An Anthropologist Examines the Navy's Recruiting Process.

Abstract : Observations and interviews with both Navy personnel and recruits, at the recruiting centers of San Antonio, TX, Miami, FL, Chicago, IL, New York, NY, and Albuquerque, NM, resulted in a description of the Navy recruitment process. Only one out of five Hispanic potential recruits is enlisted in the Navy. The major barrier to enlistment is inadequate academic preparation. Of lesser importance are the intense family attachments of Hispanics which are incompatible, in the view of some Hispanics, with a Navy career. A major problem, with implications for Hispanic re-enlistment, was identified at the point at which recruits are classified and choose a particular Navy career. The following are the most important recommendations of this report: (1) The Navy is well advised to expand the current effort to utilize Hispanic recruiters, who will spend time with the families of potential recruits; and (2) The Navy should consider deployment of 'career consultants' within the Navy classification system. These individuals should be able to spend as much time as is needed by a particular recruit to allow him to make an optimal choice of a Navy career.