That's what struck me as odd when I read the article. Of all the people to recruit, why this kid? He doesn't seem like the type we want in the military, especially if he's so reluctant to go for whatever reason, even if it is mommy not wanting him to go.
"Of all the people to recruit, why this kid?"
They're apparently getting pretty desperate. A friend of mine in the Army told me that last week he met a young woman who had signed up, but hadn't yet left for basic. She was getting pretty frantic, because it was becoming evident that her recruiters had lied pretty blatantly to get her to sign, promising her all sorts of things that weren't going to happen. He told her that she could still opt out up until she went to basic. When she asked about it, three recruiters were there in less than half an hour, putting the screws on and telling her anything she wanted to hear (punctuated by repeated threats). My friend said that he didn't think that she really belonged in the Army either, but it seems they'll do almost anything to get another warm body at this point...