The School Recruiting Program Handbook contains many practical suggestions, including a monthly breakdown of activities and general advice about working productively with school staff. Throughout the manual are explicit instructions on what recruiters should say and do to "establish rapport and credibility." This includes offering to chaperone dances (in uniform), assisting the coach, and to always "have something to give [school staff] (pen, calendar, cup, donuts, etc)."

“We’re outraged by the Pentagon’s predatory and illegal actions,” stated Janine Hansen, Chairman of Mothers Against the Draft (MAD). “Particularly troubling is the fact that the Pentagon compiled this massive, centralized database in secrecy, and has been using it for three years before giving public notice as required by the Privacy Act.”

"An effective sales approach would be to tailor a program to fit the needs and interests of the individual (high) school," exhorts the US Army's School Recruiting Program Handbook. "For example, one school may place a premium on its music program; another may give prominence to its athletic program. One school may place more emphasis on its academic scholarship program. Each school has a distinct chain of command structure."

The Defense Department is trying to highlight the value of military service by developing a public affairs campaign focusing on bolstering patriotic fervor. The campaign will be aimed at Mom and Dad, and Grandma and Grandpa, of that 'Greatest Generation,' to heighten the awareness and value of military service.

As you may know, the Army is having trouble getting kids to join up. Recruitment is down on account of all the soldiers dying in the desert. Go figure. And you know whose fault it is? YOURS.

The purpose of this handbook is to provide a single-source guidance document, combining regulatory requirements and sucessful techniques and ideas to assist staff and recruiters in building and maintaining an effective School Recruiting Program (SRT)and to provide a school calendar of events and significant activities and ensure an Army presenence in all secondary schools. School ownership is the goal.

A Houston recruiter, Sgt. Thomas Kelt, told at least one young man to show up for recruitment or face being locked up. Following that incident, the Army promised to take a tough stance with "swift...corrective action." Instead Kelt was moved to a neighboring recruiting station and promoted to station commander. (see video)

The military uses ASVAB to do targeted recruitment of young people. Recruiters give special attention to students in the 11th or 12th grade who meet minimum standards - what they refer to as "pre-qualified leads." They use test information (scores, name, address, etc.) to identify and reach young people they hope to sign up.

It's been a tough year for the U.S. military. But you wouldn't know it from the Internet, now increasingly packed with slick, nonmilitary looking Web sites of every sort that are lying in wait for curious teens (or their exasperated parents) who might be surfing by. On the ground, the military may be bogged down in a seemingly interminable mission that was supposedly "accomplished" back on May 1, 2003, but on the Web it's still a be-all-that-you-can-be world of advanced career choices, peaceful pursuits, and risk-free excitement.

Congress has passed two major pieces of legislation that generally require local educational agencies (LEAs) receiving assistance under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA)1 to give military recruiters the same access to secondary school students as they provide to postsecondary institutions or to prospective employers. LEAs are also generally required to provide students' names, addresses, and telephone listings to military recruiters, when requested.