They Want You for the New Recruit

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In an "uncharacteristically aggressive recruitment effort," the U.S. Army National Guard is launching a new campaign, called "The American Soldier." The campaign includes "sending eight mobile information and recruitment centers (with another 12 in production) to sporting events and shopping malls across the country, increasing direct mailings to three times annually, and signing a sponsorship deal with NASCAR driver Greg Biffle," reports PR Week. "The days when someone would see an ad and then go to a recruitment office may be gone," said Lt. Col. Mike Jones. The Guard is also widening its target audience beyond high school students, to "college, junior college and vocational-technical school students." The Guard's 2005 marketing budget is $38 million, though "an additional $26 million will be asked for through supplemental requests," according to Jones.