Military Recruiters — What to Expect

Once a young adult has expressed interest in the Service, a visit to a recruiter is a good next step. A recruiter’s job is to find qualified candidates for his or her respective Service and provide the candidates with information about – and reasons for – joining the Military. Meeting with a recruiter does not obligate an individual to serve; it’s simply a chance to ask questions and get honest answers. You can expect a recruiter to talk about opportunities in his or her Service in positive but realistic terms.

Potential recruits can and should talk to recruiters from multiple branches to compare opportunities. Don’t be surprised if a recruiter wants to talk to both child and parents together. Recruiters have seen the important role family support can play in the decision to enlist, and they encourage everyone to be informed.

It’s not a bad idea to prepare a written list of questions before visiting. If you haven’t had time to do this, check out questions to ask a recruiter.