AOC’s controversial swing in military recruitment

US Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) is facing criticism after co-hosting a military recruitment event at a high school in the Bronx, despite her previous efforts to limit targeted recruitment of low-income students.

The event, a “student services fair” held on March 20th, was advertised by fellow Representative Adriano Espaillat on social media, with the RSVP form hosted by Ocasio-Cortez’s congressional site.

The controversy stems from AOC’s previous efforts to limit military recruitment, including a failed 2020 proposal to ban military recruitment via the streaming platform Twitch, which she argued was “largely populated by children well under the age of military recruitment.” She also proposed a bill amendment to halt federal funding for military recruitment in middle and high schools and the request for student data.

'Not just a right wing thing': AOC snaps at left-wing 'rumors' she hosted a military recruitment event https://t.co/5HqJn6oSef

— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 21, 2023

“Whether through recruitment stations in their lunchrooms or now through e-sports teams, children in low-income communities are persistently targeted for enlistment,” Ocasio-Cortez said in a statement to the New York Times at the time.

“In many public high schools where military recruiters have a daily presence, there is not even a counselor. As a result, the military stops feeling like a ‘choice’ and starts feeling like the only option for many young, low-income Americans.”

Some social media users have accused AOC of selling out, particularly given that the Bronx has the highest poverty rate in New York, and the state poverty rate is higher than the national average.

In a statement to the press, AOC defended her decision to co-host the event, saying that she believed it was important for students to be aware of all the career opportunities available to them.

“Students in our community deserve to know all the options available to them as they plan their futures,” she said. “While I have concerns about the military’s presence in schools, I also believe that students should have access to information about all the career paths available to them, including military service.”

The event featured guests from nearly all military-related offices, including the US Naval, Air Force, Military, Merchant Marine, and Coast Guard academies, as well as the US Department of Education and former congressional interns.

The event was attended by students from several schools in the Morris Educational Campus, as well as representatives from the United States Army. Students had the opportunity to speak with military recruiters and learn more about the various career paths available within the military.

However, the controversy highlights ongoing concerns around the targeting of vulnerable communities for military recruitment, with policies like No Child Left Behind granting recruiters’ access to the same information provided to college recruiters. Modern-day recruiters often sell the idea of an experience that resonates with low-income students, such as a free ride to college or a path to citizenship.

The debate around providing young people with information about a range of career opportunities, including military service, while also protecting vulnerable communities from targeted recruitment efforts is ongoing. AOC’s involvement in the recruitment event has reignited this debate and highlighted the need for continued efforts to address these issues.