U.S. Child Soldier Recruitment

Paper Summary:

This paper states that the methods, utilized by the U.S government to recruit military personnel, is a shameful process often specifically targeting certain groups of underprivileged students. Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC), the high school version of ROTC, targets poor, black and Latino children, who have limited life options. The author points out that the armed forces expends vast amounts of money for advertisements enticing young people, for schools visits and for free video games, which simulate actual training. The paper concludes that some of these children become trained killing machines committing terrible atrocities, which mark them for life. These children, who follow orders like a trained dogs, are faultless victims of war.

From the Paper:

"The processes paramount recruitment tactic remains the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC), the high school version of ROTC that was established by an act of Congress in 1916. This program was created to develop citizenship and responsibility in young people. JROTC is currently experiencing the most rapid expansion in its history. Junior ROTC provides both citizenship and leadership experience for today's high school students. The program instructs students in public service, civic values and personal responsibility. Junior ROTC is not a military recruitment program but is based on proven motivational training and classroom teaching
methods."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Bertil, Lintner. "The Child in Arms" Unesco Courier; September 2001, Vol54 Issue 9,pg 38 ProQuest Ethnic NewsWatch Complete Chabot College Lib., Hayward, CA.11/13/2007 < http:// proquest.umi.com/login?>.
• Brett, Rachel, and Specht, Irma. Young Soldiers, why they choose to fight Lynne Rienner Publishers, Inc, Colorado, 2004.
• Hedges, Chris. War is a Force that Gives Us Meaning New York: Anchor Books, 2003.
• Hill, Richard. "Life lottery [Hispanics in US frontline in Iraq]" New Internationalist. Oxford: May 2005., Iss. 378; pg. 834 ProQuest Ethnic NewsWatch Complete. Chabot College Lib.,Hayward,CA.11/13/2007 < http:// proquest.umi.com/ login?>.
• Kamenetz, Anya. "Feeling a draft" The Village Voice. New York: Jan 26-Feb1, 2005. Vol.50, Iss. 4; pg. 34, Pro Quest Ethnic NewsWatch Complete. Chabot College Lib., Hayward, CA.11/13/2007< http:// proquest.umi.com/login?>.

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