I want to be the first kid on my block with a confirmed kill

[Headhunter]

Well 21+, I was just reading an article I found today that I thought was very interesting. it has to do with branches of the military scouring high schools for potential recuits. This got me thinking back a few years circa 2002-2003 where there were military recruiters at my high school trying to persuade impressionable youth into enlisting.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-recruit9-2008jun09,0,7576883.story

I know a few of my friends back then stated interest in the military and I know at least few of them ended up joining, along with a few I never could have pictured in the military. I myself have received phone calls from recuiters several times in the 5 years since I've graduated trying to convince me to join the military which undoubetedly is the result of the No Child Left Behind Act, as I never talked to any recruiters in High School.

The act, as the article explains, states that schools are required by law to provide recruiters with student names, addresses, ect in their efforts to bolster ranks. Many people, such as the activists the article centers around, have a problem with these practices and want it to stop.

I personally have no problem with it as (I would hope) high schoolers who are interested in enlisitng have enough sense to think the decision over, discuss it with their parents and so forth before they ultimately decide for or against it. I can, however, understand how some of these activists who are against these drives believe that the military leaves out the grim details of army life in hopes of getting potential recruits to say yes.

What do you all think?

And four overseas members: I'm curious, do this happen in schools in your countries?

No bulleted talking points this time...


Ha! I'm kiddin' ya.

Discuss:
-How you feel about military recruiters in High Schools
-Are these counter-recruitment activists right in their efforts to undermine the military?
-How Headhunter's a dirty liar.  

[damnatio memoriae]

Interesting topic. I participated in ROTC (Navy) in high school. I had a blast getting a taste of military life, but I always knew that the military wasn't the place for me. That being said, I have always had an issue with recruiters. They are like high pressure sales men at car dealerships. I always avoided them and I think they didn't pay to much attention to me because I'm a girl. I don't think that they should be permanently stationed at high schools. Colleges, sure. High schoolers, point blank are minors and military recruiters shouldn't be discussing anything with a student without their parents present. They have quotas they have to fill and they are willing to say and do anything to get your signature on the line. That's an unfair advantage when a high schooler, who has no real life experience, is face to face with that kind of sneakiness. I think that having a military career day where the recruiters are on hand for, like, an assembly or something would be fine, but targeting students on a daily basis isn't right. I have more to say, but for now I'll leave it at that...  

[Doressa]

Wow! As some of you know, I'm in Australia (hence a lot of strange start times for competitions *curse that time difference*) and I've never encountered anything like this!! There are plenty of advertisements on tv and at movies etc, but I don't ever recall anyone coming to speak to us at school(Sablara, am I wrong about that?) if they did though, it would only have been one hour or so in our final year, and they just would have been letting us know what a career in the military is all about, we had an hour set aside each week for someone to come in and talk to us about career possibilities from a whole bunch of different fields. I certainly haven't ever been approached over the phone or through the mail about joining up. I understand the need they have to recruit people, but I personally would have a huge problem with my address being supplied without my permission, not just to the military, but to anyone!

Over here, the advertising emphasises the benefits of joining the navy or the army, mainly focussing on the free education aspect.  

[AntoniaMerEnfant]

I think kids that age are so impressionable- it seems a little uncouth. Especially since a big lure is the perks from the G.I. Bill. I think kids shouldn't be joining the military because it's the only way to finance a college education.


To me the biggest pull to join the military is to honestly defend the country. If people believed in what they were fighting for I don't think the military would have to seem so... shifty about their recruiting tactics. Once upon a time people went to war to fight for something bigger and better than a pay check. Though I can't say what my Grandfather's motivation was when he fought in WWII-- he died before I was born so I can't ask.

I think dying for your country is one matter, killing for it another. Let's face it, if you get deployed they aren't sending you out there with a bouquet of daisies for the enemy. Maybe someone who has been in the service or is in the service can tell me if they have any sort of training/preparation for the implications of killing. To me that seems like it would be highly stressful-- something that you would need a lot of help to be able to handle. I know the training in boot camp helps soldiers adjust to the physical stress of war-- but what about the emotional stress?

That's my worry. 18 year olds are so young, are they prepared to lay eyes on civilian casualties?  

[Sablara]

I think they came to my brothers school to recruit for ADFA (Australian Defence Force Academy) and I know they advertise on TV a lot. They offer to pay for all your uni fees, feed you, house you AND pay you a full time wage while you study. It's a pretty good deal if you don't want to worry about the financial side of attending university. I think you are then "stuck" for 4 years of duty. My brother started in the navy, but pulled out after 6 months. Two of my younger cousins joined the army straight out of school, but were not eligable for the uni (as they didn't meet the school exam marks needed). I know a few others who have done that too....joined straight out of school.

Quite frankly, I can't think of anything worse....but I am glad that there are people who want to fight for our country.  

[Buyu]

I was tempted, seriously tempted into joining the Air Force ROTC when I was in high school. But then supreme laziness set in.

I guess I don't really feel one way or another about the military trying to enlist young'uns. I think it can be good though. There's a couple of people I know who learned focus and discipline (These are things they really needed.) from their time in the military. I mean, I suppose it does offer a sense of unity and belonging if one doesn't have that. And from what I hear, it's not really about fighting for one's country as so much as the guy next to you. I mean, I wouldn't blink about taking a bullet for a friend, but I'm not sure I would do so for my country. (Not to say it ain't a nice place, but it's not the only place.)  

[Yonsan]

I had planned on joining the Air Force and haven't ruled it out all together yet. I'd really like to fly the unmanned predator planes their putting out (since my eyesight prevents me from flying something in person). I remember the recruiters at my school constantly and on my college campuses too. I really don't think they do any harm, and some kids really should consider military service. I would like it if they took no for an answer though. I'm still getting calls from the army, national guard and reserves asking if I've reconsidered since high school.  

[AntoniaMerEnfant]

Yonsan

I had planned on joining the Air Force and haven't ruled it out all together yet. I'd really like to fly the unmanned predator planes their putting out (since my eyesight prevents me from flying something in person). I remember the recruiters at my school constantly and on my college campuses too. I really don't think they do any harm, and some kids really should consider military service. I would like it if they took no for an answer though. I'm still getting calls from the army, national guard and reserves asking if I've reconsidered since high school.

You were considering the service? Why didn't I ever know!  

[kekadu]

damnatio memoriae

High schoolers, point blank are minors and military recruiters shouldn't be discussing anything with a student without their parents present.

I very much agree with this point, damnatio. I feel ultimately, if they're adults, it's the individual's decision. I would hope that they would try to get an informed perspective, talking to people on different sides of the issue, but I doubt that happens much.

I know military recruiters come to the job fairs at my university and there's always people protesting it. So much that now we always have police at those events and ID requirements and stuff....it's really scared a lot of people away from the career fairs in general. It's kind of sad... Especially when you're in college, it's your own decision, I think. I personally don't agree with the killing that goes along with the war and the military morally, but I'm not going to impose that on other people just like I would hope that they wouldn't impose it upon me.  

[Yonsan]

AntoniaMerEnfant

You were considering the service? Why didn't I ever know!

I ruled it out completely some years back until Bush is out of office. I don't trust him to declare war for a just cause. So it's just never come up.