Target Store Denies Asking Marines to Leave

[thedrifter]

Two Marines say Target store booted them for recruiting
By JACK DORSEY, The Virginian-Pilot
April 7, 2007
Last updated: 10:00 PM

CHESAPEAKE - Two Marines in their dress uniforms - the ones with white hats, khaki shirts and blue trousers with red stripe - say they were accused of recruiting at a Target department store here and told to leave.

"We weren't recruiting," according to Cpl. Carlos Rodriguez, 22, who said he returned in October from his second combat tour in Iraq. "I just popped in to say hi to a guy I went to high school with. He works there."

But an assistant manager who saw Rodriguez and the other Marine apparently thought otherwise and showed them the door, according to both servicemen.

Manager Brian Sherman, who was not in the Chesapeake South store Monday when the alleged incident happened, denied Friday that the Marines were ordered out. But he said he was told they were talking to employees.

"They were not asked to leave, in fact they walked around the store and continued to shop," Sherman said.

Target has a strict no-solicitation policy, he said.

Rodriguez said he and the other Marine were in the Target about 10 a.m. Monday, when they had some slack time from their duties. The second Marine, a private, asked not to be identified because he's new to the Corps, but he affirmed Rodriguez's account.

Rodriguez, who is getting out of the Marines in June, and the private, who just completed boot camp training at Parris Island, S.C., are both on temporary duty back in their hometown of Chesapeake.

While they are assigned to a local recruiting office, they are not recruiters and work only as assistants, Rodriguez said.

He said he was talking to his high school friend in Target "briefly and then we were walking toward the CDs when this guy comes out of nowhere. He was the shift manager, or something, and the first thing he started saying was, 'You guys are recruiters, right?' "

Sherman declined to identify the assistant manager because he had not talked to him yet.

The assistant manager said he couldn't have the Marines in the store soliciting workers for the military while they were on the company's clock, Rodriguez said.

"I didn't want to make a scene," Rodriguez said. "We were representing Marines anyway just by wearing the uniform, so I kept my mouth shut."

Then, Rodriguez said, "this retired Navy SEAL came up behind us and he said, 'You forget what... country this is,' and he goes off on (the assistant manager) saying, 'You have no right to throw them out of Target just because they are talking to one of your employees.' "

"He got everything out in the open that I was thinking, so I kind of left with a grin," Rodriguez said.

George Rodriguez, the corporal's father and a former Navy officer, said in an interview that he told his son, " Now you know how I felt the first time I came back from Vietnam because it was like that all over the country."

A Marine Corps official based in Norfolk, Col. Jenny Holbert, said Friday that while the uniform the Marines were wearing is typical of those worn by recruiters, Rodriquez and the private were not recruiters.

"Were they recruiting? That's inconsequential really," Holbert said.

Sherman said no one had filed a formal complaint.

He said he believed the incident has been blown out of proportion.

"We have a no-solicitation policy," Sherman said. "It has been in the news before. It's the same thing we went through with the Salvation Army and we give a lot of money to them. But we don't necessarily allow them to solicit on our property."

Target banned the Salvation Army's Christmas-time kettles from all its stores in 2004.

Sherman provided Target corporate statements that say since 2002, it has been "the victim of a misleading e-mail campaign, which grossly misrepresents our support of veterans and our soldiers."

"Target supports many charitable causes, including veterans' organizations," according to a statement. "For years we have donated funds and volunteer hours to local and national veteran and military organizations around the country."

Reach Jack Dorsey at (757) 446-2284 or jack.dorsey@pilotonline.com.

Ellie

[yellowwing]

Then, Rodriguez said, "this retired Navy SEAL came up behind us and he said, 'You forget what... country this is,' and he goes off on (the assistant manager) saying, 'You have no right to throw them out of Target just because they are talking to one of your employees.' "

"He got everything out in the open that I was thinking, so I kind of left with a grin," Rodriguez said.

