In the November election, Eureka voters could decide the fate of a proposed ballot measure that seeks to prohibit military recruitment of youth under the age of 18.
Similar to the proposed “Arcata Youth Protection Act,” the “Eureka Youth Protection Act” states:
“No person who is employed by or an agent of the United States government shall, within the city of Eureka, in the execution of his or her job duties, recruit, initiate contact with for the purpose of recruiting, or promote the future enlistment of any person under the age of 18 into any branch of the United States Armed Forces.”
Eureka’s city attorney is preparing a ballot summary, which is expected to be completed today. The next step requires signatures of 10 percent of registered voters in order to get the measure on the November ballot.
Winfield Sample, a World War II veteran and member of Veterans for Peace, is helping to coordinate the proposed ordinance for Eureka.
Sample questioned putting youth into what he described as “life-threatening operations.”
“People under 18 cannot sign a legal contract,” he said. “Also, people under 18 cannot vote.”
Like Arcata’s proposed ordinance, the Eureka Youth Protection Act states that it is not in violation of the No Child Left Behind Act, as it would be subject to approval by voters and not local educational agencies.
“Under the ordinance, schools may still provide access to military recruiters, but recruiters are prohibited from recruiting or promoting the future enlistment of any person under the age of 18,” the proposed ordinance states.
Bob Munther, associate superintendent of Eureka City Schools, said military recruiters come to the high school campus about once per month, where they set up a table in the cafeteria.
“It’s similar to college recruiting,” he said, as students interested in speaking with the recruiters either sign up or contact the recruiters in some other way.
The school board’s policy, in accordance with law, says recruiters can have access to student names, addresses and telephone numbers.
An opt-out list is available, Munther said.
“We notify parents, first of all, at the beginning of each year that if they don’t want their kids to be contacted by military recruiters, they can let us know,” Munther said.
Dave Meserve, who helped to organize both the Eureka and Arcata proposed ordinances, said nothing in the “Eureka Youth Protection Act” prohibits students from meeting with recruiters.
“What we are concerned about is the fact that from a very young age the recruiters are contacting young people and encouraging them to join the military,” he said.
Meserve likened recruiting tactics to those of a “used car salesman,” pointing out the favorable characteristics of a vehicle and not talking about “the fact the steering is defective and has no brakes.”
“They refer to our communities as market areas,” he said. “They refer to our youth as prospects.”
Cathy Pauley, public affairs specialist for the Sacramento U.S. Army Recruiting Battalion, said military recruiting is not any different than what colleges and universities do.
“We are not in the business to recruit minors. We want to offer teenagers — primarily juniors and seniors — ample access to the same information we offer adults,” she said, so that they can make an informed decision whether or not they would like to enlist.
Pauley said if the proposed law is aiming to exclude military recruiters from the campus, it should be applied across the board.
While numbers were unavailable based on age or county, Pauley said from April 2007 to March 2008, the Department of Defense noted 25 residents in the 95501 ZIP code enlisted in the military — eight of them into the Army.
Seventeen-year-olds are able to enlist in the Army, Air Force and Marine Corps with parental consent.
For the Navy, a high school diploma is needed, along with parental consent if the recruit is under 18 years of age.
ET1 Dustin Stone of the U.S. Navy recruiting office in Eureka said that locally, the Navy more frequently recruits on college campuses, and probably twice every few months at Eureka High School.
Mostly, he said, the office is involved with the campus’ NJROTC program. As far as recruiting access goes, he said it is necessary to sign in before setting foot on the high school campus.
Stone said if the ability for recruiters to talk to youth was taken away, some would miss out on opportunities.
If someone wants to go into the Navy, he said, the information is going to be available to them, whether it is by the Internet or another source.
“It can get rid of some of the misconceptions about military,” he said.
CLARIFICATION:
In Thursday’s article “Group seeks to end military recruitment of Eureka youths under 18,” it should have been stated that Winfield Sample is the proponent who submitted a notice of intention to circulate an initiative position.
