Victory aside, war no boon to recruiters

Army Sgt. Nathan Washington is driving along a suburban residential street when he spots a target of opportunity.

"Excuse me, I'm lost," Sergeant Washington yells out his car window at a young man standing in a driveway. It's the Army recruiter's favorite come-on. The target takes the bait and approaches the car as Washington withdraws his weapons of choice: a business card and a folded one-page flyer.

Both miss their mark. The young man declines Washington's offer to join the service that markets itself as "the Army of One."

Just another long morning of slow progress for America's military, whose recruiters are discovering once again that winning a war can be easier than winning over new enlistees.

The US victory in Iraq came with few casualties, made military might look cool, and generated press coverage that treated soldiers like heroes. Yet recruiters such as Washington and his colleagues in this Missouri town say their job isn't getting any easier.

Like the Sept. 11 terror attacks, the Iraq war initially increased youths' interest in the military. But it has not boosted enlistments.

In fact, Washington says wars actually make his job tougher by reinforcing the perception that enlisting in the Army means getting shipped off to combat.

Given that challenge, the good news is that progress made by recruiters in recent years appears to be sticking. Although recruiting hasn't surged, the services are meeting their enlistment targets.

The Army, for example, signed up 40,597 men and women this year by April, a hair above its goal of 40,300. Marine recruiters pulled in 18,976 enlistees by March, right on par with their goal of 18,247. Air Force and Navy recruiters tell a similar tale.

This swath of southern Kansas City suburbs and rural towns - a land Harry Truman once farmed and where military retirees settle in large numbers - is no exception. Washington says most potential enlistees in the area don't have an urge to serve. Rather, most join the military to learn job skills or earn money for college. War is a tough way to do either.

Washington tries to tailor his pitch to the potential recruit: Those who say they're going to college hear about the education benefits. Bored in Kansas City? The Army is an adventure. Want to make more money? Perhaps a signing bonus will persuade you. Dad served in the Army? Maybe you're attracted to serving your country. The emphasis on the nonmilitary benefits of enlisting are clear in Washington's base - a storefront Army recruiting station in a suburban strip mall shared with two tax preparation shops and a tanning salon.

Entering the front door requires passing a shelf of pamphlets that highlight the Army's 200 job choices.

Bulletin boards are full of pictures of recent enlistees who are training in civil affairs, fuel transport, food-service operations, and mechanics, all after 9 weeks of basic training. Posters heralding $20,000 in potential sign-on bonuses and $50,000 in tuition benefits line the walls.

New recruits earn $1,150 a month (the Army also provides free room and board and 30 days paid vacation per year). In return, people enlist for two to six years and can be recalled to duty for eight years.

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