I just received a call from an Army recruiter

I am 17 years old, and I just got called by the Army. The guy on the phone asked me if I was going to go to college, where, what I wanted to do, financially, etc. Then he told me how the Army has a 100% tuition assistance plan. He also told me I could receive up to (at least?) $28,000 when I come back from the Army. I asked him "and that's after you're in there for how many years?" And he said well it depends how long you sign up, it could be 2 to 6 years. Then I asked him innocently "So if I go into the Army is there any chance I could go to Iraq?" He said well there is a 1 in 10 chance you could go, so it's not very much, I'm not gonna lie to you but it's unlikely. (That number sounds fishy to me, IMO) Then I said "so there's a chance I may not come back at all?" Well that's possible but it's also possible you could die walking across the street here in New York. Then he went into this whole schpiel into statistics about car accidents and such and I just said "I'll take my chances here."

Not to brag about myself, but I doubt he comes across too many well-informed kids such as myself. I also said at some point "So that's why 2000 soldiers have died over there?"

I apologize for the poor grammar in advance.:D

and expect more calls

a terminal illness, and another that I had just been released from a mental hospital.

Yeah, they don't call me anymore.

But I don't think I'll be called again, though it's possible. I've already received several pieces of mail from all branches of the military I think. I don't have a problem with the military, it's just that I'm not going to fight for this president in this war.

Specifically about prescriptions for anti-psychotics.

"I don't have a problem with the military, it's just that I'm not going to fight for this president in this war."

Great.

Say: I hope you would consider sending a variation of your post out as a LTTE.

You write well!

1/10 chance, my arse! They're desperate, so you actually have a 9/10 chance of going....

If they weren't so desperate they wouldn't have to argue statistics, you would join of your own free will....

I figured it was much more than 1/10 chance but I didn't have the stats with me. It was almost sad when he went into all this stuff about how I have a greater chance of dying in a car accident here than as a soldier in Iraq. I did let him ramble for a while though.

eom

Over a 4-year period, that's $7,000/year.

That's great, you can go to school full time, but live on the street and starve. The dilemma my husband faced when he returned from Desert Storm (with 2 kids and a wife).

service obligation (ie. you complete one year of school, you owe them three years of service).

The 28000 is a bonus under the GI Bill that is seperate from TA.

go to school? He's in the service for 12 years - he's now 32 with a degree, but no arms or legs? Then again, he might be sent to Iraq for a couple of years (like my husband), which means he still isn't going to college.

Or he can do the normal 3-4 year tour and live off $28,000 for 4 years while going to school full time.

My point is, the way they are illustrating it to potential recruits is essentially misleading.

And basically, after fighting for his country, Bush Sr. dumped my husband out on his ass when he returned.

Is that the fate of everybody who joins the service? (point is...you can dump the hyperbole)

It's a concurrent obligation, meaning...if your service obligation is originally 6 years, and you take four years of college during your second year of service, you can still REFRAD at the end of your sixth year.

I went to school for 3 years under TA and then only had to serve an additional year on top of my service obligation.

That, coming from a "veteran" himself, was completely uncalled for.

Want to get snarky and show everyone you know more than the rest of us, have a go at it.

What happened to my husband over there is none of your damn business. He served in Desert Storm as a Marine mortar man.

And where did YOU serve and what did YOU do Mr. Snark?

with your "he's now 32 with a degree, but no arms or legs?" as if that's the *only* result of armed service.

And yeah, "hyperbole" is a great word.

So is "reality".

But I think he meant after I left the Army I would get that. I can't remember if he said that was the minimum or the maximum. I can't think of any amount of money that would make me want to fight for chimpy mccokespoon. They also asked me if I knew anyone else who wanted "tuition assistance." Yeah he really did say that, not join the Army and go to a hellhole in the middle east. I said no of course.

He could take the $28,000 (or however much it was back then - we weren't together yet) for school. But it wasn't cash in his pocket.

I think he also got like $200 more a month for combat! Woo Hoo!

Good for you to turn these guys down. Keep it up, 'cause we don't need any more of our good guys going over there to make Chimpy and his buds more money.

You're not going to get roped into fighting a rich frat-boys oil war.

:yourock:

rewarding career choice to make.

Trying to stump a recruiter isn't going to accomplish very much. Just say "no thanks, not for me" and hang up.

I never understood why people try to get into battles of wits with recruiters and telemarketers.

