store manager, home security salesman, factory worker, musician, author, and airman in the United States Air Force. Four of my eight years in the USAF, was serving as a recruiter for enlisted personnel and then for officers as pilots, navigators, and engineers. Of all the jobs I have had in my lifetime, military recruiting was by far the most difficult.
I recruited from 1980 to 1984, and at that time, there was still a lingering stigma from the Vietnam War. Some high schools and universities were downright hostile to the presence of a military uniform on their campuses. The economy was hit hard by Middle East oil boycotts in the 1970s and was just starting to recover during President Reagan’s administration. Interest in military service was at an all-time low.
Seventy-plus hour weeks were normal, and for every person I was able to get to wear Air Force blue took at least ten potentials that did not meet the standards or lost interest. I could not imagine a recruiting environment worse than that. Yet, when I recently visited the military recruiters in this area, I now believe I was wrong. These men and women representing the US Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines have a much more difficult recruiting job than I ever did.
It starts with the fact that by today’s standards, only three out of four Americans aged 17-24 even qualify for military service. Probably every position in the entire Armed Forces has become more sophisticated in the past decade, which means the academic requirements must be higher. Yet, today’s students are statistically not sharper than they were a decade ago. There are also physical standards in which the preponderance of obesity and drug usage are eliminating factors.
Yet, all this aside, every high school graduate should at least check out what the Armed Forces in the United States can offer them. However, it is not like being a college student or employee on a job where you just drop out if things are not to your liking. In the military, you sign a contract, and that alone is a huge leap in maturity.
Every branch of service has its particular ‘brand’ related to its mission, but they all have the same benefits — 30 days of paid vacation every year, tax-free room and board, health, dental, and life insurance coverage, and specialty training in hundreds of trades that have applications in the private sector.
Perhaps best of all are the opportunities for education. A Pew Research Survey found that 75 percent of those who enlisted said they did so to obtain educational benefits. Much of the training that is given is college accredited. After enlistment, there is the GI Bill for those who wish to continue their higher education. My two sons were in the Air Force and went to college right after their enlistment term ended. Both got their bachelor’s degrees with honors and without any debt, and this was with no financial help from Mom or Dad.
Yes, it is a job that might put your life on the line. It could mean going through hardships and difficulties like nothing you have ever experienced in your life. But it is exactly these factors that make being a veteran so special. This is why a veteran’s sacrifice is recognized and honored for a lifetime, as it should be. To be a veteran means being part of a heritage that goes back to the very founding of our country.
Recruiters are regular people, and some are obviously better than others, but the recruiters I have talked to for this region are extremely professional. And I should know because I was once a recruiter myself. At a recent visit, I threw some tough questions out to them, and I was very impressed with their answers. If you are of age, at least consider this option. The Armed Forces Recruiting Offices are all conveniently in one location in our area; the T.J.Maxx Plaza on the Golden Strip, 1774 E. 3rd St,. Williamsport. Check them out — you have nothing to lose and a future to gain.
