Recruiting During the Transition to the All-Volunteer Force

Army Master Sgt. (Ret.) Marion Graham, first row far right, joined the Recruiting Command in 1971, during the transition from the draft to the All-Volunteer Force. He served in the command from 1971 until he retired in 1984. He was an Army recruiter, a first sergeant, and an operations noncommissioned officer in the command headquarters. “I gained so much experience as a recruiter; management, dealing with people, and working with the community,” said Graham. “I know I made a difference in the lives of kids in the Pontiac (MI) community, giving them an opportunity to serve and do things they may never have dreamed. Graham commented that the draftees were people who normally wouldn't have served under the volunteer force; seemed more diverse, coming from all walks of life, educated and uneducated, a melting pot from all cultures. In 1962 after college, Graham joined the Army as a personnel administrator.