I do admire people who have served in the military. It's just not for me, especially not with this President. One of my friends will be attending West Point next year, and I really think that's pretty amazing. I don't think I was impolite to him, I just confronted him with some facts. I'm sure he didn't expect to be calling a well informed 17 year old.

Why bring that up with him?

Recruiters have an incredibly difficult job of persuading youths to join in on an incredibly arduous and difficult career. Just ask to be removed from the call list and bid him/her good day.

into becoming cannon fodder. I admire the OP for standing up to them.

They're just looking for recruits to go to Iraq. That's all. Then, once over there, the stop-loss orders and recalls will keep you from receiving any benefits for a long time.

And in the meantime, even if you don't get killed, chances are you'll end up with PTSD or at least some serious mental trauma.

And for what? You're not fighting for America's freedom.

That boat sailed a long time ago.

Not every soldier goes to Iraq...in fact, you stand a great chance of *not* going at all.

Find a 71L job at TRADOC, for instance. Become a signalman at a CONUS STEP site. There are tons of possibilities of serving and not seeing combat.

Shit, I was in the combat arms (like infantry, armor, etc) (during OEF/OIF) and never left the states.

But something has changed and the pressure has been put on recruiters to be more aggressive.

Look at the "No Child Left Behind" bill. The recruiters have been given almost unfettered access to high school and college membership rolls.

This is not just opportunism but borders on exploitation.

I'm not denying the pride and opportunity of serving your country here, but reasonable people are saying that they go too far.

They just called my brother's house a few weeks ago. My sister-in-law answered the phone and when she was told who it was, she just ASSUMED they wanted to recruit her twin 17, almost 18 year old daughters. WRONG! They wanted HER! My S-I-L. LOL! She told him she's 39 years old and she wasn't going ANYWHERE, especially to the military. They are really hard up.

on edit: I just love how they offer college and $$$$$, but never do they mention you may never need that college education or $$$$$$$ because you could be DEAD. :grr: Bastards. You did good kiddo!

He's only 14 now but they'll be calling soon enough. They'll only call once I bet.

Good work IWMCB. So glad you are well informed and on the ball. Your parents must be very proud. Hell I'm proud of you.

Julie

Are you going to engage in a contest of witticisms with an underpaid and overworked NCO?

she has a right to be fierce in defence of her son.

there's no defending the country at this time -- no overwhelming waves of patriotic emotions -- no star spangled banner playing in the background --

and lastly you're not defending some poor slob who doesn't know what he's selling --

get a grip.

I know quite a few NCOs and officers who were tagged for recruiting duty. Believe me, it's not the most sought after assignment.

Look, all screaming through a phone line at a recruiter is going to accomplish is raise your blood pressure.

and we access that info by clicking on the profile icon next to the name of the poster

you can glean from over 3000 of my posts?

Well, OK.

32, male. SE Virginia. Married. Enjoys long strolls on the beach, giving back rubs, and long gazes into my wife's eyes.

listing this info in a profile???

(this thread is the 1st time I've noticed your name)

thanks for your additional info

but please excuse my failure to realize you do have a profile accessible to all....I haven't been online for a while

i have no sympathy squatch -- i have no particular warmfuzzy emotional feeling because someone is a recruiter.

there's no high ground being in the service at this time -- maybe that will change -- but with few exceptions wars have not been about ''defending'' the country -- so ''defending'' your kid from some people who might get him killed is a
GOOD idea.

with this: "there's no high ground being in the service at this time".

I'll let you in on a little secret. I happen to agree with her sentiment, namely removing her child's name from the recruiter role, but I disagree with the misplaced anger. It just doesn't help, yano?

to protect and glorify.

but that's just me.

...and it does suck. But this is a different environment. This is wartime. All bets are off. I say hit 'em, and hit 'em hard--the crap has been rolling downhill on those guys for so long, eventually it will pile up and affect those higher up the hill.

I've got decades in service, and none of mine are going. Not one. Not for this failure of diplomacy. Not if I can help it!

So is being a drug dealer.

Doesn't mean I have any sympathy for them, especially when they come sniffing around my family.

If you gotta be successful in your job by endangering my kid, you're gonna have to get all your self-esteem from within yourself, not from me, sorry. Especially if you're going to pedal your wares through lies.

I stopped listening to you right there.

