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What the Recruiters Don't Tell You!
• The ad for the Army National Guard shows a black woman running ahead of two fellow soldiers. The headline is in big, bold, white letters and reads, "Find the strength you never knew you had." We found this insulting for two reasons. One, it made us feel like they were trying to say women aren't strong and need to be in the Army to find their strength. The other reason is that she's a black woman running ahead of two white soldiers and it feeds into the stereotype surrounding blacks that they are exceptional athletes, especially in track.
• The ad for the Army also features a black woman as the main focus. The irony of this ad is that even though she is in the front, the men behind her have more medals and possibly outrank her. There's also a sexual undertone here—the men are "viewing" her from "behind."
• Usually, army advertisements highlight men in the front line performing activities such as training for combat, exercising, and drilling. In 2002, approximately 15 percent of military personnel were women.
• They may be recruiting women, but do they respect the women who actually join? According to the National Youth and Militarism Program of the American Friends Service Committee, up to 86 percent of women veterans reported being sexually harassed, and up to one-third of them were raped.
• Since the fall of 2003, the Miles Foundation, a non-profit organization that aids victims of military violence, has documented 518 cases of sexual assault on women who have served or are serving in Middle Eastern countries.
Did you know…?
• With Puerto Rico's unemployment rate at 40 percent, it is the Army's #1 recruiting target territory.
• You don't have to be a U.S. citizen to fight for this country. Non-citizens make up about 5 percent of enlisted personnel on active duty.
• People of color are more likely to be given low-level jobs and passed over for promotion. They are also more likely to end up on the front line in combat.
• Only half of recruits applying and qualifying for military GI Bill Benefits actually receive funds. Eighty-four percent receive only the basic benefit, and less than one-quarter attend a four-year college.
• Army ads often use college money to persuade students to join, but it takes those who enlist an average of 10 years to earn a college degree.
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Think Before You Enlist!
• A lot of military jobs don't prepare you for civilian jobs, so once you leave the military it becomes harder for you to find a regular job.
• Don't make the decision to enlist when you are upset, confused, unsure about your future, or pressured by your family.
• If you enlist during a time of war—like now—you have no choice but to fight. The reserves could call you away from your home, school, or job.
• Consider whether or not you are willing to kill another person or risk being killed.
• The military is not the only way to serve your country.
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Guidance for Grownups
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