BC student accuses Army recruiters of harassment

BC student accuses Army recruiters of harassment

Last Update: Jun 26, 2007 8:11 PM

Posted By: brynn galindo

BAKERSFIELD - College students on mailing lists receive material from the military about educational opportunities on a regular basis, but what does a student do if he has been getting calls for many months from recruiters who don’t take no for an answer?

A Bakersfield College student said Army recruiters keep calling him after he’s told them he’s not interested.

He said it’s been going on over two years and has been tired of reminding the recruiters he does not want anymore information about educational programs offered by the military.

Eddie McGee is a student at BC who wants to become a coach and teacher to young people, but he’s having trouble getting his future plans across to Army recruiters who keep calling him.

He said they’ve been calling regularly for over two years.

"They've called me and they've talked to me before,” said McGee, “and I told them that I wasn't interested, and this has happened more than three times, and it's happened with my friends and a couple of other people I know."

McGee said the recruiters will even ask for information from his ill father when he’s not home to take the call.

"That's very unprofessional because when you're in an outfit with the Army or Marines, you shouldn't be harassing someone that has nothing to do with it," McGee said.

The Army Recruiting Command in Bakersfield has not returned any of our phone calls.

Sue Vaughn is director of enrollment at BC, and said recruiters are authorized to contact students based on the basic information they submitted when they registered online.

Unless they indicate “no” in the appropriate section of the online application, contact can be made.

"If we receive the request on official agency or educational letterhead, then we will release the information," Vaughn said.

Some BC students are very careful about allowing their personal information being released to recruiters.

"I put down “no” due to the fact that I only want the people looking into it ... that I know who they are," said student Brett Johnson.

"If I would like to join the Army or go out to another school, I would do it myself," said student Veronica Hernandez.

Students who might have said “yes” in the past can change their response at the admissions office.

Ellie