March 13, 2007:
Since the war in Iraq began in 2003, an anti-recruiting
movement has developed in the United States. A branch of the anti-Iraq-war
movement, the anti-recruiting effort has gotten a lot of publicity. But it has
had no impact on actual recruiting. That's because most of the anti-recruiting
effort is directed at schools (generally upscale) and students that are not the
usual sources of new recruits. The media
coverage of the anti-recruiting efforts does not dwell on this aspect much. Nor
does the fact that the military has made its recruiting numbers, and is expanding
the size of the armed forces, attract much media attention.
There's no conspiracy afoot here, it's just the impact of competition in the
media. There's an iron rule in journalism, and it is that bad news sells, and
good news doesn't. Actually, the job the recruiters do is fascinating, and the
news there isn't all good. The major problem recruiters face is not the war,
but a booming economy, and so many potential recruits who lack the physical or
educational requirements to make an effective soldier. As a result, the army
and marines have started programs to try and fix those problems, for potential
recruits who would otherwise be turned down. The physical problems are easier
to fix. Many potential recruits are too fat, and too weak to make in the
military. Fixing that is a matter of exercise and eating less. The educational
shortcomings are a much bigger problem. Many kids are coming out of school,
even with high school degrees, nearly illiterate. While you can get someone
into physical shape in a few months, it takes longer to repair over a decade of
poor education.
The robust economy, and low unemployment rate, gives potential recruits
economic alternatives. Since the people the military wants, are the same ones
civilian employers want, there is a lot of competition here. In this, the war
often helps. Many young people are actually attracted to the prospect of
combat. For many, it's the patriotic aspect, but for others it's the ancient
attraction to, well, adventure. Combat today is a lot less lethal than it was a
generation ago. You can still get killed or maimed, but at a low enough rate
that combat is not the complete turnoff it once was, to so many potential
recruits.
The anti-recruiting movement is unfazed by all this. As long as they can
play the media, they are unconcerned about being unable to stifle the
recruiters.