Recruitment efforts, economy bring higher military numbers

Published 12:00 am Monday, November 2, 2009

Military recruiters in Vicksburg have almost doubled their performance this year, increasing from 56 enlistees to 92.

Robert Harmon, public affairs specialist for the U.S. Army Recruiting Battalion in Baton Rouge, La., indicated reasons are as diverse as the recruits, but credited soldiers assigned here with good work. “They finished at 96 percent,” said Harmon.

Patriotism, with wars under way in Iraq and Afghanistan, was a motivation, as were a sagging private economy, a wider array of incentives and a broader age range for people signing up for military service.

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Another factor was fewer recruiting stations covering more area. “Fiscal year 2009 saw a realignment which increased the size of the recruiting station and mission,” Harmon said.

Sgt. 1st Class Frankie Swain, station commander of the office at Pemberton Square, said the station now recruits from Bovina to Rolling Fork and Claiborne County. He said while the wider service area has contributed to larger numbers, the No. 1 reason for new recruits to join is the challenge of military service. “America has been threatened,” he said.

The second reason, Swain said, was money for college.

“We have a lot of young people who want to go to college, but it’s not economically feasible,” he said.

This year, the station signed 10 enlistees who have attended college, five with degrees and eight still in high school, Harmon said.

The year before, the recruiters signed two enlistees with a degree, 10 who had attended college and nine in high school.

“We don’t recruit a lot of seniors right out of high school,” said Swain. It’s during the next year that many enroll.

“We provide the purpose, direction and motivation necessary to be successful,” Swain said.

John McCain, a 15-year-old 10th-grader at Vicksburg High School, said he joined the school’s Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps for the discipline that comes with the environment as well as following a family legacy.

“My granddad and my dad were in the military, and I thought I’d give it a try,” McCain said.

He was “smart but lazy” before he joined JROTC, he said, and being in the program has made him a better person.

“I could do the work, but didn’t want to,” said McCain.

Now, he plans to join the Army Reserve while working toward an engineering degree at either the University of Southern Mississippi or Alcorn State University and enter the Army after he graduates.

In August, active duty branches met their goals nationwide with the Army leading at 136 percent.

The Army acquired 6,100 new recruits — 2,185 more than its goal. The Marine Corps exceeded its goal of 3,393 by 10 percent. The Navy and the Air Force hit their targets dead on. The Navy recruited 3,289 new sailors and the Air Force acquired 2,681 new airmen.

On the reserve side of service, the Air Force Reserve recruited 495 percent of its goal with 827 enlisting.

The Army Reserve signed 1,478, which was 122 percent of its mark and the Navy Reserve met its goal with 636.

The Army National Guard, Marine Corps Reserve and Air National Guard fell shy of their targets for the month.

Reports show that the Army signed more than 63,000 active duty soldiers nationwide, and the Navy recruited more than 32,500 from Oct. 1, 2008, to through August 2009. At the same time, more than 29,000 joined the Air Force and Marines.

The Army and Marine Corps surpassed their goals by thousands, and the Navy nailed its target.

Each branch set goals less ambitious for August 2009 compared to 2008 numbers.

The Army set out to recruit 6,100 this year compared to a goal of 10,000 in 2008. At the same time, the Navy set out to sign 3,289 this year, which was 852 fewer sailors than last year. The Marine Corps set a goal of 488 fewer Marines than 2008’s 3,561. The Air Force was only slightly less ambitious with 2,681 compared to 2,754 in 2008.

On the reserve side of the forces, goals fluctuated from branch to branch. This year, the Navy Reserve set out to sign 119 more sailors and the Marine Corps set a goal of 565 new Marines — 45 more than last year.

The Army National Guard set a goal for 1,508 soldiers more than 2008’s 5,785, and the Reserve planned to sign 1,208, which was 1,969 fewer.

The Air National Guard aimed for 82 fewer airmen than last year’s 922, and the Reserve targeted 167 recruits, compared to 537 in 2008.

Harmon said about 53 percent of the Department of Defense enlistments were Army in 2009 and 54 percent in 2008.

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Contact Tish Butts at tbutts@vicksburgpost.com