Recruiters are denied equal access

[Go Aweigh2452]

Only for those that may be interested...

This issue continues to plague military recruiters in the Northwest. Recruiters are denied equal access to students. It is an issue being discussed at schools all over the country. We, as Americans, have a civic duty to weigh-in on this issue, as those who would deny recruiters access, are making their comments heard by any school that will listen. We cannot remain silent, as this problem will be coming to a school near you - if it is not there already!

I just sent off my comments to 5 newspapers (maximum recommended) using the tools on the Navy League website (www.navyleague.org). {I chose 4 Seattle area newspapers and my local paper in Kitsap County, Washington.} Join me in supporting “Equal Access For Military Recruiters”.

This link should take you directly to a site to assist you in making your voice heard: http://www.capwiz.com/nl/home

Read the article by Navy League President John Panneton and read comments by the Navy’s Top Recruiter in the Northwest, Commander Dave Schiffman, USN (see below). I request your widest dissemination of this information to anyone that thinks the military recruiters access to high schools...

Sincerely,

Doug ;}

Navy League of the United States

Northwest Region Life member

THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE IS BY NAVY LEAGUE PRESIDENT JOHN PANNETON FROM SEAPOWER MAGAZINE (DEC’05):

It’s Essential: Equal Access For Military Recruiters

By JOHN A. PANNETON, National President

Newspapers across the country are reporting the symptoms of a looming crisis for our nation frighteningly akin to the national malignancy that afflicted the United States during and after the Vietnam War. Disenchanted with the Vietnam conflict, many Americans turned their backs on the military. Congress followed suit, reducing funding and helping to create the “hollow” forces of the 1970s.

Today, we are far from that point. The services generally enjoy broad public support across political, ethnic and economic lines. But the signs of impending change are worrisome.

In Seattle, the Garfield High School Parent Teacher Student Association tried to ban military recruiters from its campus, The Christian Science Monitor reported, and the Seattle school board voted in September to tighten the rules of the road for recruiters. In New York City, “counter-recruiters” try to discourage high school seniors from joining the military, USA Today reported.

In Congress, approximately 65 House members are co-sponsors of legislation that would, in effect, end the federal requirement that high schools provide military recruiters with contact information about juniors and seniors. And across the nation, local groups including many parent-teacher associations (PTAs) are instructing students and parents about how to opt out of the student lists provided to recruiters, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Many involved in antimilitary efforts are well-intentioned individuals who are turned off by the war in Iraq. Others are going beyond political debate by attempting to demonize military recruiters and others in uniform.

Seattle School Board member Darlene Flynn was quoted by the Seattle Post-Intelligencer as saying rules for recruiters were changed because “it’s not okay to come in and lie to our kids.” The Christian Science Monitor reported some counter-recruiters make outrageous claims that stir up fear, such as the assertion that data gathered from schools would be used to reinstate the draft, which is totally unfounded.

National emergencies such as the attacks of 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina underscore the need for a strong, diverse military that enjoys public support. To maintain that force, the services must recruit approximately 200,000 young people each year, with another 150,000 joining the reserves or National Guard.

Military recruiters must be able to present their case forthrightly to the nation’s youth in a non-hostile environment. Congress should support the “No Child Left Behind” law that makes student contact information available to recruiters unless students opt out. Local high schools should offer equal access at job fairs and career days to recruiters from the military, colleges and industry. School administrators, teachers and PTAs that would eliminate the military option are being unfair to their own students. We believe students and their parents can weigh the options and make the right choices.

All should remember that military service and continued education are not mutually exclusive career paths. Thousands of servicemen and women go to college or technical school while serving their country, thanks to a variety of military educational programs.

Few students and parents are getting the full story about the tremendous opportunities available from the services. It’s a story the Navy League should tell. I ask each Navy League Council to support its local recruiting commands by telling members of Congress, school administrators and parent groups about military service, reminding all that today’s military is a totally volunteer force. Communications tools are available on our website and in the December issue of the Navy Leaguer.

The Navy League promotes a strong national defense in part to protect the cherished freedoms of every American, including the freedom of choice and the freedom to be fully informed about service to our country.

Semper Fidelis.

