Armed Forces Recruiters: Attacks and Defense

As a former active-duty Marine Corps officer and currently a member of the Marine Corps Reserve, I read with interest “They’re Talking Up Arms” (April 5). What I find perplexing is that the Coalition Against Militarism in Schools is opposed to the recruitment efforts of the armed forces in schools.

I often tell parents and students alike that service in the military is an honorable, noble and fulfilling endeavor. A young person need not make the military a career -- I didn’t; after a tour on active duty, I left to attend law school, but have remained in the Reserve ever since. I was called back to active duty for Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm and for Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.

The military exposed me to men and women from the Deep South, from Appalachia, from the plains of the Midwest and from Pacific Coast lumber camps; people from walks of life and with views I likely never would have known had it not been for the military. My time in the military was the best thing I’ve ever done.

I teach my children that we who are fortunate enough to live in a strong, free society have a moral obligation to defend our country and our way of life and to defend those less fortunate than ourselves. My oldest son, while only 15 years old, anxiously awaits the day he is old enough to don a Marine uniform and serve and protect America and, indeed, all humanity.

I am sure that the coalition members sleep soundly in their beds and enjoy the freedoms that men and women have fought and bled to obtain for America’s future generations. I’m just curious as to how they propose to keep those freedoms.

David M. McCarthy

Culver City

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The last line in the story says it all: “I don’t care,” [Marine Sgt. Rick] Carloss said, “as long as he’s 17.” The Army and Marines are conducting what amounts to a death march on our nation’s high school campuses.

Funny thing, in the ‘60s, kids went to college to avoid being in the military, now the military is preying on the soon-to-be dropouts in high school to become part of the “team.” I wonder what fantasy the recruiters are using to make fighting on the front line in Iraq seem sexy? More than 1,540 deaths and counting, boys and girls.

Mark Storhaug

Pacific Palisades

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The article about recruiters in high schools reminded me of a conversation with my Marine grandson. He served briefly as a recruiter, but when I asked him if he’d like to do that again, he said, “No. The recruiters tell you the good part of being a Marine. But there’s a part they leave out. They don’t tell you that just about everywhere in the world they send you, the people there hate you and hate America.”

His disappointment in our nation’s reputation and behavior is much like the deep sadness I feel when I read that four more soldiers were killed in Iraq on Monday -- killed by those people who hate America. Recruiters need to tell these high school students both sides of this grim reality.

Greta Pruitt

La Crescenta

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How disgusting, these vultures and their tactics in recruiting at low-income high schools. Let them go to the Washington, D.C., area and recruit the sons and daughters of the warmongering president and his cronies.

Deborah J. Chandler

Upland