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For Scott Garrett, there was never a question about whether or not he would serve in the military. The question was when he would serve full-time.
Garrett had already made up his mind by the time he was a student at Auburn High School that he was going to join the Marines. After talking with a recruiter, he decided it made more sense to enter as an officer.
This fall, Garrett will begin studying business administration and Naval science at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. But not before he takes part in his first summer of Marine Corps training at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia.
After completing school through the Navy ROTC scholarship program, he will begin life as a full-time Marine.
“I couldn't picture myself doing anything else,” said Garrett, who turns 18 this week.
Stories like this are common in Cayuga County, or at least they are more common than in most of the state.
A recent analysis of U.S. Army and National Guard statistics by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, a sister paper of The Citizen, revealed that Cayuga and a few other adjacent counties have among the highest military recruitment rates in the state.
While the statistics only include active and reserve Army and Army National Guard recruits, they showed Cayuga County to have the fourth-highest rate of recruitment from 2004 to 2007. Almost 6 out of every 10,000 people in the county joined one of the three branches, according to the data.
Only Jefferson, Steuben and Cattaraugus counties have higher recruitment rates. Cortland County is the fifth-highest, with Wayne and Seneca counties also in the top 10.
For Garrett, whose grandfathers both served, being in the armed forces is just a natural step toward adulthood.
“It seems like something everyone should have to do as a rite of passage,” he said.
Many people will point to what they see as higher levels of patriotism in the heart of New York. But others are saying that the reason could be as much about economics as anything else.
Sgt. First Class Chris Steinbacher is the station commander for recruiting in and around Auburn for the Army National Guard.
Two units are stationed out of Auburn - the 222nd Military Police Company and the 102nd Military Police Battalion. The two groups add up to approximately 160 soldiers, Steinbacher said.
Sitting in his office at the Armory on South Street, Steinbacher said Auburn usually sees about 20 new National Guard recruits every year.
“If I can put in 24 kids, that's a good year,” he said.
In order to reach that goal, Steinbacher can be seen around the community throughout the year. He visits high schools, goes to malls or sets up at major events to spread the word about the National Guard.
Most recently, Steinbacher was at an Auburn Doubledays game sponsored by the Guard. Players wore camouflage uniforms during the game, and he and other representatives gave out information about the benefits of joining.
But Steinbacher doesn't really expect to sign people up at events like these, he said.
“They are more for the community exposure than direct enlistments,” Steinbacher said.
Successful recruits tend to come more from following up leads from people who contact him. Some of them get a hold of Steinbacher through e-mail or phone calls. Some contacts are made through other soldiers, he said.
So why are more of them looking into the military around here than other parts of the state? Steinbacher said he thinks it could have a lot to do with the economy.
Sure, there are many who want to join because of a sense of patriotism and duty to their country, he said. But the National Guard and other armed services offer a lot of benefits.
People can find future careers through the military, he said. And programs such as the Guard's “College First” will pay for college in return for a commitment of service.
“There are not a lot of jobs in the area,” Steinbacher said. “Not many people get laid off in the Army.”
First Sgt. David Cameron is the second in command for the U.S. Army's Syracuse recruitment company, which covers Auburn. Cameron said there are a “variety of reasons” why people join up.
But Cameron also said most of the people in the outlying areas who want to become soldiers are interested in the economic opportunities.
The most popular is the Army College Fund, which offers to pay for a soldier's college education after they are no longer serving, he said.
“They can get a pretty good start (on an education) while they are still in the Army,” said Cameron, who added that soldiers can take college classes during their service.
His reason for joining was a bit more personal.
“It's in my family blood,” said Cameron, who added that his father served in the Vietnam War.
Jessica Maxwell agrees with both Steinbacher and Cameron that the higher recruitment rates can be attributed to economics and benefits.
The economy is in “rough shape,” she said, and military service offer jobs, money for college and other perks.
“Access to resources, like job training programs, tends to be more difficult in rural communities,” Maxwell said.
