Stories about the fraud, pressure tactics, and baiting practiced by military recruiters are legion. But even if they have a soft touch recruiters may have an unfair advantage over teenagers (not known for their skilled assessment of long-term consequences). Imagine: your son’s public school welcomes in a team of recruiters who bring with them a rock climbing wall, a few Hummers and some bitchin’ video games. Then they sit your son down and tell him that not only will he become “Army Strong,” he’ll get an all-expenses paid college education, an all-expenses paid trip around the world, and a $40,000 signing bonus…

If the carrot doesn’t work with your teenager, the Army might try the stick: an army recruiter in Texas was just suspended for threatening a kid with jail if he opted for college over basic training. At the age of 16 Irving Gonzalez signed up for a non-binding delayed enlistment program. A year later, he changed his mind….and notified his recruiter….and taped the phone call.

A snippet:

Sgt. Glenn Marquette: Guess what happens to you, I’ll tell you what happens to you, OK? This is what will happen. You want to go to school? You will not get no loans, because all college loans are federal and government loans. So you’ll be black-marked from that. As soon as you get pulled over for a speeding ticket or anything with the law, they’re gonna see that you’re a deserter. Then they’re going to apprehend you, take you to jail. They’re going to call up the military police, the nearest military installation, and they will come down there, correctional officers, 31-series in the Army, pick you up, detain you, put you on a plane and take you to Fort [inaudible], Missouri, where you will do your time, as you deserve. So guess what. All that lovey-dovey “I want to go to college” and all this? Guess what. You just threw it out the window, because you just screwed your life. There’s a right way to do things, and there’s a wrong way to do things. [More here]

Talk to your kids. That’s all I’m sayin’.

Tags: army, recruitment

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road runner 3 months ago 1 point
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I had a friend tell a recruiter that he was communist. The recruiter said, we don't want you. LOL.

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Mike Guardabascio 3 months ago 1 point
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If the above story bothers you, I'd urge to you click Rachel's link and read the transcript. A spokesman for the Army's Recruitment arm, Douglas Smith, at one point is forced to admit that another recruiter who had threatened a recruit with a warrant should he fail to show at an appointment was "reprimanded." And by reprimanded he means promoted to be head of his recruitment center. Awesome.

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