Guard turns to educators to help with recruitment

FORT DIX - They ride Black Hawk helicopters, fire mock assault rifles in combat simulators and can learn what it’s like to drive a Humvee. Some are so excited they want pictures of themselves holding guns. But these enthusiasts aren’t about to join the military. They’re principals, teachers, coaches and mentors _ people who New Jersey military recruiters believe hold the key to getting more high school students interested in the armed forces. The strategy seems to be working. With the military sometimes struggling to meet recruitment goals nationwide, New Jersey’s National Guard has seen an increase in enlistment in the two years since the inception of its ``Educate the Educator’’ program. ``If it wasn’t for programs like this, educators wouldn’t have an understanding of what we do,’’ said Lt. Col. Dennis Devery, who runs recruitment efforts for the New Jersey Guard. Devery credits the hands-on tours at Fort Dix, held two to three times a week in the past year, with putting the New Jersey Guard on track to sign up 900 high school and college students this year, part of a total 1,500 expected enlistments. Before the program, the Guard averaged about 500 high school and college enlistments, he said. During one tour in late May, a Black Hawk helicopter landed at Audubon High School, about 7 miles southeast of Philadelphia, and flew about a dozen educators to Fort Dix. The group checked out faux indoor combat environments and fought an ammunition-free gun battle in a combat simulator. Audubon High School Principal Don Borden said the tour was fun and underscored the importance of military training and recruiting. ``What we do, we’re just supportive of the kids who want to join. That’s something I’ll always do as long as I’m there,’’ Borden said. Guard officials say by educating the educators, they gain valuable allies in recruiting students whose parents are often concerned their children will be sent into battle. ``It’s always the first thing I hear: ‘Iraq, Iraq, Iraq,’’’ said Sgt. Steve Lawrence, a Guard recruiter. ``The parents are afraid.’’ Lawrence said he often points out to parents that he’s been in the Guard for six years and has yet to see combat duty. But he knows that it’s possible. The governors of each of the 50 states have authority over the Army and Air National Guard within their borders. In recent years, units have been federalized and used for overseas combat duty in places such as Iraq. In light of the fact that about 2,500 members of the U.S. military have died since the beginning of the Iraq war, Devery acknowledged concerns about safety are legitimate. ``I understand that not everybody’s going to go. But why would you take a young person who could so benefit from joining the Guard, and not provide them with the information?’’ Devery said. In some parts of the country, high school military recruiting efforts have been met with anti-war protests. Guidance counselors also try to approach the military as just another option for students. Tom Vara, athletic director at Hopatcong High School doesn’t encourage his students to join the military. He tells them to get an education first. ``It (the military) does seem glamorous to a certain degree,’’ he said. ``It’s really patriotic, but there’s another side as well. We’re at war right now, and there’s a degree of risk you have to be aware of.’’