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I think that a lot, not all, of the (18X) guys coming now think its the Cool place to be. As well as the college boys coming to punch their ticket, and get some money job when their initial enlistment is up. Now of course there are exceptions to the rule, but the more I look around, the more I see guys just filling slots, looking for cool kit and whatever else before they punch out for the next Cool thing.
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To digress back a little to a previous post here.
Interestingly enough somewhere in the vicinity of 60% of 18X contracts are being signed by the kid who walks into the recruiting office and after taking the ASVAB is informed that he qualifies for SF.
Often this spiel goes on to say..."we currently have the 18X contract on a quick-ship bonus, if you ship in three weeks we can give you a $40k bonus."
"So....what's SF exactly?" says the prospect
"Oh it's just high speed infantry, you'll love it"
A large majority of 18X contracts are signed under pressure to meet mission from on high and ship with-in a few weeks. Again not knocking USAREC, just a reality of the machine, but is it the right machine for the 18X contract?
I think I may have already bashed this opinion here a little bit but, the 18X program is given to generic USAREC recruiters, who are fundamentally equipped to find the 18 -20 year olds with little direction in life. Does that sound like an SF candidate to you? (Seriously, this is a paraphrase of the USAREC demographic statement).
The 18X contract has unique benefits that can attract excellent candidates if it was just proactively marketed. Currently it is not marketed at all and therefore generally only the standard USAREC demographic is exposed to it. Not blaming anyone here, it’s just classic corporate syndrome.
Somewhere around 50% of 18X contracts are bowing out of their 18X contract during Basic.
I'd be interested to see the stats on the core buying motive of the 250 odd 18X recruits graduating from SFAS each year. As Longwire pointed out I imagine many of them have yet to realize the history and honor they’re about to step into, instead they only recognize the ‘cool’. Good on them for getting selected mind you, but….
PS.com has been lobbying lower and middle management at USAREC to change this and ears are beginning to listen. We'll see….
Thoughts, we need more 18D, why not advertise into pre-med colleges and EMT outfits and guarantee them 18D in their contract (like ARNG)
We could find some great 18C at the local Carpenter Unions. Some evidence shows that Language students and International Studies students have a tendency to enlist 18X. Yet non efforts are being made to prospect these demographics.
20-25% of 18X have at least a degree a significant percentage of prospects I talk to are in college, would an ROTC type program increase the enlistment of these gentlemen?
Interested on thoughts from QPs
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