The proposed “Eureka Youth Protection Act” was not initiated by the city of Eureka.
The group involved with drafting the proposed initiative ordinance is called North Coast United to Protect Youth.
Before circulating a petition to collect signatures, the proponent needs to publish a notice of intent to circulate a petition, then provide proof of notification to the city’s election official (city clerk).
In order to get the proposed measure on the November ballot, proponents will then be required to obtain signatures from what the last report of registration determines to be 10 percent of Eureka voters — 1,379 signatures in this case.




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I was recruited out of Fortuna High via the Navy's Delayed Entry Program (D.E.P.). I entered boot camp in 1997, several months after graduating, but had my initial contact with the recruiter on campus.
The choice was mine to approach the recruiter, I was not approached by him as the folks looking to pass this ordinance (and the similar one in Arcata) would lead us to believe.
Are there unscrupulous recruiters? Probably. But they paint with a wide brush when writing these proposals.
Do we wish to deny teens the chance to explore their options? No. Protect their lives, sure, but do not deny them anything.
My question is this: Are the parents talking with their teens about their futures? Are they discussing choices like college versus the military?
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this is stupid. let the recruiters do their jobs.
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I had always hoped that Eureka would not turn into anoher Arcata. It now looks like Eureka will fall to pieces just like Arcata has.
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If you can offer our children something better after high school, than I will agree with what you are trying to do. The problem is, all of Humboldt County can't compete with what the military has to offer. Colleges and positive lifestyle doesn't exist here in Humboldt. Fix these problems and quit blaming the military recruiters.
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COME ON NOW - HOW LONG BEFORE WE BRING BACK THE DRAFT?
LOOK HOW MANY COUNTRIES IN ENLIGHTED Euorpe HAVE A DRAFT. (MEN & WOMEN)
THE SCHooLS PUSH THERE ANTI-AMERICA ANTI FAMILY RE-WRITE HISTORY COMMUNIST BALONEY IN OUR SCHOOLS ALL DAY LONG EVERYDAY ! BUT YOU CAN'T PUSH THE US MILITARY-PROTECTOR OF OUR FREEDOM FOR OVER 200 YEARS
THSESE KIDs RUN AROUND TODAY WiTH "NO FEAR" STICKERS ON THERE CARS THINKiN THERE ALL BAD ASS & PLAYING WAR GAMES WITH BIG GUNS KILLING PEOPLE ON THERE X BOXE GAME AT HOME - PUT THERE BUTTs IN B00T CAMP WITH AN M16 & A DRILL SERGEANT AND LET THEM WORK SOME OF THAT TOSTOSORONE OFF DEFENDING OUR GREAT COUNTRY & LEARN A SKILL AND SOME DiSCIPLINE WHILE THERE AT IT. (OH YEAH AND SEE FOREIGN LANDS) THAT WILL MAKE A MAN OUT EM...
GOD BLESS THE US MiLTiARY...
STARS & STRIPES FOREVER
REMEMBER PEAL HARBOR
MiKE MORGAN
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"The problem is, all of Humboldt County can't compete with what the military has to offer. Colleges and positive lifestyle doesn't exist here in Humboldt. Fix these problems and quit blaming the military recruiters."
Right on....
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Why would anyone want to join the US military, make something out of themselves, give them a future when they can just sit around and smoke pot all day, than a few years down the line sleep on the benches in old town......now thats the life!!
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Hey Meserve, this didn't fly in Bezerkly, what makes you think it will here. You could at least thank the military for protecting your right to be so out of touch.
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Maybe if they went after the trucking companies recruiting in the Eureka Reporter, I mean the US Army has nothing on Swift, Central, CR England and JB Hunt in the amount of lies they spit out.
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Meserve the idiot liberal from Arcata. talk about a used car salesman. some kids should be in the military. at least they can get a view of opportunity.
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Monkey see - Monkey do...