Any agreements she has with officers about military recruiting end there. Maxwell, a staff member at the Syracuse Peace Council, is not a fan of recruiting. She and the organization contend that it is “completely inappropriate” for recruiters to have a regular presence in area high schools.
Since 2003, the Peace Council has been setting up information tables at high schools in and around Syracuse to hand out their own information about joining the military. Volunteers offer explanations of what Maxwell says are “common myths” students often hear about the armed forces.
They also offer information about alternative programs that can give training and some economic benefits while giving people a chance to see the world, she said.
Some of the “myths” Maxwell said are being perpetuated are the ideas a new recruit is going to get to do a specific job to avoid being a ground troop. The contracts state that terms can change at any time, she said.
The organization also informs students that getting money for college is more complicated than it seems, Maxwell said. Many things can keep you from qualifying, she said, and a lot of students just don't realize how expensive college is.
Maxwell said she does not see the Peace Council's work as an attempt to discourage students from enlisting.
“What we are doing is providing people access to accurate information,” she said. “ There is no reason they shouldn't have access to that. You can't get independent information about any organization from the organization itself.”
But Maxwell said statistics show that military recruitment numbers are dropping in many places, and she attributed that to the public's view of the Iraq war. She said a small percentage of the students who come to the organization's tables are actually excited about joining the military.
“It's mostly, 'I want to get out of the community, or I want to travel,' ” Maxwell said. “It's really rare to see someone really excited to get into the military.”
But Garrett used just that word - “excited” - to describe his feelings about being in the military, if for nothing else than the challenge, he said.
Especially in the Marine Corps, which he said he joined because “It's the best one.”
Recruiting has slowed for Steinbacher in recent years, and he said he thinks some of that can be contributed to the continuation of the war. However, many of the members of the 222nd expressed an interest in another Iraq tour after returning in February, he said.
And this year has been a good one - Steinbacher is only three recruits shy of his goal for 2008.
Both Steinbacher and Cameron said the biggest challenge with recruiting doesn't have to do with finding people who are interested. It is finding people who qualify.
To join the Army, you have to pass a number of written and physical tests as well as a criminal background check. The Auburn National Guard station is a for military police, which have to go through even more strenuous requirements.
“It's all about trying to get them qualified,” Steinbacher said. “A lot of these guys have one problem or another. I take on the easiest ones first.”
Steinbacher tries to help recruits meet their qualifications as quickly as possible, he said. For instance, he usually signs them up to take both physical and written tests on the same day.
This way, there is less time for a recruit to change his or her mind, Steinbacher said. Joining the National Guard isn't like buying a car. It's a life-changing decision, he said.
But Steinbacher also said he tries to give new recruits an accurate picture of life in the Guard. Unlike a lot of recruiters in other branches, who are often assigned for a time and move on, he has been around for seven years.
He will probably be around for a few more, he said.
“I can say 'When you come back, I am still going to be here if you have any problems,' ” Steinbacher said.
Staff writer Christopher Caskey can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 282 or christopher.caskey@lee.net
Top 10 counties in New York by recruiting rate
County Recruiting rate*
Cattaraugus 7.25
Steuben 6.69
Jefferson 6.11
Cayuga 5.94
Cortland 5.93
Tioga 5.68
Wayne 5.45
Seneca 5.31
Otsego 5.24
Allegany 5.02
Top 10 counties in
the country
by recruiting rate
County State Recruiting rate
Grant Neb. 23.77
Arthur Neb. 20.04
Geary Kan. 19.16
Menominee Wis. 18.51
Liberty Ga. 16.51
Rock Neb. 16.3
Pulaski Mo. 16.29
Beaverhead Mont. 16.17
Bristol Bay Ark. 16.08
Borough Pope Ill. 16.01
* The recruiting rate refers to the annual
average number of recruits per 10,000
population from the county between 2004 and 2007.
Cayuga County recruits
over four years
Year Active Army Army Reserve National Guard
2004 18 4 7
2005 28 9 15
2006 35 5 20
2007 34 6 10
Source: All statistics come from St. Louis Post-Dispatch
analysis of U.S. Army and National Guard data
For Scott Garrett, there was never a question about whether or not he would serve in the military. The question was when he would serve full-time.
