Press Release

Happy Mission Day!

I am going to get down to the nitty gritty with this article. This is an editorial at least. My first problem is that the writer is attacking the President's one line: "To those watching tonight who are considering a military career, there is no higher calling than service in our Armed Forces." I applaud the man for putting the idea out there in such a public manner.

Then the author then puts his uneducated 2 cents in:

How to replenish the ranks during a bloody war with no end in sight? Among the options, each with drawbacks:

-Recruiting more women. Opening more jobs to women would help fill the ranks, but it would also bring women closer to combat. Already, many conservatives say the Army has gone too far, citing incidents such as last week's ambush in Fallujah, where three servicewomen died.

Bring it on. Right now, we have to recruit 7 upper mental group women to get 1 lower female seat. Women have proven themselves. HOWEVER, if you want to play with fire, the female soldier/sailor/marine/airman needs to be held to the EXACT same standards for physical testing including the Physical Readiness exams.

-Lowering standards. Recruiters are already taking more high school dropouts and recruits who score lower on aptitude tests. But research shows such recruits are harder to train, more likely to be discipline problems and less likely to complete their first tours.

The only standard that needs to be removed is the tattoo screening policy. That is the mosasininene policy that we have. We already have low enough standards. However, some of the most driven recruits and S/S/A/M's are in that CAT 4 category or just above. You really cannot judge completely on aptitude, but our standards are low enough.

-Ending anti-gay discrimination. Enlisting openly gay soldiers would mean repealing the "don't ask, don't tell" rule, which has led to 10,000 servicemembers being forced out since 1993. The military and Congress oppose the repeal.

I am no fan of intermingling of homosexual and straight in combat or in the military in general, but we could have an entire division of homosexuals in the Army. I am picturing the scene from South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut with "Operation Get Behind in the Darkies". I do not believe that will happen. If it does, I will paint my recruiting office a nice shade of pink.

-Enlisting more non-citizens. As today's front-page Cover Story relates, thousands of non-citizens are enlisting with the promise of expedited path to U.S. citizenship. A surge in non-U.S. soldiers, however, would give the U.S. military a mercenary flavor.

I only wish we could get Hispanicanic crowd to come in my office. I think that we should ADVERTISE the fast track to citizenship for joining. As a matter of fact, if someone wants to join and they are here illegally, I think they should be able to join under a tempoary work visa. After 2 years of proven service in the military, then gepermanentnent resident status. After 4, US citizen. If you are willing to work for this country, I am willing to work for you and let you work arm in arm with me.

-Raising enlistment incentives. The Army has offered shorter enlistments and is about to ask Congress for approval to raise the top enlistment bonus to $40,000. Money might prove to be the most powerful tool, but that risks having the poor shoulder U.S. battles even more than in past conflicts.

I am so tired of this "the poor are fighting Bush's war" B.S. I have attacked this subject before. If "poor" folks are fighting, it is because they are the only ones willing to fight in the Entitlement Generation. I am "part" of this generation. I got the entitlement knocked out of me. I know that this is part of the class warfare that has spurred the Democratic Party, but why take it to the military? We, the military, are not pawns. IF you do not want the poor fighting the war, pay us more. That then ends the argument. IF the military is paid more, thereby competing with entry level jobs (not just through "incentive packages" which company'spanys do not put a price tag on) people would have a higher propensity to enlist.

This brings me to my last point. This month's unemployment figures are at 5.1%. The last time the Army had troubles recruiting was in the late 90's tech boom when every kid thought and pretty much could get out of high school and work for a dot com. Our unemployment rate Aprilapril 9Januarynuary 99 was from 4.3-4.5%. This was the last time that the army had troubles. Yes, you are right, the war has something to do with getting those that taht "want money for college". But those other booger eaters that only only get entry level jobs for the rest of their days are sticking with changing oil for 20 years and no advancement to even assistant manager instead of talking to a recruiter about the military. One of the disadvantages of pushing for "x million new jobs" is that the new jobs are weighted to the lower end, which it has to be. If a company hired 5 new executives at 100 grand, they could hire 20 new oil changers at 25k. If they hire executives, they get complained (by certain dems) about because they are not focusethen teh little man. And the Dems will then turn and say that the only jobs that are being created are little guy jobs. The same little guys that vote for them.

I hope everyone's mission day was good. If it wasn't, keep charging. It will change with hard work. If you are in charge, give your recruiters a night off.

