As the national recession forces most employers to cut jobs and tighten budgets, one major employer still accepts applications — the U.S. Military.The military saw a drastic increase in military enrollment in 2008, and so far this year the trend has continued.Every branch of the active-duty forces exceeded enrollment goals for 2008, according to the U.S. Department of Defense Web site. The Army topped their goal of 80,000 with 80,517 recruits. The Navy gained 38,485 recruits, narrowly exceeding their goal of 38,419, and the Marine Corps recruited 37,991 men surpassing their goal of 37,967. The Air Force recruited 48 more than their goal of 27,848.”The goal number of recruits we set each year is based on the man power we already have,” said Kenny Watts, Navy recruiter at the Siegen Lane location. “We have to make sure we keep enough people in the military each year otherwise we won’t have one.”Watts said many people have come in recently to generally ask about the military, and he has noticed a larger variation in age groups.”We’ve always gotten the 17- and 18-year-olds,” Watts said. “But now we’re seeing more people between ages 25-35 starting to inquire about the military.”But David Croft, Army recruiter at the Siegen Lane location, said he hasn’t noticed an increase.”I know nationally the Army is doing very well but on a local scale there hasn’t been many more recruits than in the past,” Croft said.Ernest Lambert, Navy recruiter at the Siegan Lane location, said he has noticed more college graduates joining the Navy. He said traditionally most recruits come straight out of high school, leading the Army to offer college tuition.But tuition isn’t the only benefit the military offers. Watts said the Navy offers a steady job for at least four years and plenty of advancement opportunities.”It’s a secure job,” Lambert said. “You know on the first and 15th every month you’ll receive a paycheck.”Croft said medical and dental benefits are appealing.Lambert said the benefits are one of the main reasons he thinks more people are joining the military while the economy is down.”Everyone is just trying to take care of themselves,” Lambert said.—-Contact Nichole Oden at [email protected]