First Berkley, then Arcata, now Eureka. Don't you get it? We need our military. Leave the recruiters alone and vote for a Non-War Mongering President.
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Turnabout is fair play, Komrade Meserve. Let's apply the same rules/guidelines that you wish to impose on military recruiters to the baby killers from planned parenthood. Can't recruit kids to go serve their country but dang if it ain't ok for some old hippie lady to convince your teenaged daughter to have an abortion and you have no right to be notified. It's all about the children Komrade Meserve!
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Hey Meserve, if this fails, will you promise to 1) pay the cost back to the people of Humboldt and 2) leave the county, or better yet...the country?
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Your problem is that you don't understand the conviction of these brave youngsters or trust their parents to have influenced their children with a nationalistic world view that believes America is a moral bulwark in a world of aspiring despots that opposes liberty. The only resistance that speaks to the likes of Hitler, Mussolini, Mao, Stalin, Castro, etc., understand is the deterant that a strong military backed by a resolute people that understands freedom is not free means.
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Why would we want to give parental authority to municipal government?
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I THINK THE LAW SHOULD PASS FOR THE AGE 18,NO CONTACT WITH KIDS UNTIL THEN,THEY ARE STILL CHILDREN,AND OUR CHILDREN ARE DYING IN IRAQ EVERY DAY.I VOTE TO KEEP THE RECRUITERS OUT OF ALL HIGH SCHOOLS~ THE KIDS KNOW WHERE THEIR OFFICE IS LOCATED. DON'T PUSH IT ON THEM, THEY NEED AN EDUCATION FIRST! THEY SAY THEY GET ALL THIS GI MONEY FOR SCHOOL BUT MOST OF IT IS NEVER USED. FACT!! ALSO THE KIDS THAT HAVE THEIR EYES SET ON JOINING UP AFTER HIGH SCHOOL,ARE THE ONES WITH UNCLES/ PARENTS PUSHING THEM IN THAT DIRECTION ANYWAYS. "TEACHER,LEAVE THOSE KIDS ALONE"
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To the last poster.....The Montgomery GI Bill is given to every man and woman who served in the military. If you do not use it, it's your own fault. I currently attend HSU, tuition, books, board, all paid for from my GI Bill that I earned as a soldier!!
You hear stories that former members of the military have had their GI Bill taken away from them. Well its true, those who are dishonorbaly discharged do not recieve it do to the acts that they brought upon themselves to be discharged from the service.
Fact! More people in the state of California died in the year 2007 from violence/ drugs/ gangs than number of deaths in the global war on terrorism. College and high school campuses are no longer safe as shootings are occuring more and more, but im sure some how thats the military's fault as well right?
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In this modern age, we don't require companies to tell the truth about their products. So why burden the military with full disclosure requirements?
If a company can make mega-millions of dollars advertising a product they don't even pretend works (Head On, Apply directly to the forehead), why shouldn't the military recruit naive youngsters by lying to them about all the advantages they will gain by joining the military service?
Helmet on! Apply directly to the forehead!
Sir! Yes, Sir!
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stay away from my CHILD! wavin money in front of a high schoolers nose if he signs up when he/she is STILL an under aged CHILD is WRONG!. IT IS BRIBING A MINOR!
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dont let those stupid liberals getting in the way of killing muslims! we will need these kids on the front lines in a few years in order to keep the price of oil up.............
theo
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TEACHA...LEAVE THOSE KIDS ALONNEEEEE! BOMP BOMB BOMP.DA DA DA!
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4:09 p.m. what part of they can't sign up if their under 18 without parental approval is sooooooo...hard for you to understand.
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Messerve is right.
Disband the military and police
What a great world it would be.
I am sure we would all hold hands and sing.