Militantpundit posted @ 9:28 PM

Wednesday, June 29, 2005

I have two words for these folks

Press release

Leave My Child Alone Coalition Urges Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to Start National 'Do Not Call' List for Military Recruiting
Wednesday June 29, 6:00 am ET

BOLINAS, Calif., June 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Leave My Child Alone coalition called on Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to establish a National Do Not Call List to safeguard family privacy from unwanted military recruitment.

This initiative is in response to recent revelations that the Pentagon, in violation of the Family Education Right to Privacy Act (FREDA), created and now uses a mega-database of private information on 30 million Americans ages 16 to 25, without anyone's consent. The updated www.leavemychildalone.org web site shows parents how to "Opt Out" of such Pentagon lists.

"Millions applauded when the FCC formed a Do Not Call List for consumers. Now we need the armed forces to create one to protect our children's privacy," says Megan Matson, founder of the Mainstream Moms Operation Blue (the MMOB) and member of LeaveMyChildAlone.org coalition. "The Pentagon has no right to pressure our kids to enlist -- that should be a private, family decision."

While the coalition maintains that such a database of minors shouldn't exist at all in this age of data theft and security breaches, it is committed to providing families with the tools they need to remove their children's information from the military recruitment portion of those lists.

Updated daily and distributed monthly to military recruiters, the mega-database (known as Joint Advertising and Marketing Research and Studies, (or JAMMERS) was consolidated and is managed by a private marketing firm, BeNow Inc., of Wakefield, Mass. The database consists of information such as cell phone numbers, e-mail addresses, height, weight, ethnicity, and areas of study. LeaveMyChildAlone.org coalition believes that by failing to notify and invite public comment before JAMMERS' began in 2002, as required by law, the Pentagon is in violation of the Privacy Act.

Screw you. (MilitantWife edited me to the more pussified saying)

These whiney, candy assed little wimps cannot handle a freaking phone call from one of the most polite, professional salesmen in the WORLD. Hey folks, if you do not scream at us, call us names, or tell us that your kid is going to college when he cannot even spell his name right and he is #141 of 142 graduating in his class, we usually will only call you once in the fall, once in the spring, and once near or just past graduation. If you are an ass you will get more phone calls. We like killing you with kindness. If your kid wants to be in the military and he creates a lead somehow, we will call until YOUR CHILD tells us that he is not interested.

Speaking of JAMMERS, I only WISH I had something like this. No one has any access to what they are talking about.

Oh... the favorite... wait for it...

"The Pentagon has no right to pressure our kids to enlist -- that should be a private, family decision."

(insert whiney tone here) We don't like recruiters! We want this to be an uninformed decision on a career! (/winey tone) Their booger-eating-moron of a son who licks the window of the short bus, has no people or life skills at all who can make a 35 on the ASVAB (or even 31 right now... CAT 4 Baby!) is going to the Univ. of Illinois. I see that happening. He cannot even hear about the advantages of the military. Screw him. Let him bag groceries for the rest of his life and live off of my tax dollars. (disclaimer: bagging groceries is an honorable job for someone 16-20... and I appreciate them immensely)

I am going to put the contact info lady's name just so when she google's her name, I will be the first hit. Felicity Crush Julie Pezzino... see my two words above for you. Unedited.

Militantpundit posted @ 10:20 PM

in a word... Booyah!

We told you guys that we would get this turd turned around. All of the branches made it this month.

The J.F. Mam's are over. I am sure that the Army is going to inflate it's goals over the next three months to make up their defecit. I hate looking over into the next office and seeing them working so late, but they made their mission early this month and they were just happy as they could be.

My office doubled it's mission attainment this month. That has been a great weight off my shoulders. We are rolling.

Congrats to all of the other recruiters out there!

Militantpundit posted @ 9:55 PM

For all of you in IL miffed by the SCOTUS

Get on the phone, call Steve Rauschenberger's office tomorrow and tell him that you are behind him and his idea for a bill to limit Government's ability to take your private property for private gain.

His office phone number is 847.622.1049

Thanks to the Peoria Pundit, and by proxy, Rich Miller.

Militantpundit posted @ 9:18 PM

Tuesday, June 28, 2005

Best Press release EVER!

From Freestar Media

Press Release

For Release Monday, June 27 to New Hampshire media
For Release Tuesday, June 28 to all other media

Weare, New Hampshire (PRWEB) Could a hotel be built on the land owned by Supreme Court Justice David H. Souter? A new ruling by the Supreme Court which was supported by Justice Souter himself itself might allow it. A private developer is seeking to use this very law to build a hotel on Souter's land.

