> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.smdp.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # SMC students protest military recruitment - URL: https://www.smdp.com/smc-students-protest-military-recruitment/ - Published: 2005-03-18T16:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-23T06:18:53.000Z - Author: Ryan Hyatt - Tags: Education, Pico, #archive-import *Recruiters tout military benefits* SMC — More than 50 students fed up with military recruitment efforts on campus took their message to the street Thursday. They marched through the Santa Monica College campus, at 1900 Pico Blvd., then proceeded north on 20th Street a few blocks to where an enlistment center for the Army, Air Force and Navy is located. The students, many carrying anti-war, anti-racism, anti-sexism, anti-homophobia and anti-Bush signs, said they were part of two organizations that have sprung up since the 2002 invasion of Iraq. One is called Progressive Alliance, the other Antiwar in the World. “They think that because we go to community college, we’re desperate enough to join the military,” said Julia Wallace, a fifth-year history student at UCLA who helped organize the event. “We don’t believe in the imperialistic regime, and we’re not going to fight in a war we’re not going to benefit from. Wallace said Thursday’s protest was part of a larger movement among Los Angeles high schools, community colleges and universities to apply continued resistance against the military and campus recruitment. Lt. Col. Joe Richard, a Department of Defense spokesman, said it was within the rights of protesters to speak against college recruitment. However, he noted that military membership does have its benefits and no one should impede the right of others to consider their options. “Our volunteer recruitment force seeks out the best and most qualified students, and it’s imperative we have the opportunity to make that information available,” Richard said. Richard said tangible benefits for joining the military include monetary assistance for enlisted personnel and officers to continue their education. He said joining the military also provides the opportunity for young men and women to develop technical skills and training that might help them in the job market. SMC students said recruiters for the Armed Forces scan students who are passing by the college library, then introduce themselves and explain how military service might help them. On Thursday, at least twice as many students gathered around to watch their protesting peers in front of the SMC Library, some of whom said they were indifferent to both military recruitment and the anti-recruitment rally. > “Get Bush’s and Cheney’s kids to fight on the front line.” “I’d like for the war to end,” said Brett Bayonne, a freshman majoring in creative-writing who commutes to SMC from downtown Los Angeles. “As for the recruiters, they don’t bother me. I would-n’t protest against them.” Santa Monica Police officers accompanied the protesting students to the enlistment offices on 20th Street and Santa Monica Boulevard. SMPD officers rode in squad cars and on motorcycles and bicycles to guide traffic as needed. The military enlistment offices on the site were closed when protesters arrived at 11:30 a.m. Some of them said the offices were minimally staffed — the majority of local recruitment efforts stem from an office at Federal Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard. Behind the building, a military health profession’s enlistment office indicated its hours of operation were from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and Saturday by appointment. Randy Michaels, who works in the marketing department for a corporation housed in the same building, said he was dropping by the enlistment center to talk to a friend, who works there. “He’s a marketing genius,” Michaels said of his friend, who he declined to identify. “He gives me lots of marketing tips. He even helped me get a raise.” Michaels declined to voice his opinion on the situation in Iraq, except to say he supported the troops. “These people (protesters) say they support the troops, but they sure don’t act like it,” Michaels said. Several motorists passing on Santa Monica Boulevard honked their horns and waved to the protesting students. There was no counter rally. Richard said the Army fell short of its national enlistment goal by 1,900 for the month of February, but he said he is optimistic the Army will make its 80,000 goal for the year, as the Army has done for decades. Richard said military recruitment has faced recent challenges, due in part to the improvement of the economy. A group of military recruitment officers were spotted shortly after the protest at the Sizzler located between 20th and 22nd streets on Wilshire Boulevard. Although they said they were not allowed to comment on the protest, one did mention that the Armed Forces are hiring. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/55/9f/559f9abc-8372-4a2e-8c2d-27386da4e363/content/images/2026/10/031805-02_01.jpg) Josh Saxe speaks out against military recruitment on college campuses during a protest held Thursday afternoon on the southeast corner of 20th Street and Santa Monica Boulevard. (Photo: Ryan Hyatt/Daily Press) *Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on March 18, 2005.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/031805.pdf?ref=smdp.com)