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1、PassageEighteen(TheMilitaryIsIn)Thingshavereallychanged.Notonlyisthemilitarystandingtallagain,itisstagingaremarkablecomebackinthequantityandqualityoftherecruitsitisattracting.Recruiters,oncedenouncedbyantiwarstudentsas“babykillers”andbarredfromcampuses,
2、arewelcomedeverateliteuniversities.ROTC(ReserveOfficer’sTrainingCorps)programs,thatfalteredduringtheVietNamera,whenprotesterswerefirebombingtheirheadquarters,areflourishingagain.Themilitaryacademiesareenjoyingasteadyincreaseinapplications.Certainly,thed
3、epressedeconomyhasincreasedtheallureofthejobs,technicaltrainingandgenerousstudentloansofferedbythemilitary.Studentsknowthatiftheygoinandbecome,say,nuclearweaponsspecialists,theycancomeoutanddemandasalaryof$60,000ayear.Militarysalaries,whilenotalwayscomp
4、etitivewiththosepaidforcomparablejobsintheprivatesector,aremorethanrespectable,especiallyconsideringthewidearrayofbenefitsthatareavailable:freemedicalservice,roomandboard,andPX(PostExchange)privileges.Monthlypayforarecruitis$574;forasergeantwithfouryear
5、sservicesitis$906;foramajorwithtenyears’serviceitis$2,305.Theservices’slick$175million-a-yearadvertisingcampaignpromisingadventureandfulfillmenthashelpedwinovertheTVgeneration.Kidsarewalkingdowntheschoolhallwayschanting‘Army,Navy,AirForce,Marines,’justl
6、ikeinthecommercials.Andmanymilitaryofficialsfeelthatthekeydifferenceistheenhancedpatriotismamongthenation’syouth.Thereisareturntotheviewthatthemilitaryisanhonorableprofession.ThedaysofajudgetellingamiscreanttojointheArmyorgotojailareover.Recruitingforal
7、lfourservicescombinedisrunningat101%ofauthorizedgoals.Andtheretentionrateisnowsohigh,thattheservicesarerefusingsomere-enlistmentapplicationsandreducingannualrecruitingtarget.Themilitaryacademicsarealsoenjoyinghalcyonyears,attractingmoreandbetter-qualifi
8、edstudents.Comparedtoprivatecolleges,wheretuitionandexpenseshavebeenclimbingsharply,theserviceschoolsarearealbargain:notonlyistuitionfree,butrecruitsgetallowancesofupto$500amouth.Itisreported12,300applicantsareforthe1,450position