Congress Expected to Give Military Recruiters, Colleges Equal Access to High School Students

WASHINGTON (AP) - A measure giving military recruiters the same access to high school campuses as college and business recruiters will likely be approved by congressional lawmakers Tuesday, sources familiar with the legislation said.

The Pentagon estimated last year that about 2,000 public high schools have policies that bar military recruiters, hampering their efforts. In 2000, all military services except the Marine Corps failed to meet their recruiting goals.

"It's in everyone's interest to ensure that young people receive information, including military options, so they can make an informed choice about their future," Bill Carr, the Defense Department's chief director for personnel policy, said Monday. Congress has been working on an overhaul of federal education policies since last winter. The bipartisan congressional conference committee is working out differences in versions approved by the House and the Senate; lawmakers hope to present President Bush with a finished bill by the end of the year.

Several sources familiar with negotiations on the education bill said the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks made it much more likely that Congress will approve the military recruitment measure. According to the Senate Armed Services Committee, in 1999 there were 4,515 instances in which high schools denied access to Army recruiters, 4,364 instances for the Navy; 4,884 for the Marine Corps; and 5,465 for the Air Force.

The Portland, Ore., school board last May loosened a military recruiting ban that had been prompted by the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy toward gays. The board decided that teachers and counselors can refer students to recruiters off-campus only if students are told that the military prohibits homosexuals who disclose or act on their orientation. The measure, introduced in the Senate by Sen. Tim Hutchinson, R-Ark., and in the House by Rep. David Vitter, R-La., originally would have stripped federal funds from schools that bar military recruiters. A compromise measure required only that schools give the military equal access to campuses and student information lists.

A national group representing school board members said it opposes the measure on principle, but didn't fight it after the funding provision was cut. "We believe it is still a local school district responsibility, and think that's where giving the authority or denying access should rest," said Reginald Felton of the National School Boards Association.

The congressional committee was also expected Tuesday to approve measures allowing certain forms of student prayer in school and stripping federal funds from schools that deny access to the Boy Scouts.

This policy of the Portland School Board has bothered me for a long time. If they feel that they don't want to give access to the recruiters because of the "don't ask don't tell" policy, they should really act on their beliefs. Since the policy is set by the Federal government, not the military, the school board should refuse to accept any Federal government money until the policy is changed! Otherwise, they are hypocrites.

Liberals = hypocrites. Sigh! What else is new?

The congressional committee was also expected Tuesday to approve measures allowing certain forms of student prayer in school and stripping federal funds from schools that deny access to the Boy Scouts

Apparently, there is a difference in the two parties and it does matter who gets elected.

We have recruiters at our school all the time and they do a good business!!! We enjoy seeing them and they bring us gifts (neat stuff like calendars and pens and mugs and such) And we have seen some of our students go into the military and really grow and mature.

Frankly, I don't think business or military recruiters belong on a high school campus. The purpose of a school is to educate, not provide access to recruiters of ANY entity unless it's of higher education.

And no, I do not consider the military a form of higher education. Military service is a calling. Before anyone flames me, first check my profile. BTW, my military service included a five-year stint in a Marine Corps recruiting command in Oregon.

Agree! In fact, I sincerely believe that there is a very reasonable and long needed solution to the recruiting issues...CONSCRIPT SERVICE! Bring back the draft! A lot of our young people mature and get solid, life long traiing, self discipline and motivation in the military.

Considering that a fair fraction of high school graduates don't go on to college, wouldn't it be a good idea to give them some exposure to the opportunities that exist for them? And for those who might wish to go to college but lack the financial wherewithal to do so, might not exposing them to the opportunities presented by the GI Bill be a good idea?

" ... give them some exposure ... "

Recruiting offices and substations are located all over the country; if a kid is interested, he/she can easily find one and get to it. If they live in northern Montana, they can still pick up the phone to ask questions, or even arrange a home visit. Finally, the 'net has everything on it. Kids don't need high-pressure salesmen/recruiters in their face hanging around campuses.

There are two problems military recruiters have to deal with: (1) economy is great -- plenty of jobs, and (2) liberal teachers polluting their minds with anti-military bias.

Well, I'm not necessarily talking about full-time recruiting stations on campus - just a once-a-year job fair-type thing, where you set up your booth and talk to kids who come to you. I don't think that's too high-pressure, and it allows them a chance to hear first-hand what it's all about and get some realistic answers to questions they might have.

I think that a lot of kids don't necessarily think of it as an option until they're given a chance to hear about it up close and personal - not that I mean they should be faced with some 250-pound gunnery sergeant insisting that they sign on the dotted line right now...

As for fighting the economy and liberal anti-military teachers - hey, that's why the recruiters get the big bucks, right? ;)

For some reason I find the way in which the military recruits to be all wrong. It seems to me that the military should be a calling, not a jobs program. I'm sure it is beneficial for one's resume, but should only be looked at as a collateral benefit, if I may use that term. I know a kid who joined the Army 9 months ago because he would be able to take courses concerning computers. His mother told me he is now distraught because he might have to actually go out and do what soldiers are meant to do. I'll bet there are quite a few like this, and they should not even be anywhere near the military.

I'd make it even simpler for them: They'd get a draft notice in the mail. It would save the wasted talent bottled up in recruiting command trying to make X bodies a month.

Regarding recruiters in school, career days are part of an educational experience. The military ought to be a part of that experience.

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