Army boss’ mission: Persuade schools to welcome recruiters

[daftandbarmy]

Some familiar themes for recruiters this side of the border too, I'd wager...


Army boss’ mission: Persuade schools to welcome recruiters


Army recruiters struggling to meet enlistment goals say one of their biggest hurdles is getting into high schools, where they can meet students one on one. But they received a recent boost from a recruiting advocate whom school leaders couldn’t turn away: the secretary of the Army.

During three days of back-to-back meetings across Chicago last month, Army Secretary Christine Wormuth spoke with students, school leaders, college heads, recruiters and an array of young people involved in ROTC or junior ROTC programs. Again and again, she asked, what can the Army do to better reach young people and sell itself as a good career choice.

In blunt sessions, recruiting leaders told her they need more and better access to high school students. But they also said the atmosphere can at times be unfriendly — or worse — with school leaders, many of whom are skeptical that the Army offers a good career option for their students. “I’m going to use the word hostile,” one recruiter told her. “There’s no other word to use.”

It’s not unusual for the Army’s top civilian to travel the country, pitching the Army message and checking in on recruiting progress. But the Chicago trip came on the heels of the Army’s worst recruiting year in recent history, when it fell 25% short of its 60,000 enlistment goal. It’s up to Wormuth and other Army leaders to find creative new ways to attract recruits and ensure that the service has the troops it needs to help defend the nation.

All the military services are strugging to compete for young people in a tight job market where private companies are often willing to provide better pay and benefits. Two years of the coronavirus pandemic shut down recruiters’ access to public events and schools where they could find prospects. And, according to estimates, just 23% of young people can meet the military’s fitness, educational and moral requirements, with many disqualified for reasons ranging from medical issues to criminal records and tattoos.

Army leaders say their surveys show that young people don’t see the Army as a prime career choice, often because they don’t want to die or get injured, deal with the stress of military life or put their lives on hold.

Army boss' mission: Persuade schools to welcome recruiters

 

[dimsum]

. But the Chicago trip came on the heels of the Army’s worst recruiting year in recent history, when it fell 25% short of its 60,000 enlistment goal.

 

[lenaitch]

I think it would be seen as an improvement if the biggest pushback to CAF recruiting in schools was the view that it wasn't a 'good career option'. Many school boards and post secondary institutions in Canada are very left and view the military as simply evil. The CAF could dangle $100K starting salary and I still don't think they would allowed through the front door.

 

[Remius]

I think it would be seen as an improvement if the biggest pushback to CAF recruiting in schools was the view that it wasn't a 'good career option'. Many school boards and post secondary institutions in Canada are very left and view the military as simply evil. The CAF could dangle $100K starting salary and I still don't think they would allowed through the front door.

I never had that experience as a recruiter. Most schools were very welcoming and we we used to field a lot of questions about coop. In fact it was hard to get out to all the school fairs and post secondary info sessions.

 

[mariomike]

Sentinel Magazine was available in our school library.

 

[ueo]

Some familiar themes for recruiters this side of the border too, I'd wager...


Army boss’ mission: Persuade schools to welcome recruiters


Army recruiters struggling to meet enlistment goals say one of their biggest hurdles is getting into high schools, where they can meet students one on one. But they received a recent boost from a recruiting advocate whom school leaders couldn’t turn away: the secretary of the Army.

During three days of back-to-back meetings across Chicago last month, Army Secretary Christine Wormuth spoke with students, school leaders, college heads, recruiters and an array of young people involved in ROTC or junior ROTC programs. Again and again, she asked, what can the Army do to better reach young people and sell itself as a good career choice.

In blunt sessions, recruiting leaders told her they need more and better access to high school students. But they also said the atmosphere can at times be unfriendly — or worse — with school leaders, many of whom are skeptical that the Army offers a good career option for their students. “I’m going to use the word hostile,” one recruiter told her. “There’s no other word to use.”

It’s not unusual for the Army’s top civilian to travel the country, pitching the Army message and checking in on recruiting progress. But the Chicago trip came on the heels of the Army’s worst recruiting year in recent history, when it fell 25% short of its 60,000 enlistment goal. It’s up to Wormuth and other Army leaders to find creative new ways to attract recruits and ensure that the service has the troops it needs to help defend the nation.

All the military services are strugging to compete for young people in a tight job market where private companies are often willing to provide better pay and benefits. Two years of the coronavirus pandemic shut down recruiters’ access to public events and schools where they could find prospects. And, according to estimates, just 23% of young people can meet the military’s fitness, educational and moral requirements, with many disqualified for reasons ranging from medical issues to criminal records and tattoos.

Army leaders say their surveys show that young people don’t see the Army as a prime career choice, often because they don’t want to die or get injured, deal with the stress of military life or put their lives on hold.

Army boss' mission: Persuade schools to welcome recruiters

We had unfettered access to all the high schools, community colleges and the sole university in our area of responsibility. All got at least 2 visits per year and more if requested. Became a big issue when "new" teachers glomed onto a. the bennies of RPTP and b. the bennies of a long term relatively well paid, secure job. This was before the reorg of CFRS into the cold long process it has become.