A Bangladeshi immigrant eases himself inside, determined to sign up regardless of the debate surrounding the war in Iraq.
"I'm new in this country. Through the army I can establish in this country, most of all I can get the nationality," explains Prabal Chowdhury, his military documents arranged in a briefcase.
Does he think about the war and all the controversy around military equipment that soldiers have to use?
"I'm not afraid," Chowdhury replies.
The 33-year-old, who is married and has a child on the way, works at a fast-food Indian outlet at Kennedy International Airport, despite the fact that he has a university degree.
Several people like him enter this glass and steel kiosk every week, the oldest recruiting station in America that has been operating in Times Square since 1946.
Many of them are Russians, Ukrainians, and immigrants from the Dominican Republic, who can be recruited on condition they have legal status in the country, a green card or another residency permit, explains the recruiter, Staff Sergeant Dennis Kelly.
Americans also come, but mostly those belonging to least fortunate demographic groups.
"A lot of them come for the college money," says Kelly. "They're looking not even for a job but for a change."
He adds that some who are nearing the 35-year age limit want to do it for pride, to serve their country.
"I don't want to waste more time, I want to get a career, I want to go to college and get a training," admits 29-year-old Alex Ruiz.
"I don't like war," he continues. "But I'm mentally prepared. I like the challenge.... The government may be there for some interests, but I just want to be part of things and history. I'm going to be OK, I have my faith in God."
Alex came here together with his friend Mike.
"I hope he'll make the best of it, he's a good person," says Mike of his friend. "War is here anyway, in our streets. Jobs are not doing good, rent is going up, how are people going to survive? He'd rather be in the army than be out here."
According to Sergeant Kelly, potential applicants first "ask about the benefits, insurances, dental, benefits for the family, college".
"About the war, there is this macho thing, so they won't ask first but then they'll slip in there," he points out. "They always ask about it. And you can never know, there's no guarantee to be sent or not to be sent."
He says that some families worry, and parents called him once asking, "What did you say?" and "Why did you do this?" but their son was 31.
At the national level, three military branches say that they have achieved their recruitment targets for 2004. However, this is not the case with the National Guard. Manpower is in short supply.
The number of troops deployed in Iraq is being increased from 138,000 to 150,000, and there is resistance on the part of soldiers and reservists, whose contracts are being involuntarily extended.
Times have also changed for the recruiting station in Times Square, which experienced a rash of candidates in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.
Two showed up in four hours on Thursday, workers says. The day before, there were no potential recruits for three hours.
"It's going weird these days," acknowledges one of the officers.
Sergeant Kelly, who insists he is fulfilling his quota, suggests that there could be a unexpected influx.
Flanked by giant advertising billboards, the post displays its own neon lights, a flag and a big screen showing promotional ads. One shows a young man on a snowboard. "We've been waiting for you," says the promo, then switching to showing bomber pilots.
Meanwhile, the station is visited by tourists and has become a magnet for political activists. One group has erected a poster on the sidewalk, saying "Thank you for serving."
Nearby, more than a dozen demonstrators carry signs: "No more blood for oil."
Bill Steyert, a former Vietnam veteran, is among the protestors.
"I can't criticize people that enlist," he says. "They think they go fight terrorism while now what we do is create more terrorism. When I enlisted in 1964, I signed up to travel, I got to see Japan, Hong Kong, that was the good part."
© 2004 Agence France-Presse