Schools point out teens to Military Recruiters--Teens aren't Happy

The Newark Star Ledger ^ | 03.04.03

[stanz]

With our luck, they throw her in the brig. Then, judging by
PhiKapMom's posts, she's spend the rest of her life there!

[Norwell]

Resume the Draft.

[cookcounty]

My son signed up after high school, 2 years ago---"best thing I ever did," he says. He was briefly in Afghanistan, now he's in Monterey for Middle East language study---he loves it, but a little upset that he probably won't be pulled out of school to go with his brothers (and sisters) to Iraq......could end up there later. though.

[muggs]

Yeah, you better not say that.

I really like the military and appriciate them and I feel guilty about complaining, but it was a pain.

IIRC if you have caller ID the calls show up as US Government.

[Tiemieshooz]

I'm an 18-year-old student. The funny thing was with me was that I WANTED to join the military, specifically the Air Force, but I got zero calls from them. I think I got 2 phoncalls altogether from two different recruiters. The Army recruiter called me once, but I told him I wanted to fly jets snd so he let me alone. The Marine Corps recruiter called me and asked me if I wanted to see what the Corps had to offer. I had plans for my future but me, being the open minded fellow that I am, decided to give it a shot. I'm now shipping off to the Marine Corps Recruiting Depot in about 3 months.

Recruiters are under IMMENSE pressure from their chain-in-command and thats why they can be pesky. However, so many high schoolers are very narrow minded and down right unpatriotic these days. There is very much disrespect toward the military, at least from my neck of the woods. All kids are worried about is their drinking parties on the week end and when the next time they are going to get laid. They have no idea what it took from our military to have the country they are enjoying at the moment. I am in no way proud to be part of my generation. And when the kids ARE interested in joining the military, so many times the parents are vehemently opposed to the idea. I don't understand it sometimes. God bless to all of the veterans and current serving soldiers. In one way or another, your service will be remembered.

[Centurion2000]

"I said I wasn't interested," the Livingston High School senior said. He added: "We were on the phone for like half an hour. I just tried to get him off the phone. I told him I'd call him back."

How hard is it to tell people NO ?? Telemarketers last about 5 seconds in my house. ("Please put me on your DO NOT CALL LIST"... click)

[Centurion2000]

Air Force took his name off while he was a senior, but the Navy is still calling month after month!

Then have your son tell them he's joining the Army ... it will stop the calls cold as well.

[Screaming_Gerbil]

I went in the Corps out of High School in 1974. It's a great organization, and as any Marine will tell you, it's the best of all the services...

Start running 3 miles, doing pull-ups and sit-ups...

[stanz]

Hey, I have no complaints about the military. It's just that
they're just a little too persistent. Will have to consider caller ID. LOL.

[Stopislamnow]

Best ways to discourage telemarketers:

Born again Christian routine

Amway pitch is fun to do

[The KG9 Kid]

"... I'm now shipping off to the Marine Corps Recruiting Depot in about 3 months."

Best of luck to you.

No preparation is necessary, by the way.

[Pushi]

Go Navy!

[Pushi]

The have to be PC and have a certain number of females. If I had my way it wouldn't be that way.

[Dianna]

How hard is it to tell people NO ??

Well some of us try to be polite first. I spoke to a recruiter my senior year. I told him that I was not joining the military, I was going to college. "And how are you going to pay for college?" I told him that I was so very blessed to have parents who were happy to foot the bill. Then, he got rather nasty.

"You're gonna rely on your mommy and daddy? What about standing on your own two feet and acting like a REAL adult?" That is just unnecessary.

[bonfire]

One kept calling here for my son. I finally told the guy: "Look, you wouldn't want him!"

I work at our High School on Fridays, and the recruiters are there for lunch period each and every time.

[Mad Dawgg]

"Best ways to discourage telemarketers:"

"Born again Christian routine"

"Amway pitch is fun to do"

My favorite technique to get telemarketers to stop calling is wait patiently till they ask for a response and then in my best "Deliverance" voice ask: "Is you got a purdy mouth?"

Funny thing is the male callers seem to hang up even faster than the female callers. :^D

[sarasmom]

Sorry the USAF lost you.They must have met quota.

Glad to see little has changed in over 20 years.I had the Navy, Army, & Marines trying to "turn" me when I reported to the AFEES station for initial processing.I served four years, had a short bresk in service, and when I went to a combined recruiting office to re-enlist,the other branches tried to turn me again.The Marines even offered a two step rank promotion!

The DOD efforts were pretty low key as compared to the CIA recruitors efforts.

I still think its easier to blow off military recruitors than to stop the AOL solicitaions......

[dsutah]

It looks to me like you have a lot of wisdom for your years! It's so good to see and hear such patriotism from at least some young people like you!

For it was young people like you who volunteered to fight for our independence,(Revolution) to pull the union back together and free the slaves,(Civil War), to fight for the safety of the settlements out West, on the Alamo, 2 world wars(couple or uncles), Korea (my dad was one of them), Vietnam(my step-dad, and cousins), Desert storm, and up to now! In other words, to maintain that independence, and help others achieve theirs!

[Spruce]

I have a most excellent daughter.
Her 16th birthday was 9/11/2001. She speaks Japanese, excels in calculus, biology and chemistry. She is all-state in flute and fife. And she can already shoot better than her old man, almost.

Her goal in life is to cure cancer.

She is Air Force when she graduates in 3 months.

[OBone]

God bless you my friend. Stay safe!

OB