News
Recruiting isn’t easy on campus
Looking for a print version?
Simply use your browser’s ‘Print’ command and a printer-friendly document will be generated automatically.
Also by Keegan Kyle:
- Bringing it all together (December 13, 2007)
- Recruiting isn't easy on campus (December 7, 2007)
- Doyle set to sign off on ethics (February 2, 2007)
- Volunteerism on the road (October 19, 2007)
- Down and dirty on campus sanitation (October 11, 2007)
Sharing tools:
E-mail this article:
After a morning workout and a short meeting about the day's assignments, 1st Sgt. Roberto Gallardo sets out to change people's lives in Madison.
He visits high schools, technical colleges and occasionally the University of Wisconsin to recruit young men and women for the U.S. Army. It's not an easy job, he said, especially on a campus like UW.
The campus is sometimes called "The Berkeley of the Midwest" for all of its anti-war and progressive roots. Violent riots headlined the news daily during the Vietnam War, and State Street may be considered the pulpit for modern Iraq war protesters.
Gallardo said during an interview Thursday in Der Rathskeller that his company's visits to UW are sometimes resisted by a "vocal, liberal minority." Some people get in his face and yell, but he said the situation never seems to get too confrontational.
Some campus organizations have mobilized against military recruiting efforts and occasionally distribute pamphlets near army tables at career fairs. Paul Pryse, a member of the UW Campus Antiwar Network, said he considers the absence of recruiters a victory for students.
"We try to poke holes in their argument that the army is a good career," Pryse said. "In the past, CAN has organized for recruiters to get off the campus entirely."
The organization tries to "make it tough for recruiters at this campus," he added. In September this year, CAN and other student groups mobilized against the weapons producer Halliburton at a career fair. A former army reservist in Madison was also the first Iraq war veteran to send his medals back to the State Department in late September of this year.
Gallardo admits the atmosphere at UW and throughout Madison is tough, but he respects the freedom of people to express their opinions about the military or the presence of army recruiters.
"We fight for that right, or at least the people before us did," he said.
The army recruiters come to UW about once a month, Gallardo said, but that infrequent presence is due more to the nature of college: People who attend college usually know what they want to do with their lives.
High schools or technical colleges are more worthwhile trips because recruiters can offer graduating seniors another career choice or financial aid.
The heaviest presence of the army at UW is usually during the beginning of the academic year, said Gallardo, when some freshmen might be looking for financial aid. The Madison-based army company also looks at freshmen ending their first year, because that population is statistically the most likely to drop out of college or leave UW for another reason.
Gallardo said he's personally put about 200 people into the army over the past seven years as a recruiter. He volunteered for the job after some combat experience as a medic because he wanted to try it out. The job seems to fit his outgoing and talkative character.
Gallardo said "recruiting is a lot more stressful" than his time as a medic was because there are few breaks throughout the year. A medic would get combat leave or training breaks, but Gallardo is talking to people about the army almost every day.
"I would never say recruiting is easy," he added.
There are 11 recruiters working for the U.S. Army in Madison and, in 2006, Gallardo said his company did fifth best out of 40 companies in an eight-state region. Recruiters are assigned a certain number of people to enlist each month — Gallardo said his best is six.
"This is more of a giving than a taking kind of job," he said. Gallardo approaches recruiting like he is giving people choices. The message of thanks people give him returning from duty is just one of the perks.
Correction: Due to a reporting error, this article should have called Halliburton an energy company, focused on petroleum.
15 Comments | Leave a comment
Leave a comment
Herald Blogs
The Beat Goes On
Brother Ali makes an ‘Exclusive’ stop
Muckrakers
Report: Barrett to make decision by the end of the week
Extra Points
Top Classified Ads (view all)
HOUSES FOR Fall 2010. All houses are on W Dayton or N Bassett. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 bedrooms. All have parking. madisoncampusrentals.com
No matter what you think about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Army has the right to recruit on campus. After all, the UW is a public university that does receive government funding. If you choose to protest that basic right, that’s okay; just be somewhat respectful.
Recruiting seems like it would be a tough job. We should be thankful there are people willing to make the committment, both recruiters and new recruits. Happy Holidays!
“Recruiting isn't easy on campus”
It’s never easy! Especially when your commander-in-chief is sending people off to fight an immoral, illegal war.
Look, if people want to join the army, then they will join the army. If people don’t, then they wont. Madison doesn’t need organizations like CAN to shove their opinions down other peoples throats. If you’re even eligible to join the army, you’re at least 18 and old enough to make decisions for yourself.
I have never heard Halliburton called a “weapons producer.” I think you need to check your facts on that.
They are mainly an oil and gas company, and they also provide various very large scale logistical services.
“In September this year, CAN and other student groups mobilized against the weapons producer Halliburton at a career fair.”
CAN is saying that Halliburton is a weapons producer now? And the Herald is printing it?
Halliburton is an oil and gas exploration firm.
Recruiting isnâ??t easy on campus”
It’s never easy! Especially when your commander-in-chief is sending people off to fight an immoral, illegal war.
What then makes the war “legal” oh that’s right some arbitary group of nations that could care less about the health and prosperity of the US.
As for the other point most wars are immoral, even more so when the most priviledged who have the most to gain, are the ones least likely to be fighting it.
CAN can’t understand they are their own worst enemy. Let me ask those idiots something, if recruiters don’t have access to those who may want to join. Where will the Soldiers come from other than those who DON’T want to join in the form of a draft. So if you want a drafted military go ahead and support those groups like CAN
Halliburton doesn’t produce weapons. They do lots of other things, including accepting billions of dollars in payment for services they fail to deliver, but they don’t produce weapons.
“Look, if people want to join the army, then they will join the army. If people don’t, then they wont. Madison doesn’t need organizations like CAN to shove their opinions down other peoples throats. If you’re even eligible to join the army, you’re at least 18 and old enough to make decisions for yourself.”
And if they want to join the Army, then they will without recruiters. What do the recruiters do, besides annoy us with constant phone calls and fill up our mailboxes and email inboxes?
“sending people off to fight an immoral, illegal war”
Yeah, we should have just kept bombing them - like Clinton did in the Balkans. (well, I guess he did it in Iraq too.)
“Our intervention in Kossovo was insane: here was an historic province of Serbia with a Serbian majority as late as the 1920’s; which never ever had a policy of legal immigration of Albanians; and the US bombs Belgrade in order to enforce Albanian rights in a place few Americans could find on a map (and a majority of those would be Serbian)! This is roughly analogous to Russia bombing Washington to get the US to cede San Diego to Mexico.”
And the Muslims were soooooo grateful! NOT!!!
The state which separates its scholars from its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards and its fighting done by fools.
“Madison doesn’t need organizations like CAN to shove their opinions down other peoples throats.”
The proles ALWAYS need the “guidance” of their effete, elite betters in all things.
“The state which separates its scholars from its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards and its fighting done by fools.”
Usually when the intellectuals do the fighting, they’re branded as communists and executed or jailed.
And if they want to join the Army, then they will without recruiters. What do the recruiters do, besides annoy us with constant phone calls and fill up our mailboxes and email inboxes.
Wow one could say the same thing about colleges and THEIR recruiters, now couldn’t they.
Actually, no they couldn’t, the recruiters just don’t “just put people in the Army” they are more like the “personnel section” of the company. They know how many people are needed in each job, where they are needed, what jobs are available on what instillations, the qualifications needed for each job,negotiate contracts and terms of service.
Trying to run the military without recruiters would be like trying to run a university without an admissions office.