Civilians on front line of recruiting
The sight of men in suits and ties still surprises some prospective Army recruits.
"We often have to say, 'We are the recruiters,' " said recruiter Red Martin, one of six civilians working in the U.S. Army Recruiting Station on South College Road in Wilmington.
The fast-talking and energetic retired Army first sergeant works for Resource Consultants International, one of two defense contractors pegged to run 10 Army recruitment regions throughout the country. The Southeastern North Carolina region includes Wilmington, Jacksonville, New Bern, Kinston, Clinton, Whiteville and Havelock.
In 2001, Congress authorized a pilot program to test how civilians stack up to the Army's recruitment standards. The concept of the five-year program, ending in 2007, is to free up soldiers to return to other jobs, said Douglas Smith, a community recruiter with Army Recruiting Command in Fort Knox, Ky.
Since the program's inception, about 380 soldiers have been released from recruitment duty, Mr. Smith said.
"That's the point of the test," he said.
The government will evaluate the cost savings and the public's response to civilian recruiters. Mr. Smith said he could not comment about the progress of the test because it's an ongoing program.
"I think it's going to be successful because the situation in the world is such that soldiers are needed in other areas," Mr. Martin said. "We can operate at less cost. We do it as efficient as regular Army soldiers."
Concerns about soldiers becoming weary as they rotate in and out of Iraq and Afghanistan has prompted the Army to ask for an additional 3,000 soldiers this year. The Army's 2004 mission is to enlist 77,000 active-duty soldiers and 21,200 reservists.
The Army's a little ahead of the pace it set for itself, with 34,593 new active-duty soldiers so far this year.
"Even though there's a lot of people worrying about the current world situation, there are those who want to serve," Mr. Martin said. "It's our job to find them."
Wearing a gray pinstriped suit, Nicholas Anderson sat in a leather chair with the word "Army" stitched in gold across the back as he waited for an appointment with a prospective recruit Wednesday.
He recruited for a stint when he was in the Marine Corps and was surprised to learn he could recruit again as a civilian.
"Selling the military, the Army, wasn't that different for me," he said. "It's the same philosophy, just a different program. I think you have to put in the same effort."
Retired and former members of the armed forces, particularly those with recruiting experience, are the top picks for the job, Mr. Martin said. Good salespeople are eligible as well.
All but two of the region's 19 recruiters have military experience. One recruiter in the Wilmington office is a Vietnam veteran. Another worked in the same office wearing the Army's uniform.
Replacing uniforms with suits and shiny nametags was a concern in the beginning, Mr. Martin said.
"We found out, though, that it doesn't matter," he said. "It's good for the country. It's good for the veterans. It's good for the community."
trista.talton@starnewsonline.com
Plan closes 3 veterans hospitals, builds 2
By Suzanne Gamboa
Associated Press
WASHINGTON - The Veterans Affairs Department will close three hospitals in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Mississippi and build two new ones in Nevada and Florida as part of a much-anticipated restructuring plan, The Associated Press has learned.
The agency also will add or remove medical services at dozens of other facilities.
VA Secretary Anthony Principi also has endorsed building 156 community-based outpatient clinics by 2012, with an emphasis on serving rural areas. Local VA officials had sought 270 clinics.
Mr. Principi was to release the plan today in Las Vegas. Several congressional officials who had seen it described the contents to the AP in advance.
The department undertook the restructuring two years ago to shift services to areas where veteran populations are increasing and to modernize outdated buildings and shed vacant space.
Under the plan, the VA expects to reduce costs for maintaining vacant space from $3.4 billion to $750 million by 2022 but projects spending $6 billion on construction during that time.
A draft plan last summer that recommended closing seven hospitals drew opposition from local officials and veterans in those communities. An independent commission examined that plan and narrowed the list of closures.
After reviewing the commission recommendations, Mr. Principi decided to close three hospitals, in Pittsburgh; Brecksville, Ohio; and Gulfport, Miss. The hospitals must have a plan for closure by September. It was not immediately clear when they will shut their doors.
A fourth hospital, in Livermore, Calif., will have all its services except long-term care transferred elsewhere. A new VA nursing home will be established there, however.
The VA plans to continue studying ways to cut costs. Representatives from veterans groups who met with Mr. Principi on Thursday were told the agency would not close or eliminate services at any other locations before new or replacement services are available in the area.
Congressman seeks U.S. official language
Associated Press
WASHINGTON - Two North Carolina congressmen are promoting measures to establish English as the official language of the United States.
"This is a bigger issue than a lot of people realize," Rep. Walter Jones told the Winston-Salem Journal.
Mr. Jones, a Republican, and several other congressmen introduced a bill that proposes a constitutional amendment to establish English as the official language.
Rep. Richard Burr is a co-sponsor of a competing bill that does not propose amending the Constitution. Instead it would codify into federal law that all federal publications – including tax forms – must be done in English only and would recognize English as the sole official language of the United States.
"I see any effort to amend the Constitution as a last resort," said the Rep. Burr, adding that he would support Rep. Jones’ bill if it turns out to be the only way to accomplish the goal.
Most of the more than 190 countries of the world have an official language, and 27 states – including North Carolina – have made English their official language.
Mr. Jones points to problems that have arisen as a result of not having a universal language for the entire country.
"We know what so many states have had to do with driver’s license (applications). They have separate booklets to explain the law in Spanish or some other language," Mr. Jones said. "Thirty or 40 years from now I will be dead, but what will happen if we have certain states where the majority of people don’t speak English?"
Peter Siavelis, a political science professor at Wake Forest University, said the measures hurt immigrants and do more to divide the country than to unite it.