 How
has the Economy Affected Recruitment in the Military?
By Jack Etzel
There likely isn’t a much more secure job than joining one of the
five branches of the military in this country. It’s not for everyone,
but government studies in recent decades show that for every 10
percent increase in unemployment, there is usually a 5 percent boost
in military recruiting. In addition, last year the Army, Navy, Air
Force and Marine Corps met or exceeded their goals of re-enlisting
current members. We talked with the person who presently heads up U.S
Marine recruitment in western Pennsylvania. Major Robert F. Dinero,
a native of Buffalo, NY, holds college degrees in political science
and criminal justice. As a career U.S. Marine officer, he has served
in numerous exercises and missions throughout Europe and the Middle
East, including extensive combat duty in both Iraq and Afghanistan.
His personal decorations include two Combat Action Ribbons, the Joint
Achievement Medal, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal and the
Bronze Star. In 2009, Dinero assumed command of Recruiting Station
Pittsburgh. North Hills Monthly Magazine (NHMM): Major Dinero, how
much does the economy affect recruitment? Major Robert F. Dinero:
People continue to approach us and seek out opportunities in the
Marine Corps, but it’s not because we are an organization that says,
“Hey, join up with us and make a lot of money.” Typically, that’s not
the type of applicants we see. On the other hand, I’m sure that the
economy has affected our recruitment in some ways, but it’s not to the
extent that I’ve been able to measure it or that I’ve noticed any
really big impact. Yes, there are some people who are out of work and
perhaps that makes the Marine Corps more appealing to them, but it has
not affected our mission in a measurable way. NHMM: Let me rephrase
that from a different perspective. How about those who are already
serving? Considering the poor economy, are you seeing more people
re-enlist? Dinero: We’ve reached our goal of expanding the Corps to
202,000, and we’ve reached that number within about two years. More
recently, the recruiting numbers have actually gone down because we’ve
reached the number that we needed. We’re now recruiting to stabilize,
or, in other words, to maintain that number of 202,000. NHMM: But
that means that you’re still recruiting, still signing them up, right?
Dinero: What has happened is that we are now able to raise our
standards a little bit more. We’re not only able to keep our numbers
stable, but to raise our already high standards, and to be even more
selective about who will be in the Marine Corps. NHMM: Within the
past several years, we’ve heard about bonuses and monetary enticements
for joining the military. How much money are we talking about, who
gets it and when? Dinero: That’s just one more thing I like about
the Marine Corps; we don’t do bonuses. That makes my life a little
easier. If you want to be a Marine, if you really want to serve, if
you want the challenges, if you want to become a legend, if you want
to be part of something greater than yourself, those are a few of the
reasons you join. In short, it’s because you want to serve your
nation. It’s not for monetary gain. But, the lifestyle you live in the
Marine Corps is fantastic. We’re taken care of very well. Offering
bonuses and such are not things we use to get people to come into the
Marine Corps. NHMM: But, I’m not imagining things. Other branches
offer bonuses, correct? Dinero: I know they do. Certainly, on a
personal level I know about that, but I am not in a position to
comment on those programs. I’m really not familiar with those
programs. NHMM: Any of the military branches would likely deny that
they make a hard sell to get people recruited, and surely you’d agree
that the Marine Corps doesn’t resort to that. But, without bending
anyone’s elbow to join, what is the selection process all about? How
does it work? Dinero: That’s a fair question. The first thing that
has to happen is this: If a young man or woman is interested in
becoming a Marine, we have to screen them to see if they’re morally
and physically qualified. That involves filling out some simple
questionnaires about medical issues including surgeries that you might
have had in the past; criminal history; education verification and
drug screening. Once that’s done, and they are proven to be basically
qualified, then we begin interviewing them. That’s when we learn
whether they really want to become a Marine and if we want them to
become a Marine. Once we arrive at that decision and they’ve said that
they want to make that commitment, we take them down to the Military
Enlistment Processing Station (MEPS). That’s where they’ll get poked,
prodded, stretched, taped and examined once again. Once they’ve proven
to be sound in every respect, they are asked to raise their hand and
take the oath. NHMM: Not exactly your usual job interview.
Dinero: It’s not your usual job. It’s really special. It’s a great
honor. It’s a great life. To reach the North Hills’ recruiting
offices of the five main branches of U.S. military service, call:
Marine Corps 412-366-9631
Army 412-367-7885
Navy 412-367-4910
Air Force 412-367-8723
Coast Guard 412-369-2870 More information can be found on the
following websites:
www.usmilitary.about.com has general information and is a good
place to start. www.military.com is a website with information on
each branch of the service, as well as details on benefits, careers,
education, what branch might be best for a particular person and more.
|
