Military Recruitment Issues and Concerns

Time is a valuable commodity that is always a factor in recruitment operations. In addition to regularly visiting (in my case) twenty-two high schools and two junior colleges, a recruiter must also factor in the time necessary to meet with the family of each future soldier. In many instances, each recruit can represent a full eight-hour commitment on the recruiter's part required to travel to his home, pick him up, and escort him to the office to take a Military Entrance Processing System (MEPS) practice test. That process also includes scheduling time to complete the physical fitness, psychological, and ABVAST exams for each recruit.

Subsequently, each recruit represents additional time necessary to conduct a thorough background check and to verify all of the information provided by the recruit. In many cases, recruits have issues in their past that do not necessarily preclude their serving their country as members of the armed services, but each and every one of those issues may require additional investment of time on the part of the recruiter to obtain formal waivers, such as for violations involving minors in possession of alcohol. Similarly, certain traffic violations also require formal waivers and where the recruit has accumulated more than four violations in two years, a consultation with the MEPS physician is mandatory to determine whether or not a psychological consultation and evaluation is necessary for that recruit.

However, some of the most frustrating aspects of time management in military recruiting arise in connection with recruits backing out of their commitment at or prior to departure time after all the recruiter's time has already been invested in that recruit. Finally, the same issue arises in connection with the Command Reports that must be completed by the recruiter for every recruit who drops out during Boot Camp.