Garrett had already made up his mind by the time he was a student at Auburn High School that he was going to join the Marines. After talking with a recruiter, he decided it made more sense to enter as an officer.
This fall, Garrett will begin studying business administration and Naval science at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. But not before he takes part in his first summer of Marine Corps training at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia.
After completing school through the Navy ROTC scholarship program, he will begin life as a full-time Marine.
“I couldn't picture myself doing anything else,” said Garrett, who turns 18 this week.
Stories like this are common in Cayuga County, or at least they are more common than in most of the state.
A recent analysis of U.S. Army and National Guard statistics by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, a sister paper of The Citizen, revealed that Cayuga and a few other adjacent counties have among the highest military recruitment rates in the state.
While the statistics only include active and reserve Army and Army National Guard recruits, they showed Cayuga County to have the fourth-highest rate of recruitment from 2004 to 2007. Almost 6 out of every 10,000 people in the county joined one of the three branches, according to the data.
Only Jefferson, Steuben and Cattaraugus counties have higher recruitment rates. Cortland County is the fifth-highest, with Wayne and Seneca counties also in the top 10.
For Garrett, whose grandfathers both served, being in the armed forces is just a natural step toward adulthood.
“It seems like something everyone should have to do as a rite of passage,” he said.
Many people will point to what they see as higher levels of patriotism in the heart of New York. But others are saying that the reason could be as much about economics as anything else.
Sgt. First Class Chris Steinbacher is the station commander for recruiting in and around Auburn for the Army National Guard.
Two units are stationed out of Auburn - the 222nd Military Police Company and the 102nd Military Police Battalion. The two groups add up to approximately 160 soldiers, Steinbacher said.
Sitting in his office at the Armory on South Street, Steinbacher said Auburn usually sees about 20 new National Guard recruits every year.
“If I can put in 24 kids, that's a good year,” he said.
In order to reach that goal, Steinbacher can be seen around the community throughout the year. He visits high schools, goes to malls or sets up at major events to spread the word about the National Guard.
Most recently, Steinbacher was at an Auburn Doubledays game sponsored by the Guard. Players wore camouflage uniforms during the game, and he and other representatives gave out information about the benefits of joining.
But Steinbacher doesn't really expect to sign people up at events like these, he said.
“They are more for the community exposure than direct enlistments,” Steinbacher said.
Successful recruits tend to come more from following up leads from people who contact him. Some of them get a hold of Steinbacher through e-mail or phone calls. Some contacts are made through other soldiers, he said.
So why are more of them looking into the military around here than other parts of the state? Steinbacher said he thinks it could have a lot to do with the economy.
Sure, there are many who want to join because of a sense of patriotism and duty to their country, he said. But the National Guard and other armed services offer a lot of benefits.
People can find future careers through the military, he said. And programs such as the Guard's “College First” will pay for college in return for a commitment of service.
“There are not a lot of jobs in the area,” Steinbacher said. “Not many people get laid off in the Army.”
First Sgt. David Cameron is the second in command for the U.S. Army's Syracuse recruitment company, which covers Auburn. Cameron said there are a “variety of reasons” why people join up.
But Cameron also said most of the people in the outlying areas who want to become soldiers are interested in the economic opportunities.
The most popular is the Army College Fund, which offers to pay for a soldier's college education after they are no longer serving, he said.
“They can get a pretty good start (on an education) while they are still in the Army,” said Cameron, who added that soldiers can take college classes during their service.
His reason for joining was a bit more personal.
“It's in my family blood,” said Cameron, who added that his father served in the Vietnam War.
Jessica Maxwell agrees with both Steinbacher and Cameron that the higher recruitment rates can be attributed to economics and benefits.
The economy is in “rough shape,” she said, and military service offer jobs, money for college and other perks.
“Access to resources, like job training programs, tends to be more difficult in rural communities,” Maxwell said.
