SEATTLE - Since hitting dramatic lows during the depths of the Iraq War five years ago, the U.S. Army's recruiting numbers are making a strong comeback.
Numbers from Seattle area recruiting offices show recruiters are successfully enlisting nearly three times the number of applicants as five years ago. The Army says in 2005, local recruiters only reached 32 percent of the goal for new enlistments. That number has grown steadily ever since and, so far for 2010, the Seattle area stands at 84 percent of its goal.
This is mirroring a trend across the nation where some states are actually exceeding their recruiting goals.
Many experts believe the poor economy is driving more young people to enlist because there are so few decent jobs available. The head of the Army recruiting center in Issaquah says that only tells part of the story.
"We've been seeing the numbers rise well before the start of the recession," says Sergeant First Class Jeffery Crane.
Crane believes a combination of stabilization in Iraq and community support efforts across the country have made new recruits feels more secure about signing up.
The increase in recruits is also enabling to Army to toughen up its standards. The force is no longer accepting felons or recent drug abusers -- two conditions that were relaxed several years ago.
More people with better educations are also enlisting. About 90 percent of enlistees now have high school diplomas, nationwide. Locally, offices are seeing people with college diplomas and even post-graduate degrees signing on.
"They're looking for batter ways to serve their families in this economy," says Crane. "But they also want to serve their country."
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