What should you have to sacrifice to get a college education in the United States? Isn’t it hard enough to get good grades and high SAT scores? Should you have to risk your life as well? As back-to-school season gears up, a lot of American high schools evidently don’t think so. A growing number of parents and high schools are taking steps to limit military recruiters’ access to students. With casualties in Iraq past the 1,500 mark, military recruiters make many parents uneasy. High schools in California, Wisconsin, Arizona and elsewhere are placing restrictions on how military recruiters interact with students. “Due to the realities of war, there is less encouragement today from parents, teachers and other influencers to join the military,” admitted the Pentagon’s top recruitment officer, David S. C. Chu, in a classic understatement. As the Army and Marines continue to fall short of their recruitment targets, military recruiters are ramping up their efforts to reach teenagers. And as the cost of attending college rises, the financial benefits of enlistment in the U.S. military may entice potential recruits.
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