The News Feed
Want to know more? Get up to date with the latest stories about service members and how all six branches make a positive impact every day.
Hear from young service members about their decisions to join, the friendships they’ve forged, the skills they’ve developed, and their opportunities to make an impact in the Military.
Joining & Eligibility
A military recruiter can help answer questions about service, which can provide a positive but realistic assessment of opportunities. Recruiters from multiple Service branches may share a location, and you should feel encouraged to speak to more than one.
Parents should also feel comfortable talking to recruiters. It is a recruiter's job to address concerns and provide quality information to those interested in serving and those close to them.
Speaking to a Navy Recruiter About the Joining Process
Joining the U.S. Navy
Developing specific questions prior to the meeting is an excellent and recommended way to prepare. Here are some to get you started:
Recruiters are ready to answer these questions and any others you have in mind. If they cannot answer your question immediately, they will find the information you need and get back to you.
Parents may have different questions for a recruiter than their son or daughter, and recruiters are always happy to provide information and ease concerns. Here are some common questions parents have for recruiters:
Recruiters can be a great source of information for young adults and their parents. Hear about parents' experiences and learn what to ask.
Length 2:26 View TranscriptNancy Kennon: Julia went down several times. I took her down to the recruiters' office, and they went through ... they really went thoroughly through everything with her. I was really shocked how she knew so much about everything they offered and all the jobs there were. It was kind of hard for me to get her to go and get motivated, so I would call the recruiters, (laughter) and I got them set up where they would come and jog with her and work out with her, and they were doing that three to four times a week. And they had her ready within — she couldn't do one push-up — and within two weeks she was doing 21 push-ups and running her mile and a half.
Darlene Anderson: He had an awesome experience with his recruiter. Actually, they really had a really close relationship.
Betty Simmons: His recruiter called us when they picked Matt up to take him for his physical and stuff. He stopped at the house and, you know, said, you know, they'll take care of him and where he's going and what will happen.
Mary McHugh: He was very down to earth, very soft-spoken, you know, very real, and he explained, you know, what Basic Training was going to be like, that it was going to be very difficult, but he also explained that the potential that these young men and women are going to experience as a result of belonging to the Military is immense. He could be anything he wanted. And then he said, "Ms. McHugh, he could be a doctor if he wanted to be a doctor."
David Smith: He was a little drifting and not knowing what really to do with his life. He was working as a lifeguard at the community swimming pool, and Patty suggested to him, "Why don't you give the Military a try?" His recruiter —
Patricia Smith: Yes.
David Smith: — was calling him like every other —
Patricia Smith: Yes.
David Smith: — day —
Patricia Smith: Would not give up.
David Smith: — because he wanted him to get in.
Jayne White: Well, I'm lucky that his recruiter was in the town where I worked, so he took me down to the recruiter, and I got to meet the nice gentleman that took my son under his wing, I want to say, because they would go, they'd go running. He had to lose some weight, so they would have to do runs and exercises before he went off to boot camp, and that was especially good for me to know the recruiter.
Parents Describe Meeting With Recruiters
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