Justice Souter's vote in the "Kelo vs. City of New London" decision allows city governments to take land from one private owner and give it to another if the government will generate greater tax revenue or other economic benefits when the land is developed by the new owner.

On Monday June 27, Logan Darrow Clements, faxed a request to Chip Meany the code enforcement officer of the Towne of Weare, New Hampshire seeking to start the application process to build a hotel on 34 Cilley Hill Road. This is the present location of Mr. Souter's home.

Clements, CEO of Freestar Media, LLC, points out that the City of Weare will certainly gain greater tax revenue and economic benefits with a hotel on 34 Cilley Hill Road than allowing Mr. Souter to own the land.

The proposed development, called "The Lost Liberty Hotel" will feature the "Just Desserts Café" and include a museum, open to the public, featuring a permanent exhibit on the loss of freedom in America. Instead of a Gideon's Bible each guest will receive a free copy of Ayn Rand's novel "Atlas Shrugged."

Clements indicated that the hotel must be built on this particular piece of land because it is a unique site being the home of someone largely responsible for destroying property rights for all Americans.

"This is not a prank" said Clements, "The Towne of Weare has five people on the Board of Selectmen. If three of them vote to use the power of eminent domain to take this land from Mr. Souter we can begin our hotel development."

Clements' plan is to raise investment capital from wealthy pro-liberty investors and draw up architectural plans. These plans would then be used to raise investment capital for the project. Clements hopes that regular customers of the hotel might include supporters of the Institute For Justice and participants in the Free State Project among others.

# # #

Logan Darrow Clements
Freestar Media, LLC

Militantpundit posted @ 7:32 PM

Friday, June 24, 2005

And the DUH award goes to...

ABC News!

I must say, just the headline made me want to get up and smack a pollster.

Poll Finds Most Oppose Return to Draft, Wouldn't Encourage Children to Enlist

Hmmm. No one in the military wants a return to the draft! Hell even Donald Rumsfeld does not want a draft! I do not know anyone who wants a draft! My favorite line from this one is:

"...although men, older Americans and Republicans were most likely to say it's a good idea, an AP-Ipsos poll found."

Wait a minute. Most likely? That sounds a little subjective, Don't you think?

Funny.

Draft Counselors are popping back up. This time they are trying to get their hands on the community early.

Oh well.

Militantpundit posted @ 10:17 PM

Thursday, June 23, 2005

First day back

Oh my goodness. I show up and wow. My office was in complete disarray. The recruiters have done a great job pushing themselves further than ever, but they did not do ANY admin.

The first thing that I noticed was the notice on the wall about the Marine recruiter in Washington. Basically it said, watch what you are going.

There was nothing really interesting today with the exception of the "National Database". Hey folks, we already have a database. It is broken down by stations, but instead of a company doing the leg work, we do. National Recruiting will do mass mailouts to every senior we have on file sometime around February, right before Spring Break, peddling phone cards if you call in to get it activated. The only difference is that we have to let each of the other branches know that we put someone in the service. We are all in the same geographic location so it is pretty easy. It saves their time, and our DEP family's time.

I suspect that this is just another ploy to push back the No Child Left behind act. Ah well.

I will let you know more tomorrow. I think that the Militantwife and I are going to go camping this weekend for a little R&R, now that I can enjoy myself off of convalescence leave.

Militantpundit posted @ 10:05 PM

Wednesday, June 22, 2005

Back from Formula None

Oh boy. What a weekend.

For starters, my family and I were treated like royalty. We ended up sitting in the terrace suites where they pamper you like no other. We had a police- escorted motorcade to the race in the morning, basically the best tickets money cannot buy, food, drinks, open bar, everything within about 20 feet. It looked to me like this was going to be an "overload weekend" where things are just so good that you end up getting numb to how good you really have it at the moment.

Boy was I wrong.

For all of you NAS(ty)CAR fans out there, F1 is a different breed. These are all prototype cars, where you can have an advantage over the next guy. F1 you cheer for teams by name, drivers by name, not "that #8 car" like I hear so often. It is all competition, all the time. So Michelin showed up with an inferior tire because no teams choose to test in America. Michelin was having trouble keeping their tires from blowing out through turn 13 (or turn 1 for the Indy 500 fans out there) because the speed combined with the banked surface, new track surfacing, etc.

So there we are, sitting through the Formula BMW race, The Corral of Cars were beautiful, and we made it back in time to sit down, turn on the speed channel in the Penthouse to the news. Michelin did not want to race because of turn 13. None of us knew what would happen next.

