Military recruiters shouldn't have so much access to kids

[thedrifter]

Military recruiters shouldn't have so much access to kids
Star-Gazette - Jun 09

With the ever-increasing war dead and wounded in Iraq, I was glad to hear that local peace activists wish to talk about military recruiters in our schools. While I realize that the military offers opportunities for students who may not be otherwise college-bound, it is my personal opinion that there needs to be more balance and integrity to the process by which recruiters gain access to and influence over our children.

It has been my personal experience that against my often expressed and written objections, the school provided a sheltered environment for the recruiter to plan my son's future with him, without my involvement or oversight. Requests in writing that my child's information not be shared with the military did not deter them. Even though I expressed to our principal, school counselor and the recruiter that a career in the Marines was not an acceptable plan, my son was given the ASFAB and still met regularly with the recruiter at school.

Military recruiters are visibly present in schools more prominently than any job or college recruiters. While students are sold on the many different and educational opportunities available through the military, they are not completely made aware of the realities of their eight-year obligation. Some students have told me they likely won't be deployed or likely won't have to fight because of their chosen job path.

Young people who are in the unfortunate position of needing to support themselves independently upon high school graduation have told me that the military is their only viable option.

PAT BREUX

Elmira

Ellie

[marinemom]

"It has been my personal experience that against my often expressed and written objections, the school provided a sheltered environment for the recruiter to plan my son's future with him, without my involvement or oversight. Requests in writing that my child's information not be shared with the military did not deter them. Even though I expressed to our principal, school counselor and the recruiter that a career in the Marines was not an acceptable plan, my son was given the ASFAB and still met regularly with the recruiter at school."


Okay lady, as a former school board member, I am going to ask you a question - do you like the programs that get funded for the students in your district by the US Department of ducation dollars?

Do you like the fact that handicapped - either physically or scholastically - students have the resources to achieve success in school? And that they are able to physically access school buildings and sites?

Do you like the fact the the talented and gifted students in your district also have the advanced tools that they need and want in the school?

Do you like the fact that resources are available for anti-alcohol, substance abuse and anti-violence behavior, from kindergarten to 12th grade?

If so, then you thank the Department of Education for the federal dollars that get to your district - even if that money is routed through the state department of education.

These dollars are available to all local school districts - regardless of their location, ethnic make-up, or location, from the high dolalrs of Greenwich and Beverly Hills to the inner cities, reservations and other low income areas.

And for that assistance, about 15 years ago, there was a condition put to the receipt of these dollars: military recruiters have open access to all public high schools. Do not let them have access - there go your dollars.

Think about it - who do you want to deprive?

Oh, and by the way - it is ASVAB, not ASFAB. And you might be surprised how many school districts across the country, in every state, use that test in the early middle school years to determine student strength, weakness and career appitudes.

And, if your kid took the test in English - thank the US military.

[Sgt Leprechaun]

Typical.

I have no problem with them (any school) booting the military out of their 'august halls'. No problem at all. Just so long as they give up every-single-federal-tax-dollar at the same time. And every single federal 'aid' program.

And, while they are at it, the local school boards don't need to have gummint office space in the courthouse, or the local office bldg, if it is subsidized by federal tax money, either.

This is typical of this crowd, the ability to talk out of both sides of their mouth at the same time.

[jetdawgg]

Military recruiters are visibly present in schools more prominently than any job or college recruiters. While students are sold on the many different and educational opportunities available through the military, they are not completely made aware of the realities of their eight-year obligation. Some students have told me they likely won't be deployed or likely won't have to fight because of their chosen job path.

How about getting equal time to the students from these other entities? I think that she is asking about that.

Also if the students are being mislead by the recruiters then is that a scaleable policy?

[JinxJr]

When I was a Recruiter, schools had the option of restricting access and some did but all of them administered the ASVAB and all of the recruiters got copies of that. The schools that didn't let the recruiters in used the ASVAB precisely the way MARINEMOM explained...to identify the students' strengths and weaknesses. If a recruiter got to spend time with a student in the school to discuss career options it was because the STUDENT wanted to during a time the STUDENT could make available (during Study Hall, homeroom, etc.).
This Mom probably found out that her little darling had seen a Recruiter and, when she got mad he led her down the garden path, telling her what she wanted to hear.

[Sgt Leprechaun]

Who, exactly, says they are being 'mislead', other than the usual left wing groups that ALWAYS say that?

"Equal Time"??? If anything, that should be enforced for the military moreso than it is now.

[jetdawgg]

SGT Lep I am only going by the content in the message. So it has to be the writer.

If the recruiters are being misleading to the students, then how scaleable a model is that? More and more will pull away from their sons and daughters joining the Military.

Hey, some of the schools I went to in NYC were so tough, the recruiters, the businesses nor the police would show up

[Sgt Leprechaun]

LOL.

I agree, BTW, that recruiters shouldn't be lying to the kids or telling them nonsense ("Sure, we can station you less than 10 miles from here" "You won't be going to Iraq, I promise!" ect ect). But, I also believe that its an extremely tiny fraction of recruiters doing that.

The whole shouldn't be painted with the same broad brush, due to the misconduct of a couple.

[jetdawgg]

True that. People need to understand that joining the Marines means you may have to issue American policy with your life on the line.

I certainly understood that when I joined and my recruiters did not lie about that.

[Sgt Leprechaun]

Nor did mine. Of course, the 'breed' joining the Marines is a different animal entirely, who actually WANT to go and do that!

[10thzodiac]

For your amusement I submit the following by Northwestern senior, Henry M. Bowles III:

But there’s a more permanent reason to keep the military away from our brightest students. Young males are easily manipulated during the period of their lives when they exist outside the female domain, after the mother and before the wife. They are above all eager to demonstrate masculinity. With its promises of order, fraternity and cohesion, the military taps into this angst. A real tragedy occurs when a young man, susceptible to the military’s appeal and nonetheless intelligent and creative, signs up to become cannon fodder. He’ll probably leave the military alive, but he’ll have been irreversibly molded, less inclined to dissent. Less intelligent people are better equipped for most military positions, and have far less to lose.

[jetdawgg]

Nor did mine. Of course, the 'breed' joining the Marines is a different animal entirely, who actually WANT to go and do that!

[jetdawgg]

Nor did mine. Of course, the 'breed' joining the Marines is a different animal entirely, who actually WANT to go and do that!

[jetdawgg]

For your amusement I submit the following by Northwestern senior, Henry M. Bowles III:

But there’s a more permanent reason to keep the military away from our brightest students. Young males are easily manipulated during the period of their lives when they exist outside the female domain, after the mother and before the wife. They are above all eager to demonstrate masculinity. With its promises of order, fraternity and cohesion, the military taps into this angst. A real tragedy occurs when a young man, susceptible to the military’s appeal and nonetheless intelligent and creative, signs up to become cannon fodder. He’ll probably leave the military alive, but he’ll have been irreversibly molded, less inclined to dissent. Less intelligent people are better equipped for most military positions, and have far less to lose.

Another name for the Marines

[003XXMarineDAD]

Less intelligent people are better equipped for most military positions, and have far less to lose.

It sounds like John FN Kerry and the current Dnc. Inc. doing this quote.
Here again is a perfect example of the elite in academia not useing the brain.
If this was true about the military they failed on both Jet and 10th because they are full of dissent