As recruitment tanks, the military aims for more boots on the ground

Airman Basic Isabella Hartley, a recruiter for the Air Force, during a late November visit to Housatonic Valley Regional High School. Photo courtesy U.S. Air Force
FALLS VILLAGE — Earlier this month, a U.S. Air Force recruiter manned a table at Housatonic Valley Regional High School’s (HVRHS) cafeteria.
Armed with swag and promotional pamphlets, he fielded questions from curious students and touted the merits of a military career.
Army recruiters also paid the school a visit in 2023, and a spokesman for the Marine Corps said the Region One school is due for a visit from its local recruiter soon.
“When the military comes, they are very well received,” said Kirin Terni, HVRHS’s college and career center coordinator. “The students seem engaged” in conversations with the uniformed visitors, she said, adding, “We are very open to any career paths they consider.”
While it is not unusual for representatives of all the major branches of the Armed Forces to visit high school students throughout the school year, the pressure is mounting for recruiters to put more young people in uniform.
Except for the Marine Corps, all major branches of the military missed their recruitment goals in 2023, making it the worst recruiting year since the institution of the all-volunteer force in 1973, according to local recruiters.
Simply put, the U.S. military is in a war for talent.
A number of factors are causing young people to shun Uncle Sam, said military officials.
To name a few: A hot job market; increased competition from the state’s community colleges, which are offering free tuition; fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns, which, for two years, prevented face-to-face contact with the public; and escalating global conflicts.
“There are a lot of programs helping students get into the workplace where they qualify for immediate employment” in addition to lofty bonuses and on-the-job training, noted HVRHS Principal Ian Strevor.
According to Defense Department polling data, when asked, only 9% of Americans expressed a willingness to serve in the military. On top of that, the number of people eligible for service has dropped to 23%, with obesity and low test scores being major barriers to enlistment.
To solve the recruiting crisis, it is essential to bridge the gap between the military and the public, said Air Force Tech. Sgt. Kimberly Nagle, the marketing NCO in charge of the 319th Reservists Squadron, which oversees recruitment in six New England states.
She cited differences between the Gen Z population, who are the prime age for recruiting but lack interest in enlisting, and previous generations, who were more familiar with and supportive of the military.
“We’re hitting social media to get the word out, giving bonuses quarterly and we’re pushing out the Space Force. That’s our shiny, new tool,” which has generated “a lot of interest. We’re feeling confident heading into 2024 and want to do everything we can to keep our Air Force running efficiently.”
In an effort to target the Gen Z population, the Navy recently introduced its new ad campaign, “Forged by the Sea,” featuring videos of soldiers explaining why they chose to enlist.
According to recruiters, a young person is more likely to enlist if they come from a family of military veterans.
Recruiters are most effective when they have boots on the ground meeting face-to-face in local communities, which, until recently was limited, said Capt. Matthew Sims, Future Ops OIC, who oversees the Army’s Northeast Battalion headquarters covering the Hudson Valley up to Albany, New York, plus Connecticut, Vermont and Massachusetts.
Earlier this year, all major branches of the military were represented at a job fair sponsored by the Northwest Connecticut Chamber of Commerce, including recruiters from the Armed Forces Military Recruitment Depot in Torrington, which covers the Northwest Corner. Their presence was a popular draw with attendees.
“People are very respectful and honorable, and I think our country still believes in the military, but there is a lack of understanding of how differentiated opportunities are,” said Sims. He noted that while the enticements from fast food chains look good on the surface, young people fail to equate it to what the military has to offer.
“They don’t think of the opportunities for upward mobility, career satisfaction and benefits, that are basically unparalleled, and the Army is taking steps to communicate that through the “Be All You Can Be” campaign, Sims explained.
He compared roles within the military to a professional sports organization. “You need equipment managers, coaches, physical therapists, engineers, medics. We have all that to support our combat arms athletes in the field.”
Sims, who enlisted as a medic out of high school and worked his way up the ranks, noted that “people do come in with concerns” about the possibility of deployment to a war zone, and that a military career “may not be for everyone.
“It is a commitment, and the possibility of seeing combat,” even if a chosen career, does not necessarily involve the front lines is made very clear to recruits and their families, said Sims. “When you raise your right hand, it is because you’re willing to go to conflict areas.”