I want to hear from you about the Navy League. Contact me at jpanneton@navyleague.org or by mail at 2300 Wilson Blvd., Suite 200, Arlington, VA 22201-3308.

http://www.navyleague.org/sea_power/dec05-03.php


THE FOLLOWING COMMENTS WERE SENT TO NAVY LEAGUE VICE-PRESIDENT TOM JAFFA (former Seattle Council President) BY THE CO OF NAVY RECRUITING IN THE NORTHWEST COMMENTING ON THE RECENT ARTICLE BY NAVY LEAGUE PRESIDENT JOHN PANNETON (article above):

Thank you (Tom Jaffa) for forwarding this article to me. The comments by Mr. Panneton are spot on for the first volley. I can not tell you enough how we need to keep the press on with the NCLB act compliance. More and more school districts are issuing Military Only Opt-out or Opt-in forms which are not in keeping with NCLB. We within DOD are bound by Title 10 and 20 procedures as we proceed down the path with this issue.

I applaud the efforts of the Navy League in general and Seattle Council and the rest of the Councils across my vast district for their efforts. It will take a combined effort of the DOD/DoEd along with civil leaders such as yourself to convince school boards, superintendents and the public that our nation is free because we are able to have an all-volunteer military. That recruiters access is vital to that mission. Additionally, contra-recruiters are really political action groups that schools are allowing on school grounds. Could Navy League or some other Pro-military political action group be allowed on campus as well. Where will it stop from there?

This Military OPT-out movement is wide spread. Thanks again to Mr. Panneton for bringing Seattle and our plight here to the National stage.

Lastly, we invite ABC Nightline's return. Maybe they will air the segment where Loose, my XO -- African-American F14 RIO, stated that we do not target minorities. If we did target minorities, we wouldn't make mission. Additionally, we are not the only organization which values the recruitment of minorities -- just look at an success major corporation. Our only issue is we can not hire mid to upper level managers -- we can not hire a Colin Powell to be Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff -- we have to recruit him as an entry level hire and grow him into the Chairman's seat.

Looking forward to our continued relationship with the Seattle Council and the Navy League.

VR/ Dave

Commander Dave Schiffman, USN
Commanding Officer, NRD Seattle
2601 Fourth Avenue Suite 400
Seattle, WA 98121-1278
Office: (206) 728-7506
(800) 832-0258 x7506
Cell: (206) 276-6128

[pkrogh]

This is the sort of thing that I was refering to in the earlier post with the
word "socialist"

The peacenik, elitist, left wing, limosine liberal pinko commies are going to
continue to push social engineering so that everything is their way because
they know whats right for you and whether or not you like it they are the
only ones who know whats right and by God you better not object or they
will ruin you just to help you live a better life and make the world a better
place for everyone.

Now, is that clear??

Pete

[heymagic]

I have no problem with military recruitment at job fairs or an assembly at schools. Recruiting propoganda on school grounds is fine also. I don't think they should have access to names and phone numbers through school records though. I do know a couple kids that if not lied to were grossly mislead by recruiters. A couple of my best friends are retired military and former recruiters during Korea. They admit to many dirty tricks to meet quotas, maybe things have changed.

[Roel Jansen]

When I was a student we had the same discussion over here. and at my school they were granted to tell in the class room of the Job perspectives and possibilities in the forces.

But this was stopped after a couple of years when it became clear that the more modern way of advertising with video clips on TV and advertising in news papers and a weekly had a much better impact. A second plus was that people couldn't be mislead anymore as advertising is controlled by a watch dog of those media over here. It even led to now having a total professional Armed force as there was enough zest to join the forces, among youngsters. We had some time ago an US documentary on TV about two recruiters of the USMC. Was nice to watch but those two after much time and costs and despair their final result was only one new recruit for each. It took them months to achieve that. If you look at the principal part of it, I think you are right to protest but if you look at the cost/effort and result, you better spent the money and man power in a more effective way IMHO.
It's tax payer money isn't it? :D

[SomeSailor]

One of the trade offs that allowed the all-voluntary military work here over the last few years was the success of recruiters. The more we push to make thier efforts more difficult (as if they are doing something illegal), the greater the possibility we'll see the draft again soon.