Any agreements she has with officers about military recruiting end there. Maxwell, a staff member at the Syracuse Peace Council, is not a fan of recruiting. She and the organization contend that it is “completely inappropriate” for recruiters to have a regular presence in area high schools.
Since 2003, the Peace Council has been setting up information tables at high schools in and around Syracuse to hand out their own information about joining the military. Volunteers offer explanations of what Maxwell says are “common myths” students often hear about the armed forces.
They also offer information about alternative programs that can give training and some economic benefits while giving people a chance to see the world, she said.
Some of the “myths” Maxwell said are being perpetuated are the ideas a new recruit is going to get to do a specific job to avoid being a ground troop. The contracts state that terms can change at any time, she said.
The organization also informs students that getting money for college is more complicated than it seems, Maxwell said. Many things can keep you from qualifying, she said, and a lot of students just don't realize how expensive college is.
Maxwell said she does not see the Peace Council's work as an attempt to discourage students from enlisting.
“What we are doing is providing people access to accurate information,” she said. “ There is no reason they shouldn't have access to that. You can't get independent information about any organization from the organization itself.”
But Maxwell said statistics show that military recruitment numbers are dropping in many places, and she attributed that to the public's view of the Iraq war. She said a small percentage of the students who come to the organization's tables are actually excited about joining the military.
“It's mostly, 'I want to get out of the community, or I want to travel,' ” Maxwell said. “It's really rare to see someone really excited to get into the military.”
But Garrett used just that word - “excited” - to describe his feelings about being in the military, if for nothing else than the challenge, he said.
Especially in the Marine Corps, which he said he joined because “It's the best one.”
Recruiting has slowed for Steinbacher in recent years, and he said he thinks some of that can be contributed to the continuation of the war. However, many of the members of the 222nd expressed an interest in another Iraq tour after returning in February, he said.
And this year has been a good one - Steinbacher is only three recruits shy of his goal for 2008.
Both Steinbacher and Cameron said the biggest challenge with recruiting doesn't have to do with finding people who are interested. It is finding people who qualify.
To join the Army, you have to pass a number of written and physical tests as well as a criminal background check. The Auburn National Guard station is a for military police, which have to go through even more strenuous requirements.
“It's all about trying to get them qualified,” Steinbacher said. “A lot of these guys have one problem or another. I take on the easiest ones first.”
Steinbacher tries to help recruits meet their qualifications as quickly as possible, he said. For instance, he usually signs them up to take both physical and written tests on the same day.
This way, there is less time for a recruit to change his or her mind, Steinbacher said. Joining the National Guard isn't like buying a car. It's a life-changing decision, he said.
But Steinbacher also said he tries to give new recruits an accurate picture of life in the Guard. Unlike a lot of recruiters in other branches, who are often assigned for a time and move on, he has been around for seven years.
He will probably be around for a few more, he said.
“I can say 'When you come back, I am still going to be here if you have any problems,' ” Steinbacher said.
Staff writer Christopher Caskey can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 282 or christopher.caskey@lee.net
Top 10 counties in New York by recruiting rate
County Recruiting rate*
Cattaraugus 7.25
Steuben 6.69
Jefferson 6.11
Cayuga 5.94
Cortland 5.93
Tioga 5.68
Wayne 5.45
Seneca 5.31
Otsego 5.24
Allegany 5.02
Top 10 counties in
the country
by recruiting rate
County State Recruiting rate
Grant Neb. 23.77
Arthur Neb. 20.04
Geary Kan. 19.16
Menominee Wis. 18.51
Liberty Ga. 16.51
Rock Neb. 16.3
Pulaski Mo. 16.29
Beaverhead Mont. 16.17
Bristol Bay Ark. 16.08
Borough Pope Ill. 16.01
* The recruiting rate refers to the annual
average number of recruits per 10,000
population from the county between 2004 and 2007.
Cayuga County recruits
over four years
Year Active Army Army Reserve National Guard
2004 18 4 7
2005 28 9 15
2006 35 5 20
2007 34 6 10
Source: All statistics come from St. Louis Post-Dispatch
analysis of U.S. Army and National Guard data
