Military careers gaining interest for some

With a tanking economy and the perception of a more stable Iraq, a Pentagon study shows the military is becoming an increasingly palatable career option for many young people.

After years of relative economic prosperity and a mess in the Middle East, military interest had flat-lined or declined for people aged 16 to 21.

Now, information culled from a June 2008 survey suggests military interest may be on the rebound.

Interest among males and females increased 2 percent from December 2007 to June 2008, according to a June telephone survey that questioned 3,304 youths.

Eleven percent said they would pursue the military as an option.

From late 2005 to the end of 2006, young people who looked at the military as a favorable option dropped from 14 to 10 percent.

"It measures intention, not behavior," stressed Defense Department spokeswoman Eileen Lainez. "We're not considering this as a be-all or end-all."

She added, "We're not saying (the trend) has bottomed out."

Mentors such as parents, coaches, guidance counselors and teachers, a group dubbed "influencers" by the military, also had a slight change of heart, according to the survey.

Of the "influencers" between the ages of 22 and 85 surveyed, those who would recommend the military increased slightly to 34 percent, up from 32 percent in December 2007.

Local recruiters had mixed observations about the notion of an increase in interest.

"It's an up and down business," said Michael Matos, a U.S. Army sergeant first class. "There are a bunch of factors that go into the decision. Parents' support. A feeling of service to country. For some it's a generational thing."

Main recruiting prospects include high school seniors and recent graduates. The Army's local recruiters set up tables once per month at 13 area high schools.

And while the Pentagon survey dealt with young people, Matos, sitting in his Framingham recruiting office, noted that there has been an increase in the interest among those in the 24-to- 35-year-old crowd.

"A lot of people have been laid off," he said.

For this month, Chris Mansfield, Air Force staff sergeant, has already exceeded his recruiting goal by 250 percent.

Mansfield said the goal changes from month to month, although the standard is two recruits per month.

"I wouldn't attribute it to just the economy or just the stability overseas or just the new president-elect," he said from his Milford office. "It's us just working in local communities. There seems to be a lack of knowledge about the military out there."

The U.S. Navy has surpassed the goal for both fiscal 2007 and 2008. In 2007, the Navy's national goal was 1,227 recruits. That year it drew 1,321. In fiscal 2008, the goal was 1,368, and 1,526 signed up.

"We don't track as far as why people are joining," said Navy public affairs officer John O'Neill. "They're for all different reasons and I don't have viable data on that."

O'Neill later added, "It's all subjective. It might be linked to the fact that we've got more recruiters."

State Sen. Scott Brown, R-Wrentham, joined the National Guard 29 years ago for several reasons, the foremost being "I wanted to serve my country - as corny as that sounds."

Asked if a less volatile situation in Iraq would make the military more appealing, Brown said, "When somebody joins, the first thing in their minds is, am I going to die?"

Said Brown, "There's not a day that goes by that I don't think about what would happen ... to my family if I have to go and fight and got killed."

Matos, for one, didn't mince words when talking about the chance of deployment.

"You might as well count on deploying," he said.

The economic downturn, said Brown, could add further incentive for a military life, with its medical benefits, higher education perks and job training.

"There are two trains of thought: 'Let's go and kill somebody,' and 'what can I learn from this that I can parlay into a career?' " said Brown, a judge advocate general. "It's a good way to learn a trade."

(Dan McDonald can be reached at 508-626-4416 or at dmcdonal@cnc.com.)