One of our key clients is the Army National Guard. They, like other military services, recruit tens of thousands of college students and recent graduates per year. Below is a copy of a targeted email campaign that they're running with us to help them recruit students and recent graduates in Pennsylvania.

One of the interesting results of wars like we have in Iraq is that they tend to polarize not just the general population but also the potential recruits. Those who are primarily interested in enlisting for college money and look upon the obligation as one weekend a month and two weeks a year tend to look elsewhere in times such as this as the likelihood is that they will be trained and then spend a year or more in Iraq.

But there is another group that is often overlooked. That other group tends not to enlist in times of peace because their country does not need them during those times. Those soldiers enlist in higher numbers when they're most needed. The military recruiters understand this so change their recruiting strategies and tactics depending upon whether the country is at peace or war. When your industry or organization goes through difficult times, do you change your strategies and tactics? During difficult times, are you still looking for people who do best when times are good or do you change your strategies and tactics to look for people who thrive under adverse circumstances? Some refer to these people as turnaround specialists. I refer to them as heroes.