Military recruiters
are working 12 to 16 hour days fighting “surmounting myths and misperceptions
about the military shared by recruits and their parents” (Barrett, 1996).
Unfortunately, if the opinion leaders are not informed about recruiting
and military life directly by the DOD, such misperceptions about the military
will endure. Armed with accurate information that was gleaned first-hand
from a DOD Website, and possibly other media channels, parents and educators
may operate as opinion leaders to counter misinformation.
Recruiting is a major
issue for the DOD and public affairs must lend its expertise toward working
through the current challenges. Public affairs can play an active
role in reaching out to opinion leaders through established community relations
programs and support for recruiters.