Several military recruiters addressed the Roswell Independent School District board Aug. 12 to ask for clearer, consistent school-entry procedures after a recent incident in which recruiters were questioned about how they gained access to Roswell High School.
Master Sergeant John Lopez, who identified himself as a National Guard recruiter, told the board "it's always harder to get into these schools" and asked for guidance on how military recruiters should proceed when seeking to visit classrooms and speak with students. He said recruiters sometimes provide modest program funding to schools, and asked what procedures the district will use "moving forward, like, what's gonna be the procedures and things like that for where my recruiters can help explain the benefits of what we have to offer."
Other recruiters who spoke included Jerome Tompkins with the U.S. Navy, Hassan Reyes (station commander, U.S. Army recruiting office in Roswell), Staff Sergeant Aaron Tibble (Marine Corps recruiter) and Seth Seltier (station manager, Marine Corps Recruiting Station Roswell). The presenters emphasized they primarily seek to inform students about career and education options and said they are willing to comply with background checks or building-entry rules.
Board members thanked the recruiters for their service and applauded them; no board action was taken during the public-comment segment. District officials said they would continue the existing partnership and review whether clearer advance guidance or notification could prevent future incidents.
Why it matters: recruiters told the board they believe access to students provides opportunities for young people who may not take a college path and that inconsistent access or last-minute questioning can limit students's exposure to recruitment benefits and educational options.