[Go Aweigh2452]

Actually, since our military is very small today therefore we do not need to "blanket" the entire nation with recruiting commercials. One on one recruiting has been the best bang for the buck here in the US. Our country is not small and we have so many radio and tv stations that it becomes prohibitive to advertise nation wide. We have to do it nationally on selected tv and radio channels only. If we had a small country with limited number of radio and media sources as you do, then you are correct, we could get a bigger bang for the advertising buck. We currently have over 1450 daily newspapers, some of which publish more than once per day. We have almost 2000 country music commercial stations, almost 700 adult contemporary, over 1500 religous, 300 Rock, etc., and over 1900 non-commercial (college, community, and NPR stations). TV is very expensive and we have over 200 channels... Which ones do you spend your limited funds in?

Which radio or TV station do we look for to advertise? What 18 year old reads the newspaper? Which one does he/she read?
One on one High school recruiting is the best bang for the buck in the US...

[Roel Jansen]

Doug

I can see your point.

It's totally different over here. A total of 34 TV stations on the cable of which maybe 7 or 8 are important Dutch ones. The rest are the main European countries National Broadcasting TV senders, but National Geographic, NBC,CNN and discovery channel we have too. Radio stations we have more but I use only two of them most of the time. News papers about the same but there are some morning papers of which two are free that are read a lot by youngsters. There still is a lot of reading during coffee and tee breaks.

Mike, when economy is some what low the Forces are doing well.
Navy and Air force never had to complain as when I was drafted in we were a big minority in the Marine Corps and the rest of the Navy. I Think 80 percent or more were professional Marines and sailors. With the Army it was in reverse but they score high at present with the Air mobile brigade.

[SomeSailor]

I just think that the military is an important part of our country. An integral part in the guaranteed safety and economic stability we each count on. In order for that to grow and prosper, the military needs to keep its ranks full and court the brightest minds and hearts. Recruiters have a difficult, but very necessary role in this.

Most people assume that joining the military is a death sentence or relegation to spend your days marching around with a rifle.

There are some 1,426,836 DOD personnel, and another 39,803 in the Coast Guard (as of October, 01 2005).

Considering we are in a full combat situation in Iraq, here are some stats that you might find interesting:

Number who died since major combat ended April 30, 2003: 1,862.

Percent who died since major combat ended: 94.
Number lost in November 2004, the month with the most deaths: 137.
Percent of the dead who were in the Army: 68.
Percent in the Air Force: 1.
Percent in the Navy: 1.
Percent in the National Guard or Reserves: 25.
Percent who died in three Iraqi provinces with mostly Sunni Muslims, the branch of Islam to which Saddam Hussein belongs: 53.
Percent who died outside military action: 23.
Percent who died in accidents on land: 12.
Number who died in the Navy: 22.
Number who died in the Marine Corps: 427.
Number of Marines critically wounded: 4307.
Number who died of illness: 9.
Number of friendly fire deaths confirmed by the Department of Defense: 4.
Number killed in rifle and grenade attack by fellow soldier at Camp Pennsylvania in Kuwait: 2.
Number of commanders killed in so-called fragging attack -- by a soldier on a superior -- at a camp outside Baghdad: 2.
Percent who were officers: 10.
Number older than 45 years: 30.
Number who were age 18: 20.
Number of women: 44.
Number who died falling from helicopters: 8
Percent of the dead who were women: 2.
Percent who were Hispanic: 11.
Percent who belonged to a minority group: 25.
Number from California, the most of any state: 215.
Number from Alaska, least of any state: 4.
Number from Texas: 174.
Number from New York state: 92.
Number from Puerto Rico: 16.
Percent from the South: 38.
Percent from the Northeast: 16.
Number of foreign citizens: 76.
Number from Mexico, the country with the most foreign citizens: 27
Number identified by the Defense Department who were awarded posthumous citizenship: 24.
Number who died after five years or more in military service: 568.
Number who died within first three months of their tour of duty: 925.
Percent of total dead who were married: 40.
Percent with children: 30.

[pkrogh]

Mike, that is an absolutely fasinating set of numbers!! Just the first read
yields some suprises for me. Gonna study that more. Where did you find
this data??

Pete

[SomeSailor]

Was sent to me in an email.

The press really skews the numbers in any way it can. I know it's a very dangerous place, and we have sustained some heavy casualties... but when put in perspective it helps a little I think.

Last cruise I took on the Lincoln, we lost 6 souls in 6 months of peacetime cruising. That was with 3,500 folks aboard. Extrapolate that out by a factor of 50 and toss in the enemy... and you'll see we're not doing so bad.

The estimates for Iraqi casualties are between 27,000-30,000 and their wounded were estimated as high as 42,500 in the first 72 hours.