Answering a call: More than 400 county residents enlisted in military between 2004-07

From the Saturday, August 9, 2008 edition of the Northwest Herald:

Answering a call: More than 400 county residents enlisted in military between 2004-07
By DIANA SROKA - dsroka@nwherald.com

Keven Haggerty didn’t need any coaxing when he joined the Navy 29 years ago. He was 17 when he signed up with dreams of being a Navy photographer and videographer. He said his reasons for joining didn’t differ much from other recruits.

“I couldn’t afford college, so the Navy was a way to get an education, training, experience and travel,” said Haggerty, 45, of McHenry.

Despite the controversial nature of military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan, the U.S. military largely has been successful in meeting recruitment goals.

“Recruiters ... are out there working hard in a difficult working environment,” said Douglas Smith, a national Army Recruiting spokesman.

Among the Chicago metropolitan and northern Illinois counties of Cook, Lake, Kane, McHenry, Boone and DeKalb, McHenry County’s rate of recruits per 10,000 people ranks third at 3.32 recruits per 10,000, behind DeKalb and Boone, at 5.42 and 3.9 per 10,000, respectively. The figures come from recruitment data compiled by the St. Louis Post Dispatch.

Of the six counties, Cook County had the lowest Army, Army Reserves and Army National Guard recruitment rate from 2004-07. Cook County averaged 2.03 recruits for every 10,000 residents. Rates increase moving east to west to more rural territory.

DeKalb County had the highest recruitment rate, with 5.42 recruits for every 10,000 residents, according to the database.

Locally, recruiters strive for visibility at area high schools and community events.

Army National Guard recruiters from Woodstock had a booth at the McHenry County Fair. Throughout the year, recruiters also set up tables in local high school cafeterias and speak to students in classrooms.

“It gives a name and a face to the military,” said Spc. Robert Cussen, a National Guard recruiter.

Cussen enlisted four years ago, when he graduated from Johnsburg High School.

Each of the three recruiters at the Woodstock recruiting center aims to enlist between 10 and 25 people a year, he said. But recruitment goals are based on area demographics and are fluid numbers, Cussen said.

“It’s not as much about numbers as finding qualified soldiers,” Cussen said.

From 2004-07, 408 McHenry County residents joined the active Army, Army Reserves or Army National Guard, according to the recruitment database.

Cussen said the reasons recruits gave for enlistment varied, from college affordability to being interested in serving the country.

However, Haggerty said that during the years, his initial reasons for enlisting had “evolved and changed.”

Haggerty initially served eight years in the Navy. But after several years in civilian life, he decided to enlist in the Navy Reserves – and spent 12 years waiting to be admitted.

“When I joined the Reserves, it was for other, new reasons,” Haggerty said. “I consider it part of my civic duty ... to help ensure future generations can enjoy the freedoms we have.”

When Haggerty sought to enlist in the Reserves in the 1990s, the military was in the process of reducing its recruitment targets. In 1990, the Army had a recruitment target of 87,000, according to Army statistics. By 1995 the Army reduced its recruitment target to 63,000.

Haggerty is on an 18-month deployment to Africa, doing humanitarian work. He was thrilled when he was admitted to the Reserves and said he urged others to consider military service.

“I tell people they should join,” Haggerty said. “Obviously there’s a risk, but there’s great opportunities.”

Recruiting rates in northern Illinois for Active Army, Army Reserves and Army National Guard from 2004 to 2007, by county:
Cook: 2.03 recruits for every 10,000 people
Lake: 2.19 recruits for every 10,000 people
Kane: 2.45 recruits for every 10,000 people
McHenry: 3.32 recruits for every 10,000 people
Boone: 3.9 recruits for every 10,000 people
DeKalb: 5.42 recruits for every 10,000 people
Source: Military recruitment data compiled by the St. Louis Post Dispatch