That SEAL had their back!

[davblay]

Yeah Yellowwing, the Seals are the best Marines the Navy has got, Damn nice guys all of them when it comes to a crunch, they are there with us! Ooo-Rah

[gregba02]

Boy Cott Target...

[Mytcbra96]

I never liked Target anyway

[Sgt Leprechaun]

I'll be fowarding this to ALL of my Marine pals, and consquently boycotting TARGET in the future.

The manager should be fired, and Target should issue an apology. Otherwise, this is gonna go National in a heartbeat.

[thedrifter]

Target Store Denies Asking Marines to Leave
Monday , April 09, 2007

Two Marines say they were kicked out of a Target store in Virginia by a shift manager who they say falsely accused the uniform-wearing pair of recruiting, according to an area newspaper.

The store's manager denies the account, according to The Virginian-Pilot. Brian Sherman, who manages the Chesapeake South store, says he was not present when the incident allegedly took place but, "They were not asked to leave, in fact they walked around the store and continued to shop."

But 22-year-old Cpl. Carlos Rodriguez says he was talking to a high school friend who works in the store "when this guy comes out of nowhere. He was the shift manager, or something, and the first thing he started saying was, 'You guys are recruiters, right?' "

Rodriguez, who returned from his second tour in Iraq in October, says the man complained that the Marines were soliciting employees who were on company time.

"I didn't want to make a scene," Rodriguez told the paper. "We were representing Marines anyway just by wearing the uniform, so I kept my mouth shut."

Neither Rodriquez nor the other Marine work as recruiters, according to a Marine Corps official based in Norfolk. Both were wearing dress uniforms.

Sherman told the paper that he has not yet spoken to the assistant manager who was on duty at the time, but that no formal complaint has been filed. He also said that Target has a no-solicitation policy, which applies to groups like the Salvation Army.

Ellie

[somswife]

You can help them understand they should fire this guy and issue an apology by going to thier website and going to the contact us link at the bottom of the page and clicking through until you can send them an email telling them you feel this way. Maybe if we all let them know, this stupid assistant manager and his equally stupid boss who was not even in the store at the time but denies the Marines were evicted will themselves be evicted from Target!

I basically told them I will drive the extra miles to avoid their store that is right around the corner from me until they appropriately resolve this. I guess I wonder how long until one stupid employee is kicking out wives for wearing a Marine Corps t-shirt.

[gregba02]

this subject has already been posted but its good to keep it going to make every devil dog know whats going on...BOYCOTT TARGET...

[gregba02]

Thanks for the info somswife just sent them a comment and heres a copy of what i wrote...

To whomever this may concern,
I am a marine who is a member of website dedicated to all the marines who serve or have served in our beloved corps. We have over 40,000 members and word of the two marines who got booted out of your Chesapeake South store by the assistant manager has spread like wildfirefire. I am very upset that the assistant manager would tell two young marines to basically get the hell out. Trust me some of the old vietnam veterans are real upset due to they feel like these two marines were treated just the same as all the vietnam veterans from back in that era. Many members including me are vowing not to shop at you store until a formal apology has been made and action taken. Believe me when I say marines back each other up and hate when someone offends one of our brothers...SEMPER FI...

[gregba02]

Also wrote a letter to the person who wrote the article Mr. Jack Dorsey to keep me up to date with whats going on. You can click or copy his link
jack.dorsey@pilotonline.com.

[yellowwing]

Target email form
http://www.target.com/gp/help/displa...isplayLink=tsq

[fmoyer]

Done will no longer shop in any target store in Idaho. After my e-mail probly will not be allowed in any of thier stores.

[TheBiggness]

lol I can't afford to shop at Target anyway

[Sgt Leprechaun]

Done. And, I've fowarded this to ALL my Marine buddies (around 15) who will be sending it out to all THEIR friends as well.

Fire the manager, and issue and apology. Just that simple.