US Marines experimenting with iPads for recruitment

OK, maggots! If you'd like to sign up to be a member of The U.S. Marine Corps, you're going to need to learn to use an iPad. Or at least sign your name on one.

Military Times is reporting that the Corps is experimenting with the use of iPads in recruiting. The blog reported that the commander of the Marine Corps Recruiting Command, Maj. Gen. Robert Milstead, noted in a recent interview that the Corps is doing well in recruitment, but that it faces challenges like a shrinking advertising budget. That's where the iPads come in.

Recruiters set up booths at county fairs, athletic events and the like, creating contests for able-bodied young people such as performing pull-ups. In order to participate, the students need to sign a waiver. In the past, waiver forms were filled out by hand and then re-entered into a database for future contact. The re-entry took time and effort, and often the handwritten information was illegible.

Using the iPad, the recruiters can capture the information immediately with fewer errors. The Corps isn't sure that they're going to continue the program beyond the experimental stage, but they recognize the potential of Apple's top-selling tablet. Oohrah!