I am a veteran, and I believe you said you were as well. If so you know that even within the service Recruiters are viewed with a great deal of disdain. Virtually every enlisted man I ever met had some story or another about dishonest Recruiters. I have my own, though I don't care to share it here since it's a bit beside the point.

There's a very good reason it's not a sought after assignment. The things you are tasked to do as a Recruiter would keep an honest person awake at night.

These people need to hear feedback. They need to know what the public really thinks about their tactics, and opinions about the military's current mission. "No thank you" isn't going to cut it. Oh, and by the way, your suggestion that people request to be removed from their call list is almost funny. Do you really believe they will do that? C'mon, you said you knew a few Recruiters. You know better.

I have never called them, they called me and interrupted my life attempting to get their claws in my child. Count on it. I would and did jump them.

But they would understand perfectly that my son is not grist for their mill. I am sympathetic to them as I have read of the horrible pressures they are under. Not sympathetic to give them an opportunity to lure my son into their trap with their lies.

While I wouldn't berate them, they'd know calling back was a waste of their time. Kinda like the Mormons and Jehovahs Witnesses. No unpleasantries but they don't bother coming back either.

:toast:

He'll call on Al qaeda to attack you and not have the military defend you.

Thanks for sharing your story!

:applause: :yourock: :applause:

They can't have MY kids, either.

Speak truth to power. It'll save your life.

And while you're at it...

Visualize IMPEACHMENT!!!
Then go DO something about it.

...this recruiter's a f***in' liar.

Way to use your brain. His numbers are wrong, I am certain of that. If you enlist, you will go to Iraq. Do not doubt this for a moment. They are counting on you being uninformed, like so many other's.

Those that really want to go into the military, will try to break into the Air Force. One mom who is trying to get her daughter in said that the pension is six figures after twenty years. I don't know how much that's true, but I do know that at least in Florida, it requires interviews with people like Mel Martinez and Tom Feeney for my area.

I asked her if you had to be a Republican to get into the Air Force. She said no, but that it certainly helps that you support this war, which is one of the questions they ask.

(including pensions).

for, God knows, how many tours. I suspect it's really greater than a 50% chance and that someone has the numbers.

Ask him if he'll guarantee in the written contract that you won't be required, by any means for any reason or in any circumstances, to serve after the 2 to 6 years are past. Then listen to him sputter.

When you enlist, you are not entering into a contract with the recruiter.

what kind of nonsense is that? tehn he shouldn't give out anyi nfo-rather than just misleading teeneagers.
that's sick.

they'll give false impressions and you'll leave the conversation thinking they said things they only implied. Gullible young people have been believing for decades that they're guaranteed training or assignments of their choice, even though they sign contracts that say the military can do anything it wants to. Not too mention the VA benefits that largely don't materialize and can be taken away at any time.

The Recruiter is acting as the authorized representative of the United States of America. If he says it's a 4 year contract he should be able to guarantee that, and if he can't than his sales pitch is every bit as despicable as the used car salesmen at the pay by the week places.

That is one of the very reasons why that job is generally avoided by service members. Engaging in such tactics is very distasteful to most people.

In fact, it very specifically says that in wartime they can keep you as long as they want.

So no, he won't sputter; they know the ins and outs of that document.

Let them give you a short blurb, and then, cut in, and in your snarkiest voice (do a little acting, now!) tell that guy that YOU don't NEEEEEEEEEED to go in the MILITARY. Why? Your parents are REPUBLICANS!!! And your parents told you that only poor folk and DEMOCRATS join the military!!!! You've been taught, since childhood, that some folks HAVE, and some folks DO FOR THE FOLKS THAT HAVE. Your folks are richer than the Bushes, hell, your daddy owns more stock that George's daddy...you are of the class that has earned a pass from the military simply because you are rich, rich, rich!!! And if they ever had a draft, your daddy would get you in the Guard, so you don't need to worry about all that college stuff, that bonus stuff--you're RICH!!!!

I'm sure if you mull over your script you'll come up with a few gems to make it even more offensive. The thing you just may do is disgust the recruiter, if you play it right!!!

Or, to really irk them...say "thanks, and may peace be to you." That'll show 'em.

...if you've ever taken ritalin, they don't want you.

i'd never heard that one before.

also, what happens when recruiters continually miss their recruitment quotas? gitmo?

I know a guy who worked for me picked right out of high school. He's a good kid but he has ADHD. I know he took ritalin.

so you can get free tuition. Okay? We'll make sure your parents know it is just a business & friendship - I'm not trying to replace them or anything.

