NATCHEZ &045;&045; If the military’s having recruitment problems, you couldn’t prove it to armed forces recruiters in the Miss-Lou.

&uot;It’s definitely not (a problem) here,&uot; Natchez’s National Guard recruiter Sgt. 1st Class Markus Paridon said. &uot;I’ve had 13 people in eight months.&uot;

Paridon, who took over recruiting duties for Mark Taylor, has been on the job since December. The National Guard sets a goal for six enlistments each quarter.

&uot;After 9/11, it became a sense of pride,&uot; Paridon said. &uot;They wanted to do something for their country and most see the benefits of the military.&uot;

Earlier this year Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said recruitment goals were falling short. He’s also said the war in Iraq and troops stationed in Afghanistan for longer periods of time have stretched the nation’s military and made the problem look worse.

But for local recruits the sense of pride combines with tradition and boosts numbers on Paridon’s enlistment board.

&uot;Family is a lot of it,&uot; he said. &uot;Their father or uncle served. It’s a very patriotic area. I feel excellent about this area.&uot;

Paridon’s recruiting strategy focuses on community involvement and he tries to be seen at every major event. He said events like last week’s Fourth of July celebration in Vidalia constantly remind him of the immense patriotism of the area.

&uot;I like being out, face to face, shaking hands and having meetings,&uot; he said.

Approaching young people in Wal-Mart is not out of Paridon’s comfort zone, and he said being out and about often brings potential recruits to him.

Once talks begin Paridon promotes National Guard benefits like a free ride to any college in Mississippi, a $10,000 bonus and high school tuition assistance.

Since the Guard only requires one weekend a month of training &045;&045; plus basic training &045;&045; high school juniors are eligible to join. Paridon said the part-time status also appeals to many who want to have other jobs in the community.

The benefits are also a big promotion tool for the Army too, Sgt. 1st Class Chris Rybik said.

&uot;We have more jobs available to train people in than any other branch,&uot; Rybik said. &uot;And we have higher enlistment incentives.&uot;

The Army offers $70,000 for college and a $20,000 bonus.

And Rybik’s not having any trouble finding recruits either, he said. In fact, the Army has to turn away more than it can take because many interested don’t pass necessary tests or medical exams, including drug tests.

&uot;We are doing our share and meeting our requirements,&uot; Rybik said. &uot;Our job is to find qualified young people.&uot;

Rybik said recruits join for different reasons, but all have some desire to serve their country.

&uot;There’s something different with each of us that drives us to want to serve,&uot; he said. &uot;What drives you to do what you do? What are you proud of that you’ve done?&uot;

As for the others, summer is the busy season for Air Force recruiter Technical Sgt. Joel Handlon.

&uot;We do pretty good,&uot; he said. &uot;The goal is usually between two and three a month and we usually hit that goal. Toward the end of the school year, that’s when they make that decision.&uot;

All three branches make visits to the schools during the year and spend summers doing follow-up visits and talks with parents.