Marines Fall Short of Monthly Recruiting

[leftchick]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=542&ncid=542&e=1&u=/ap/20050203/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/marines_recruiting

WASHINGTON - The Marine Corps fell short of its monthly recruiting goal in January for the first time in nearly 10 years, officials said Thursday.



While it was only a one-month slip and the Marines say they remain on track to meet their recruiting target for the full year, the January numbers reflect a broader reality for the military: Recruiting is more difficult because of the highly publicized U.S. war casualties in Iraq (news - web sites).


"Now we're seeing parents resisting" the sales pitch of recruiters because they worry that their son or daughter will wind up in a war zone, said Maj. Dave Greismer, spokesman for Marine Corps Recruiting Command.


"What we're doing is working with the parents more," he added. "Whereas before it may have taken one visit and they would accept, now it may take a recruiter two, three, four" visits. In some cases parents of 17-year-olds, who are a prime target of recruiters, are insisting that their son or daughter wait until age 18, when recruits no longer need parental approval to join.

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