Should the military be able to recruit people at schools?

[Fuelbi]

Yes first topic since internet got back. Anyways in schools people from the military come and persuade young people to join the army. Teachers and other school personel (and even parents) have begun protesting to stop recruiting people for the army at schools. I believe they should keep recruiting in schools.

My argument for this is:

Young people (and I know this because I myself am still in school), or we, are not stupid. We know of the risks that come with joining the army. I myself would never want to join the army. I practically am a chicken at it. Anyways a lot of them know the risks that come with being in the army. They know that people die everyday that there is a war, or even from rigorous training at a boot camp. They know they can get injured as well from a bad fall or even from a gunshot wound. Students do always get a chance to look at it before a few months before it is collected anyways. I am sure that by the time a few months have passed they will have decided whether they want to risk their lives to join the military. If they decide they do they at least got some months to think about it and am sure that they decided it thoroughly. I have no problem with someone wanting to "fight for their country".

If you say that them recruiting people is propaganda I want you to have this in mind. This is an all-volunteer force meaning that people actually get to choose. Also since this IS a viable career choice it is taught to some extent in schools. I am sure that they have reviewed with their teachers that death is a possible outcome from joining the army. People are doing it voluntarily meaning that they have no right to ban it if it IS voluntarily.

Also there IS a paper that you get in the beginning of EACH year that actually says: Would you want the military to look at your childs information. This means that the parent CAN ACTUALLY CHOOSE IF THE MILITARY LOOKS AT THEIR CHILDS INFORMATION! Parents complain that they do not want the military signing people up, but who actually can prevent that is their parents with the papers that they get asking them if they want them to view their information. This means that parents should look at themselves before they start blaming the army on other people.

I have a full set of arguments and Im ready to give a rebuttal to any argument you bring against me

EDIT: **** it I knew I was forgetting something. My source: http://www.idebate.org/debatabase/topic_details.php?topicID=835

 

[CStick]

Considering that serving is a pretty good way to go to college (the next step after high school) and beats being a career burger flipper or gas station attendant should students drop out of not care to go to college, I don't see the problem. As said, it is voluntary. And since the main theme behind recruiting is payment for college, it is at least relevant to the students.

 

[DoH]

The military should only be allowed to recruit from schools once they repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and institute a policy of non-discrimination.

No other organization has a policy where you are fired simply based on your sexual orientation, and no organization with such discriminatory policies would be allowed to approach our students. In our schools we have Title VI and Title IX which withholds funding to institutions that discriminate on the basis of racial identity and gender. Why should the military be the exception and be allowed to openly discriminate against a category of people?

Also, repealing DADT would help alleviate any recruitment issues the military is having, as the 13,000 service members have been discharged since the policy was enacted could be recalled and over 45,000 gay and lesbian citizens would enlist if the policy were overturned.

 

[-ACE-]

I am 100% for recruitment at schools. As CStick mentioned, education is a chief component of the military, which provides many great offers to students. The military is a great place for students to earn money for college, pursue a degree, pursue a career, and/or learn valuable life skills. Some branches of the military, such as the Navy, also offer programs that pay off student loans (http://www.navy.com/benefits/education/payoff/), which is very important for some people, especially when you consider our nation's current economic state.

A large number of students are not aware of the many programs offered by each and every branch of the military. In my opinion, it is important that recruiters visit schools and deliver unbiased truthful information to students. The military is not for everyone, and recruiters stress this. However, some of the benefits (not only financial benefits) offered by the military are exactly what a large number of students are looking for in life.

Recruiters cannot make a student sign anything. That is a personal choice.

 

[GoldShadow]

Young people (and I know this because I myself am still in school), or we, are not stupid.

Maybe you or some of the people you know are not, but I (and most others) would absolutely disagree that "young people are not stupid". They tend to have far worse judgment than people who are older.

If you say that them recruiting people is propaganda I want you to have this in mind. This is an all-volunteer force meaning that people actually get to choose. Also since this IS a viable career choice it is taught to some extent in schools. I am sure that they have reviewed with their teachers that death is a possible outcome from joining the army. People are doing it voluntarily meaning that they have no right to ban it if it IS voluntarily.