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The fact that we can all have differing opinions in a public forum such as this is due to our military protecting our right to do so. And, having protected our right to do so for over 200 years. As a member of the military for over 30 years now, and with a daughter and son-in-law also in the military, I feel I have a unique perpspective and right to my opinion. I've served two tours overseas, my daughter has a Purple Heart, my son-in-law has a Purple Heart and they are currently on their second and third tours, respectively. All that being said, everything that I was promised and that they were promised by the recruiter was delivered. At least, it was delivered to my availability. I did not use my Montogmery GI Bill during the period when I was eligible, but lucky for me, I happened to become a war veteran over the last three years and am now eligible again to use it. I am very lucky that I joined as I would probably have ended up a punk, sucking meth into my nose or smoking dope, doing nothing with my life... my daughter was well on her way to becoming a "partier" before she joined (of her own volition just before she turned 19) and she has been all over Europe, has seen the world and made more money in the four years she has been in the service than she would have made in ten years otherwise. She is on her way to a degree from Troy University in Psychology (delayed due to getting wounded in '04) and is doing great. ALL teenagers should join the National Guard or Army for a minimum of two years, or the Peace Corps, and perform some service to their country and others. Young Americans have no sense of service anymore and have no idea how much suffering is going on beyond our borders, nor do most Americans know how much we are helping delay and suppress that suffering by our presence around the world. Before you come up with B.S. "facts" or off the wall, baseless opinions, go there and see for yourself. Then, come back here and speak from a position of knowledge. Otherwise, you're just blowing hot air and ignorance. Thank you...
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dont wave money in front of a CHILDS NOSE THEY WILL DO MOST ANYTHING! GET A LIFE
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"nor do most Americans know how much we are helping delay and suppress that suffering by our presence around the world."
Oh boy, America to the rescue, boy howdy. I wonder how many hundreds of thousands of dead and maimed Iraqis would respond to our "delaying their suffering" seeing as though we're th ones causing the suffering. Maybe one of the two to three million Iraqis who have fled their homes can give you some insight into how the just, brave and honorable American soldier is protecting their freedoms.
Yeah, those ungrateful young Americans who don't want to go to another country and kill fellow humans so that Texaco can keep making profits.
Talk about your hot air and ignorance, you could have filled one of those hot air balloons with that simple-minded screed.
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I'm glad that I've been able to be of service to you and your fellow idiots...that is, by ensuring your right of ignorance and your right to protest whatever you wish to. But, it is obvious by your tone that you have never seen the Iraqis that hug us and wave at us and who are genuinely joyful to have us protecting them from the people who are killing the thousands of them. Sure, there has been accidental deaths of innocents and there has been what is called collateral damage. However, there are many less dying by our hands than by their own countrymen, and that IS a fact. For information on what we have done besides destruction, check out the Gulf Region Division website at http://www.grd.usace.army.mil/index.asp There you will find the many good things that the military is doing that the left-leaning media never prints or broadcasts and that people who only wish to believe the worst or bad-mouth the military or administration would never admit we are accomplishing over there.
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YEA,MY SON HAS BEEN THERE 5 TIMES, A RECRUITER CAME TO MY HOME WHILE IN HIGH SCHOOL. I AM SURE THEY WAVE THEIR FLAGS BUT I WANT MY BOY AT HOME!
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can someone explain how killing iraqis is protecting ME?
i live in america. i can protect myself. i can form a militia. we dont need our kids killing muslims in the middle east to "protect" us.....
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Where were you and your militia on 9/11? You did a fantastic job of protecting us...
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iraqis werent responsible for 9/11....the guys were from saudi arabia and had boxcutters as weapons....
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TODAY, A MARINE 4X4 JEEP, CANDY APPLE RED PULLED IN TO MACK HIGH SCHOOL, WHAT A SELLS PITCH! HOPEFULLY THAT WILL BE A THING OF THE PAST. STAY OFF THE SCHOOL GROUNDS
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Actually that was a Marine H2, not jeep.
Of course its a great recruiting tool, as is the rock climbing wall, pull up bars, you name it.
What is so wrong with giving the youth other options besides working and college?
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