Records Numbers Join the Military
By: Jenna Zibton
Updated: October 15, 2009
Higher numbers of quality men and women are joining the military.
"The biggest factor I'm seeing in this area is unemployment. It's harder for kids coming out of high school to find a job. It's getting harder for college guys to find jobs as well" says Army Shreveport Recruiting Company Commander Captain Shelvie Booth. More people are coming into the Army recruiting office getting a paycheck every month, medical, dental and life insurance, the chance to travel and education. Captain Booth says traditionally as unemployment rises so do enlistments. Record recruiting numbers were posted for the 2009 fiscal year that ended October 1st. The Army surpassed their goal by 8-percent. The Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force all reached 100-percent of their goal. Captain Booth says their office is already at 120-percent of their goal for the 2010 fiscal year. The biggest group of people they see wanting to enlist are 17-24 year old males. He says it takes six to twelve months to join the Army.
More men and women are calling the army home. 20-year old Joshua Basinger will be sworn in to the United States Army Reserve on Friday. "There's good money in it and I can make a good living in it once I get back from basic and AIT. These days you need a trade and the reserves can get me that" he says.
"It's real hard to find jobs out there. And before this I tried to find jobs and nothing was happening, so this just worked out right" says Basinger.
