Students stepped up to the US Marine Corps pull-up challenge on the quad Thursday, April 28 when military recruiters came to visit Paly.

Recruiters distributed brochures and prizes such as bumper stickers, water bottles, hats, and shirts, rewarding students who could do more than ten pull-ups.

"They [students] need to challenge themselves," Staff Sergeant Thomas Sanford said. "The Marine Corps brings out some of those challenges. We devised the pull-up bar to teach people to learn how to earn things by working."

The purpose of the Marine’s visit to Paly, according to Sanford, was to let students know about their options for the future in the Marines. "This isn’t a job fair. We are just trying to get information out," Sanford said. Recruiters talked with students about their personal experiences as Marines and the benefits of joining.

"I talked with one guy about boot camp and his experiences," Paly junior Zack Nigro said. "I decided I’m not interested, but I think it’s fine that recruiters come."

According to Sanford, there are three aspects that define a qualified individual; the mental, the moral and the physical. "The Marine Corps is not for everyone. A lot of people are not qualified," Sanford said. The mental aspect involves training that aims to create a smarter marine and involves reading assignments and studying past and present warfare techniques. The moral aspect includes trust, responsibility, and respect. The physical aspect measures one’s health and strength abilities. "Qualified people can be out of shape but need to be healthy," Sanford said.

Recruiters on campus are a much debated issue. Section 9528 of the No Child Left Behind Act passed in January 2002 gives the military access to names, phone numbers and addresses of high school students. " Each local educational agency receiving assistance under this Act shall provide, on a request made by military recruiters or an institution of higher education, access to secondary school students names, addresses, and telephone listings."

"I don’t think recruiters should come to schools," senior Mike Nordlund said. "If someone wanted to join the marines they should go themselves."