Signing up for the military is voluntary, but the worst place to get information about joining the military is from a recruiter. I've never met or heard of a recruiter who didn't lie (ranging from small lies of omission and half truths, to full blown "not even slightly true, 100% false" lies). If you choose military service, asking a recruiter some questions is fine but be sure to do your own research later. This is my biggest gripe with recruiters.

For the record, I respect and support people that choose to join the military. I just hate the tactics used by recruiters (which are probably a result of policies put in place by the military that force a lot of recruiters to lie).

 

[Teran]

From a moral standpoint, it's not exactly fair to take advantage of impressionable youths to fill up numbers in your armed forces.

Bottom line is, most young people really aren't sure what they want. I'm at college/university right now. Degrees are highly specialised and obviously narrow down your career path to the point of it seeming pretty obvious where you want to go with your life. This however, is not the case. The head of the course organised a student survey, and close to 75% of us had no idea what we wanted.

We're adults and are only a couple of years away from choosing our final path, yet we don't really know what we want. How can you expect a bunch of kids who aren't even legal to drink alcohol decide they want to join the Army? That career is no joke, and recruitment methods aren't exactly the most honest out there. I'm pretty sure a lot of the men out in Iraq (recruited before the war started), were never told they could potentially be out in blistering heat with limited amenities, taking a potential hail of bullets every few days, be the victim of suicide attacks from all corners etc.

The point is, younger people are too impressionable and easy to coax. Of course this is great for the military who need soldiers to fill up their numbers, but how many kids do you expect to join the military if they were shown pictures of decapitated soldiers or disfigured/paraplegic war veterans?

I say if you're going to recruit youngsters, do it as earnestly as possible. Then again, I don't see the success rates of that being very high, haha.

 

[Motel Vacaville of the West]

I am for on-campus recruiters in high schools.

The reason I am for recruiters in high schools is that recruiters offer the military as an easy option out of high school. There may be some bias in my argument, but I went to a high school that was right next to a military base. Many seniors who were about to graduate wanted to follow their parent's footsteps in the military. While others, like me, wanted to see life on, "the outside" as a civilian.

And when you're enlisted, you may even have a simple desk job. You only take up arms if you chose too. But if you need money for school, or want a better career path, talking to a recruiter on a high school campus may be right for you.

In short, I think the earlier recruiters present the idea of the military to a young adult, the more opportunity the person has for his or her future.

 

[-ACE-]

The point is, younger people are too impressionable and easy to coax. Of course this is great for the military who need soldiers to fill up their numbers, but how many kids do you expect to join the military if they were shown pictures of decapitated soldiers or disfigured/paraplegic war veterans?

What you're saying is true to an extent, but you're only showcasing the worst case scenario of joining the armed forces. The Army and the Marines are not the only branches of the military. If you join the Coast Guard or the Navy, chances are you won't come back with your arms blown off (not that you would in the Army or Marines necessarily). Not to mention the military offers great benefits. A modest paycheck goes a long way when you aren't paying hardly anything for housing, doctor's visits, dental procedures, and even food.

Although anecdotal, I can say that every recruiter I've ever talked to explained to be that there are absolutely no guarantees as to what type of work you'd be doing, regardless of your noted area of preference. They made it clear that the military will place you where they need people, unless you have specialized skills in a particular field they are trying to build on.

I am for on-campus recruiters in high schools.

What about people that are about to complete their degree and don't know what they want to do after college? For those who have their 4 year Bachelor's degree, OCS (Office Candidate School) in the military is a fine career path to choose. It is also a great way to continue your education (and possibly have your college loans expunged) and gain valuable skills for a different career, especially if you wish to change your field of interest. I think it is important that college students are aware of this option.

 

[Sucumbio]

Yes, however there should be stricter enforcement on WHERE in the school they can recruit. They can often times be found roaming the hall ways, interacting with students and faculty, and generally end up causing more of a disturbance than anything. However as Public High School towards its later years does serve as a career launching place, they have as much right to be there as any college recruiter or job recruiter. They should however be forced to remain in the Guidance Office (or whatever designated place is set aside for such things) ... our school at both the Guidance Center, and a few open houses in the largest of the school's gyms to accomplish this.