According to a fall 2022 poll by the Department of Defense of youth ages 16-21, physical and emotional trauma (70% and 65% respectively) are the most common reasons for not considering joining the military, followed by leaving family and friends (58%), other career interests (46%), and dislike of military lifestyle (40%).
On average, one or two HVRHS students per graduating class enlist in the military, according to Terni.
“We had two or three sign up a couple of years ago, but that was an anomaly,” she explained. “Since the pandemic, a student’s plan for the future has become more ambiguous between the family’s decision and the student’s. It’s not as clear now.”
While playing outside in the early post-pandemic days, Berkshire Busk! founder Eugene Carr had an epiphany: why not expand the idea of performing on the street (aka busking)into a full-fledged festival in Great Barrington?
As an entrepreneur and cellist, Carr envisioned a well-organized jamboree featuring regional talent, including musicians, acrobats, storytellers, fire-eaters, and more. He formed a team, connected with local businesses and the town of Great Barrington, and launched Berkshire Busk! in 2021. Since then, Berkshire Busk! has grown into a summer staple for Great Barrington.
In the summer of 2024, over 25,000 people experienced Berkshire Busk!. The festival is free to the public, provides a big boost to local businesses, and spectators can tip performers.
Busking takes place all over the world, either organized by individual performers or via busking festivals. Artists like The Roots, Tracy Chapman, Phoebe Bridgers, and Old Crow Medicine Show have all cut their teeth performing on the street.
General Manager Carli Scolforo is a Berkshire native with a love of music and writing. She can often be seen roaming the streets of Great Barrington, making sure everything’s in order, and serves as the festival’s face on social media.
“This year is the fifth anniversary of Berkshire Busk!, and it’s been an amazing summer,” said Scolforo. “We were able to welcome back a lot of our favorite performers, and bring in some new experiences as well. After getting rained out last year, we were able to host our first outdoor movie night in partnership with The Triplex Cinema and the Boondocks Film Society.”
Scolforo added, “This summer, we also introduced our first Open Mic Night, hosted by local recording artist and music producer Jackson Whalan. We were really pleased with the turnout of talent. The sheer amount of talent that’s hidden within an hour or so drive of Great Barrington always astounds us.”
Local businesses sponsor various busking spots, like the Berkshire Money Management Stage in the parking lot between the Triplex Cinema and Mama Lo’s BBQ. Typically, buskers bring their own amplification, while there are few spots — such as Berkshire Mountain Distillery in Sheffield — provide power.
Berkshire Busk! will end its season with a fireworks display on its last night on Saturday, Aug. 30.
Berkshire Busk! is endorsed by the Select Board of the Town of Great Barrington and is entirely supported by sponsorship fees from companies and organizations, as well as philanthropic donations from granting organizations, individuals and the Town of Great Barrington.
It operates under a fiscal sponsorship agreement with the Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires and participates in Mass Cultural Council’s Card to Culture program — in collaboration with the Department of Transitional Assistance, the Department of Public Health’s WIC Nutrition Program, the Massachusetts Health Connector, and hundreds of organizations — by making cultural programming accessible to those for whom cost is a participation barrier.
For more information, visit: berkshirebusk.com
What if the dog onstage was played by a person? That’s the delightful twist in A.R. Gurney’s “Sylvia,” opening at the Sharon Playhouse on Aug. 29. In this clever and heartfelt comedy, the title character — a stray pup who disrupts the lives of a married couple — is portrayed not in costume but by an actor who brings insight, charm, and chaos to the role.
Stepping into Sylvia’s paws is Jen Cody, who is returning to the Sharon Playhouse in a starring role for her third year in a row, ready to bring this spirited dog to life. She’s joined by Jonathan Walker as Greg, the middle-aged man smitten with his new four-legged friend, and Jennifer Van Dyck as Kate, his wife, whose patience and identity are tested by Sylvia’s sudden presence in their home.
Directed by Colin Hanlon, this production balances elements of comedy and emotional depth. Gurney’s script may be filled with laughs but at its core, “Sylvia” explores loyalty, companionship, and how love sometimes arrives in unexpected forms. The play premiered Off-Broadway in 1995 and has since become an audience favorite for its wit, warmth, and originality.
