Support for the military is strong in DeKalb, and enlistment numbers are steady, despite the ongoing war in Iraq.

In some U.S. cities, military recruiting stations have come under legal and even physical attack by citizens angry about the war in Iraq. Two months ago in Berkeley, Calif., a group calling itself Code Pink staged anti-war protests outside a Marine recruiting station, even trying to challenge the renewal of the station’s lease. Last month in New York City, a small homemade bomb was detonated outside a military recruiting station.

“We have a great relationship with the community and the university,” said Lt. Col. Craig Engel, chair of the Department of Military Sciences at NIU. “It’s a very supportive environment.”

The Pentagon announced in February that all branches of the Armed Forces met or exceeded their recruitment goals for January, and DeKalb is no exception.

Engel said the NIU Army ROTC program has seen a 20 percent increase in freshmen enrollment each year for the past four years, adding that the program consistently exceeds retention numbers for graduation and commission of officers.

Engel stressed that the Army ROTC is not the same as a recruitment center, and enrollment does not require contract with the Army until junior year. The Army ROTC program has 75 cadets seeking commission as officers, not including those taking the course solely for academic credit, according to Engel.

The Army and Navy recruitment centers in DeKalb also met their recruitment goals this year. The Armed Forces operate on a fiscal year, beginning in October, so all recruitment statistics are measured beginning with that month.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Joseph McClelland, a Navy recruiter in DeKalb, said his office has recruited 13 people this year, adding that he has had no trouble meeting his goal.

The Army fared even better in DeKalb. From October 2007 to April 2, 41 recruits enlisted from the DeKalb area, said Pat Grobschmidt, a civilian working in the Public Affairs Office for Army Recruiting. Grobschmidt said the same number enlisted from DeKalb in that time frame last fiscal year, adding that she expects this number to rise before the end of April.

Even among those against the war, the troops enjoy broad support.

DeKalb resident Cecile Meyer is a member of the DeKalb Interfaith Network for Peace & Justice, a group of local congregations and individuals seeking social change. Meyer is often among the anti-war protesters that gather Friday evenings at the intersection of Lincoln Highway and First Street.

“I want to know why there are not more people out on that corner,” Meyer said. “They’re sending our soldiers out in that hell. I don’t think it’s supporting the troops to send them over there.”

National Guard Spc. James Searing was supposed to graduate from NIU this year, but was deployed to New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina cleanup. Now, he expects to be sent to Afghanistan this October.

“Anyone who finds out I’m in the National Guard supports me,” Searing said. “I want to go, even though this means I won’t graduate in time.”