A two-day entrance exam in Indianapolis next week is all that keeps Alex Helt from joining the Indiana Army National Guard. The Ball State University sophomore received a letter from Sgt. 1st Class Jon Smith of the ROTC Program two months ago that convinced him to join.
"I've always wanted to, but when I saw I was able to do both -- go to school and be able to do this -- that's what pushed me," Helt said.
Helt, business administration major, is one of two Ball State students who has decided to join the Guard since it opened up an office in the Village, at 1601 W. University Ave., in early February.
Despite a national decline in recruiting, Indiana's Army National Guard is leading the nation in terms of net gains, said Maj. Wesley Russell, who is in charge of recruiting for the 76th Infantry Brigade, which includes the state's eastern and southern parts. In fact, the Guard has seen an upward trend in enlistments locally and expects this rise to continue, Russell said.
"We've had more gains than we've had losses," Russell said.
Since Oct. 1, the 76th Brigade net gained about 76 people, he said. Overall, the brigade has verified 386 enlistments during the past six months -- almost half of the state's slightly more than 1,000 enlistements, he said.
While the monthly average for the number of enlistments per recruiter nationally has been 0.8, Indiana's average has been double this at 1.6. In fact, recruiters at Muncie's office and throughout the 76th Brigade have averaged two enlistments per month and are maintaining 24 per year each as their goal, Russell said.
The brigade's total goal for the year is about 1,128 recruits, while the state's goal for total enlistments is 2,000, Russell said.
Russell said the rise in interest in the Guard among local people between 17 and 40 years old can be attributed to more funding for advertising and the hiring of full-time recruiters. Ball State students, compared with students from Indiana University or Purdue University, have also been more receptive to the military, said Sgt. Tony Hinds, one of two recruiters at Muncie's office. Hinds said he sees about one student walk in every other day.
"I think it's more tradition than anything because there's not really anybody that you talk to out here that doesn't have a family member in the military," Hinds said. "We're just a military state."
Through active recruiting, students are also becoming more aware of the Guard's financial and educational benefits. These benefits include 100 percent tuition costs and fees, student loan repayment of up to $20,000 on pre-existing loans, a monthly paycheck for part-time training and the Montgomery G.I. Bill, which pays up to $288 per month for full-time college students.
The biggest fear among students concerning joining the National Guard is being activated and deployed to Iraq, especially because Indiana has the highest percentage of mobilized soldiers, Russell said. Guard students who participate in the university's ROTC Program, however, don't have to worry about deployment, he said.
"They will get their college education out of the way before they are even considered to go overseas," Russell said.
Going to Iraq, however, is also a valuable experience, Hinds said.
"It's not as bad as you think," Hinds said. "You have the people who are deployed actually volunteer for it because they take volunteers before they take anybody. Also, I would say that's one to build your resume and to better yourself as a person. You're also visiting other countries. It's a good experience."
Russell looks forward to seeing a rise in recruits, which will not only help the Guard to grow but will also improve the lives of more young people, he said.
"The numbers have been down, and I think really that Congress and politicians are making the benefits so great to be in the military and I see people wanting to serve freely that I think we'll continue to see an increase," Russell said. "I'm not sure when we'll hit that peak."
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