Rounding out the cast is Sienna Brann, taking on a trio of roles that highlight the play’s comic versatility. The design team includes Christopher and Justin Swader (scenic), Kathleen DeAngelis (costumes), Bobbie Zlotnik (wigs), Wheeler Moon (lighting), and Graham Stone (sound), ensuring the story is grounded in a fully realized world, albeit one occasionally seen from a dog’s point of view.
Performances run through Sept. 7 at the Sharon Playhouse. For tickets and more information, visit sharonplayhouse.org.
Paul Chaleff’s exhibit at Mad Rose Gallery in Millerton.
The unofficial end of summer is here, and while some of us may mourn the shortening days and cooler nights, the culturally-inclined denizens of the Litchfield Hills, Berkshires and Taconics have plenty to look forward to.
During Labor Day weekend, visit one of the offerings below, and maybe even take home a watercolor, rug, or locally-crafted wooden bowl to ready your home for the indoor season ahead.
Kick off the weekend with libations and bites from legendary New York City importer Rosenthal Wine Merchant at Mad Rose Gallery (5916 North Elm Ave., Millerton). The evening will mark the end of Paul Chaleff’s ceramics exhibition, which closes at the end of the weekend. Ashley Gilbertson and Franco Pagetti’s photography exhibition “Fragments in Time,” which has been extended through Sept. 21, will also be on display.RSVP by emailing info@madrosegallery.com.
Head to the Cornwall Library (30 Pine St., Cornwall) for its seventh annual weekend-long Art Sale, and peruse an endless supply of prints, posters, watercolors, photos, paintings and more, with price tags ranging from a very reasonable $20 to much greater sums.
The Library has announced that this year’s selection will “run the gamut from the antique to the contemporary, from the jazzy and colorful to the classic black and white, from realistic to abstract.” Thanks to generous donors, the sale will feature works from notable artists such as Amedeo Modigliani, Enrique Chagoya, Marc Simont, Leonard Baskin, Ruth Gannett, Robert Andrew Parker, Nicole Eisenman, R. H. Quaytman, and others, as well as a special exhibition of vintage photos, paintings and posters from late artist Duncan Hannah.
For more information and hours, visit cornwalllibrary.org/labor-day-art-sale/.
Visit the Barn at the Pine Plains location of beloved antiques and décor purveyor Hammertown (3201 NY-199, Pine Plains) and find the coffee table of your vintage dreams this weekend. Up to 75% off home goods and furniture of all kinds will be available.
This year’s iteration of the biannual tent sale features a “Makers Market” with local artisans, craftspeople and food vendors.
Visit https://shop.hammertown.com/blogs/journal/hammertown-labor-day-tent-sale for additional details and hours.
The Berkshire Woodworkers Guild, a coalition of local woodworkers that supports the local industry and its craftspeople, is hosting its 25th Fine Woodwork Show at the Berkshire Botanical Garden (5 West Stockbridge Rd., Stockbridge) this weekend. Attendees will have the chance to watch 32 masters from around the Tri-Corner region demonstrate their trades, from woodturning and Chinese joinery to boat building and French polishing.
The event will also announce the allocation of $32,000 from its scholarship fund to support 9 aspiring woodworkers, and host a silent auction of guild member-crafted pieces to support next year’s fund. Works from the artisans will also be available for viewing and sale.
Pittsfield, Massachusetts’ Hot Plate Brewing will provide frothy, local ales for swilling, while SoCo Creamery of Great Barrington will be pedaling its handcrafted ice cream for sweeter options for the whole family. Great Cape Baking Co., from Dover Plains will offer a full breakfast and lunch menu, including donuts, while Pleasant & Main from Housatonic will be providing the caffeine and crepes.Further details can be found at berkshirewoodworkers.org.
Artists across Cornwall will fling open their studio and gallery doors to welcome Labor Day culture ramblers on Saturday afternoon. An eclectic lineup of ten participating artists will show their work, ranging from pottery to sculpture paths, allowing participants a chance to enjoy the fresh late-summer weather as they meander through Cornwall’s green valleys from studio to studio.For a list of the artists, a map, and directions to each studio, visit ornwallct.org/event/cornwall-open-studio-2025/.