We can't afford to lose bright liberal minds like yours!

:kick:

Lord knows you're way in advance of the President in that area.

:-)

I choose traffic too.

I think when the war in Iraq started, some reporter on faux news was bitching about the Liberal media and went on to say, that you have more chance of dying in your own kitchen than you do in Iraq.

Just another reason why i cant stand Faux, thank God we only take it 4 hours a day here.

It's exactly how I feel.

Recruiters do have a difficult job.

Apparently so few of those serving want to do it that the Army at least is now compelling soldiers to become recruiters.

My best friend's son, also a VN vet's son, btw, had in well over ten years in the Army with the 101st Airborne. He had served in Korea, Germany, and then Somalia (right after Blackhawk Down), and also in Bosnia.

As a sergeant, married and with a first child on the way in 2001, he was yanked out of the job he was doing (and liked), training troops in weapons and parachuting skills, to become a recruiter. They moved him to Colorado from Ft. Campbell, KY, where they had made a home. The Army PROMISED him he would only have to do recruiting for ONE YEAR -- TWO AT THE MOST.

He recognized that the war in Iraq was the reason they were pushing him into recruiting, but he simply had no choice. They own you, of course. He could have left the Army, but he already had in so many years and his plan all along was to serve 20 yrs honorably and retire with a pension. It was a VERY difficult time for him and his wife.

They moved to CO and his son was born ... and then he began to not just object to his work but to really HATE what he was being forced to do. He said he knew he was, if not lying, at least misleading prospective recruits in the way they were to present the promised benefits -- especially the "lifetime of free topnotch healthcare." Mike had always been an easygoing guy, but after the first year of recruiting work, his personality started changing. He didn't complain much to his mom, but at times the anger would get the better of him and he'd sound off about how much pressure they put on the recruiters to meet their quotas. The fact that he knew many of those he recruited were going to Iraq began eating at his conscience.

Michael felt that the recruiting staff were being tacitly instructed to "do whatever it takes" to get people to sign up. Some people in his office were involved in one of the scandals that made the papers, where they flat-out LIED to prospects to bring them in. Mike told his mom it was a problem in many recruiting offices, not just a few. The pressure on them is that great.

Michael finally began to develop ulcers after they refused to let him stop recruiting for FOUR YEARS. He told them this year that he would rather go back to the Regular Army and go to Iraq!

Well, they let him do that. His orders were cut in record time, and he is in Iraq right now.

the conversation. It's interesting to hear the spin they use to answer your questions.

I doubt that 1 in 10 chance too. I doubt 90% of the army never goes to war, not when people are cycling back to Iraq over and over. Not when they are recalling people in their 40's and 50's.

Free college and 28 K do sound great, alluring. It is not worth the risk of life and limb in an unjust war.

Nice job.

I'm glad you can see through the BS. I hope they leave you alone.

Thanks for your post.

I just pretended to be flaming gay (no insult intended to any Gay Duers.) My little brother did the background voices. We should have recorded it.

to do for many people, especially the economic underclasses. Once they get you though, they have their hooks in you for at least 8 years, if not longer.

I wouldn't sign up at this time, with President Incompetent running the show.

"...we get out of Iraq"
"...President Incompetent is impeached"
"...all veterans get all the benefits they signed up for"
"...we stop torturing people"
<insert preferred policy here>

makin' the message clear...

Don't apologise and don't place nice with the lizards! ;)

More young people need to put them off like that. The military is looking for sheeple who will just take them at face value, rather than people who will actually question their claims like you did.

and then you decided to laugh about it, and now you have forgot about it!

I hope my son has as much clarity of mind in the same situation in a few years. Good on you!

I told them this:

"I'd rather be a Canadian than a marine."

They stopped calling, and I'm sure that's the day my FBI file was created. :D

she was ordered to go to some highschools for recruiting-she is not a recruiter. While the recruiter was answering questions-she was in the background shaking her head to the class--one of the questions was, would we go to Iraq? He's doing his BS answer, while she was in the backgrounding shaking her head. They never invited her to go again!!! She said, I'm not going to tell them lies, and some she felt weren't military material. Since then, she has had friends that have been ordered back for recruitment duty-they hate it!!!!

- Detroit Free Press Magazine , July 15, 1990

recruitment numbers up high enough so that he isn't deployed to Iraq.