Depending on the school district, recruiters can come to schools anywhere from once a year to every day. Recruiters table in cafeterias, run extracurricular activities, make classroom presentations, host assemblies, and bring interactive recruiting vans to schools.

Recruiters know that school visits and forming relationships with students are the bread and butter of their job.  It’s how they get most of their recruits to sign up.  And it’s part of what’s expected of them.  In the US Army Recruiting Pamphlet (350-13), a recruiter’s guide to how to do their job, it says:

"The goal is school ownership that can only lead to a greater number of Army enlistments. Recruiters must first establish rapport in the schools. This is a basic step in the sales process and a prerequisite to an effective school program. Maintaining this rapport and establishing a good working relationship is next. Once educators are convinced recruiters have their students’ best interests in mind the program can be effectively implemented."

Most recruiters, like Marine Sgt. Rick Carloss, follow the pamphlet to the word.  He “is as familiar to students as some teachers at Downey High School. He does push-ups with students during P.E. classes and plays in faculty basketball games. During lunch, he hands out key chains, T-shirts, and posters that proclaim: "Think of me as your new guidance counselor."