"We have to keep foxholes filled from the streets. If we don't, then where are they going to come from?" he said.

On Sept. 12, people from every walk of life and every age group called or came to the Army recruiting office at Southgate Shopping Plaza.

"They'd say, 'My country's been attacked, and I want to do something, just do my part."' Staff Sgt. Moore said.

The surge of applicants, however, lasted only a week. The flood of interest did not dramatically affect recruiting numbers for the Army, Navy and Marines, military officials said.

Vern Garcia, the spokeswoman for Army Recruiting in Columbia, said recruitment for the regular Army has been unchanged.

From October 2000 through August2001, Augusta recruiters completed 132 Army contracts, Ms. Garcia said. This year, recruiters completed 130 contracts between October and Aug. 14, she said.

Ms. Garcia said the Army Reserves reported 48 applicants in fiscal year 2001 - 13 more than fiscal year 2002.

Other service branches reported similar surges in enlistment in Augusta, then a sudden dropoff.

Staff Sgt. Rhomello Mohammud-Saddiq, a recruiter for the Marine Corps with an office in Augusta's Southgate Plaza, said just about everybody came to his office asking about enlistment.

"We had guys that were in Vietnam coming in, but it didn't help or hurt (our numbers)," said Staff Sgt. Mohammud-Saddiq, whose office averages 10 people per month for recruit training.

Sgt. 1st Class Harry Waiters speaks with recruit Michael Bagwell. Military recruiters say the sudden increase in applicants after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks was short-lived. ANNETTE M. DROWLETTE/SATFF

Chief Petty Officer Randy Bagoly, the public affairs officer for U.S. Navy Recruiting District Atlanta, said the Navy's enlistment goal has gone down. The district - which covers most of Georgia and South Carolina - had a goal of 1,869 applicants last year. The number attained at the end of July 2001 was 1,748 candidates.

This year, the district's goal is lower, at 1,674, of which 1,543 applicants were attained at the end of July, Chief Petty Officer Bagoly said. The goal has been reduced because the Navy is having a good retention rate, he said.

"People who are already in the Navy are staying in the Navy a lot more ..." he said. "That's helped us with recruiting; we haven't had to work quite as hard."

Phone messages left with the Air Force Recruiting office in Valdosta, Ga., were not returned.

Although Sept. 11 did not increase recruiting rates, Staff Sgt. Moore said the tragedy made the public appreciate America's troops.

"Most of the people who talked to (me) said they wished they could do their part, but before, they'd blow me off," he said. "I don't feel it's like that now."

Reach Albert Ross at (706) 823-3339 or albert.ross@augustachronicle.com.