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Should High Schools Allow the Armed Forces to Come in to the Schools to Enlist Students?

In the current essay I would like to review the military recruitment in high school. I would like to take the side for pro military recruitment at high schools, because I think that military should be allowed to recruit at high schools these days. I am convinced that this way more people will understand whether they are interested in it and they will be able to choose their future.

Military service can be described as a duty of citizens with arms to defend the state and military service in the armed forces. Military service is enshrined in law in most countries. From this follows the military service of citizens during the war. But in many states there is compulsory military service, assuming of service, both in wartime and in peacetime.

Military should be allowed to recruit at high schools because this may result beneficial for children and for the society as a whole, as high school children will be able to get a chance to know more about the military recruitment, which will help them determine their further education. There are many advantages in the recruitment process and also opportunities for the future careers for high school children.

In modern society there is a tendency complicating military occupations and military equipment, along with some wars, which lowers the likelihood of large-scale conflicts. Many countries (mainly NATO) in military planning involve mainly short-term conflicts, in which tasks can be solved by material and personnel reserves built in peacetime. These states may refuse military service in peacetime, and some of them from military duty. At the same time, countries that see in front of the prospect of prolonged or intense conflict (Russia, Greece, Turkey, Israel, North Korea), intend to maintain military duty, and even the Armed Forces to the recruiting base.

As a fact, military recruitment was used at different times, mainly during the war, and was last used in 1973. However, all U.S. residents are male (both citizens and non-citizens) aged 18 to 25 years are obliged to stand up for military service (Selective Service System). This measure exists in the case, if Congress sees fit to resume the call.

Nowadays, the number of professional armies in the world is gradually increasing, and this fact states that this job will always be in demand. “By the time children graduate, they will be mature enough to understand the difficulties and fears that will probably await Students will still be able to go to college if they join the reserves.”, according to Debates: Education (2010). I think it will be the best alternative to allow military recruit at high schools, because it will open new perspectives for children, who hesitate in the choice of their profession.

The principle of voluntary recruitment of the armed forces used more in the days when America was a colony of the British Empire. In U.S. history there were periods when the country’s leadership was forced to resort to the introduction of compulsory military service. Not wanting to enter the call, U.S. authorities have used various kinds of bait to lure people in the country on military service. “The military offers kids a way to pay for school, and offers others who wouldn’t go to school ordinarily a chance at a career.”, according to Debates: Education (2010).

Recruiters, represented by the military units, are sent across the country for voluntary or compulsory recruitment of conscripts in the armed forces and deliver them to their service. In Britain, such a system is widely used in the Navy. Since the Middle Ages to the beginning of the XIX century, recruiters have the legal right to forcibly write to the Navy sailors from merchant ships. Typically, they limit their activities to port cities where it was easy to find recruits with sufficient experience, but has authority throughout the country. Naval officers did not approve of this system, but believed that it has no alternative. U.S. protest against the seizure of their ships and forced recruitment of seamen was one of the reasons for the Anglo-American War in 1812. In the Army, this system was used less and just before the end of the Napoleonic Wars, and the Navy continued until 1830, when the rise in salaries has provided a sufficient number of volunteers.

According to War opponents target military recruiters in high schools (2005), “High schools are the latest anti-war battleground, with parents, students, educators and activists around the country stepping up campaigns to prevent military recruiters from reaching students. Many of the efforts focus on a provision in President Bush’s 2002 No Child Left Behind law that requires federally funded secondary schools to give military recruiters the same access to students as they do college or job recruiters.”

Recruiters do their job and help children understand better the possibilities and current perspectives for them in the sphere. “As for a recruiter making promises and not following through, the recruiter’s not in any position to promise anything. We hope that all our recruiters are communicating honestly with our applicants,” Mr. Smith said. But he added, “In the contract [between the new soldier and the Army] it says, ‘Anything the recruiter may have promised me is moot.’ “, according to Rift over recruiting at public high schools (2005).

I think that modern high school children will appreciate new possibilities, that is why military recruitment process in high schools will be perspective. For example, “Maryland schools will no longer forward scores from a popular vocational test to military recruiters under new legislation that requires high school students to send the information themselves. Unless the school or a student checks an opt-out box, the scores are released to military recruiters, who can get in touch with prospective recruits.”, according to Md. law limits military recruitment of high school students (2010).

All in all, military is a big choice for children. As well, it is rather dangerous career choice. Military should be allowed to recruit in high schools because the military is a government institution. There should be a freedom of choice, and the state supports it. Children at high school have a certain level of maturity that can make them feel responsible and interested in different areas. That is why, I presume that military should be allowed to recruit at high schools, as many children have even decided what they want to do in future, who they want to be and why.
References

Debates: Education (2010). Retrieved June 2, 2011 from http://debates.juggle.com/should-the-military-be-allowed-to-recruit-in-public-schools
Md. law limits military recruitment of high school students (2010). Retrieved June 2, 2011 from http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/14/AR2010041404601.html
Rift over recruiting at public high schools (2005). Retrieved June 2, 2011 from
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0518/p02s01-ussc.html
War opponents target military recruiters in high schools (2005). Retrieved June 2, 2011 from
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-09-20-war-opponents-schools_x.htm