Greg Hartnett

How do you feel about Army recruiters hanging around public schools trying to lure your kids into service?

With the situation in Iraq growing ever worse, the role of recruiters is becoming more important to the war effort, and increasingly more difficult. Recruiters are turning more and more to their little black book, the “School Recruiting Program Handbook”. Some excerpts worth mentioning:
“The goal is school ownership that can only lead to a greater number of Army enlistments.” “The football team usually starts practicing in August. Contact the coach and volunteer to assist in leading calisthenics or calling cadence during team runs.” “If you wait until they’re seniors, it’s probably too late.” “Get involved with local Boy Scout troops. Scoutmasters are typically happy to get any assistance you can offer. Many scouts are [high school] students and potential enlistees or student influencers.”

As could be anticipated, if you are lucky enough to be a “have” instead of a “have not”, chances are that the recruiters will leave your kids alone. History has shown that the kids in those schools are not the kids who fight America’s wars.

Most parents don’t even know that Uncle Sam is in the schools. The Army needs to be honest and forthright in their recruitment policies. War is not for kids, and smooth talking recruiters should not be allowed to prey on easily influenced children, too immature and unprepared to make decisions that could result in having to kill, or be killed.