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NEWS Y ou may be used to the military invading foreign countries, but now they’re invading our DM’s. In the past year, many Garfield seniors have been approached through Instagram and other social media by recruitment officers. These unorthodox tactics raise the question: how does the military get people to join in the first place?

Contrary to popular belief, the military no longer has a mandatory draft. This system, retired in the 1970’s, was exchanged for what is now known as the Selective Service. All men must register for the Selective Service once they turn 18, and are no longer considered once they turn 27.

Military recruiters have targeted many Garfield seniors. In a recent Instagram poll, 42 out of 75 seniors had been approached by a military official about recruitment. Even more surprising, 30 out of 78 seniors had received a direct message from a military recruiter.

To focus their outreach, recruiters obtain students’ personal information directly from the Seattle Public Schools. Unless a parent or guardian requests otherwise, the school district releases student names and phone numbers to military recruitment. Through this information, recruiters can call, text and even find students’ social media.

Exchange of personal information can be o p p o s e d by school regulation of army or m i l i t a r y visits. Each district may set its own guidelines. Seattle Public Schools only allows two military visits per school year.

“Some schools allow us to come visit every day in a week,” army recruiter Sergeant Cerda said. “We had a veteran working in the Boys and Girls Club ask us to come visit regularly.”

Some recruiters, like Sgt. Cerda, believe that the districts who limit recruitment presence are “doing a disservice to the students.”

While it is the job of a recruiter to offer support for p e o p l e thinking of joining the military, there is also a quota to fill: approximately 69,000 new recruits annually, as dictated by Congress.

Some of those new recruits include students such as Javae Spears. Spears, a junior hopes to join the army reserves for opportunities and economic support.

“If I get into the military then I will definitely be using the housing, get myself a house, and college,” Spears said. “I feel like it’s gonna open new doors for me.”

However others petition against not only recruitment, but the war efforts that many recruits can find themselves aiding. Jonah Hillman, a member of the Antimilitarist Collective, is currently working to protest war with Iran through art and expression. “There is a huge nu mb e r of people who are getting recruited on the promise of getting their student loans paid off—it’s essentially risking your life to get your student loan debt paid off,” Hillman said.

Although one may exempt themselves from the Selective Service on the grounds of a mental or physical disability, many forms such as FAFSA require male students to sign themselves up in order to receive federal aid. This, much like the high recruitment presence often found in low income areas, is a way to gain access to low income communities, and people who may find them- s e l v e s needing finan- cial security. “If it’s e i t h e r t h a t or just poverty your entire life, then I could definitely understand why you would do it,” Hillman said. “I think that the question of ‘is it a good option’ kinda over-simplifies the situation because there are so many structural issues contributing to why people join the military, like everything from poverty to the fact that recruiters can legally lie to you.”

Whether you are for or against the military establishment, it is clear that a draft system is unnecessary.

“None of us want a draft,” Sgt. Cerda said, commenting on the recent possibility of war. “We serve whoever is in office— people try to politicize it.”

“I think that the idea that the state can force you to go die in a war is bad in any circumstance, and in this particular case a war is not necessary,” Hillman said. “I just don’t think this generation is going to accept a draft.”

Wherever you stand on the military’s power and influence, it is important to stay informed. The military recruitment system in high schools. RECRUIT OR BOOT Article and graphics by Simone Cielos. “I THINK THAT THE IDEA THAT THE STATE CAN FORCE YOU TO GO DIE IN A WAR IS BAD IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCE, AND IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE A WAR IS NOT NECESSARY” “I JUST DON’T THINK THIS GENERATION IS GOING TO ACCEPT A DRAFT.”

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