The parade lap began. Out goes the Bridgestone teams: Ferrari, Minardi and Jordan. Then after about 3 or so minutes, the Michelin teams come out. Toyota first, then Williams, then the rest. The parade laps were over, the Formation came up to the line, and off they went to warm up the tires. Ok we are going to race. Happy boy. Happy Family (not that REALLY bad Chinese Food dish) .They all come around turn 13 and what happens. All of the Michelin teams pull into the pits. At this point it looked like it was going to be a "we are going to change our tires and you cannot do anything about it" so we waited for the green light and all of the teams would fly out of the pits. Um... come on guys. Come out. We finally could get the camera to focus down there and we saw the BAR team taking the cars into the Garage. Oh no. What the hell is going on now?

So we got to see a Ferrari Test Session. Yes there were two other teams out there. But come on, it would be like An Olympian and a Special Olympian with Ferrari and Minardi/ Jordan. No excitement. No anything. It was horrible.

So now the FIA is charging the teams with multiple counts in the Int'l Sporting Court for their actions.
? failed to ensure that they had a supply of suitable tyres for the race
? wrongfully refused to allow their cars to start the race
? wrongfully refused to allow their cars to race, subject to a speed restriction in one corner which was safe for such tyres as they had available
? combined with other teams to make a demonstration damaging to the image of Formula One by pulling into the pits immediately before the start of the race
? failed to notify the stewards of their intention not to race, in breach of Article 131 of the FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations.

I must say that I agree with the charges. The teams RUINED the experience for over 100,000 fans at Indy, and millions on millions around the world. I still had a good time. All of the other stuff overshadowed the race. I can always say that I was at the race that No one raced.

Our families are now gone. They all flew back to their respective homes and we are back to normal here. I go back to work tomorrow as well. It will be a bad time. Things have been going well at work lately from what I have heard. I should have a good amount to talk about recruiting wise when I get back in the saddle.

Militantpundit posted @ 9:45 AM

Monday, June 13, 2005

Forwards... the Blog way

To my surprise this morning, I am now part of the "cool kids". Guy at Snugg Harbor has pinned me with one of these Meme things. I read it as chain letter spam, but I will participate. I have not really thought about this subject before, so without further adieu...

1. What's the last popular tune that got stuck in your head?

Just Be from DJ Tiesto. That is not so terribly popular, but it lives with me, even if I just think about the song... Damn you Guy!!!! Ugh...

2. What popular tunes do you most dread to hear, because they get stuck in your head?

The Zoom-Zoom kid and song from the Mazda Commercials. That freaking jingle just gets in my head and never goes away.

One thing that I do all of the time is sing "The Tonight Show" theme music back when Johnny Carson was hosting it. There was a guy that I worked with that started it and I do it now. Grr!

3. When last you were in a commercial establishment, and their "courtesy" music caused a tune to get stuck in your head:
a. Where were you?
b. What was the tune?
c. Did you complete the transaction you'd gone there for, or did you flee screaming and vowing never to return?

At the local BMW dealership sitting... patiently... waiting for my car to emerge from the back with all of the new goodies attached. I could not tell you what the tune was, but it was hideous. I had to go drool on the show cars (mmmm.... nice cars... also a MB and Porsche dealership) to get the tune out.

4. When last a television commercial caused a tune to get stuck in your head:
a. What was the commercial for?
b. What was the tune?
c. Did you shrug it off, or vow never again to patronize the establishment?

For all of the WLS fans out there: 1-8-7-7 KARS-4-KIDS... K-A-R-S KARS-4-KIDS

I hate that song, yet I sing along with it all of the time. Jake Hartford, the turd on one of the morning weekend shows, is said to be one of the voices on the song. I want to choke him for that. If not, then he loses turd status.

5. What is your usual recourse when a tune gets irritatingly, stubbornly, maddeningly stuck in your head?

Kick and scream until I can get to the nearest radio.

6. What five bloggers would you like to afflict, ah, infect with this meme?

I will be the official killer of this meme...um... forward.

Thanks for playing.

Militantpundit posted @ 9:40 PM

Sunday, June 12, 2005

Democrats kicking the draft card again

I knew it would come to this.

Joseph Biden, the top Democrat of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, made the prediction after new data released by the Pentagon showed the US Army failing to meet its recruitment targets for four straight months.

"We're going to have to face that question," Biden said on NBC's "Meet the Press" television show when asked if it was realistic to expect restoration of the draft.

I love it when the draft is brought up. I have such a good plan. The draft is such a good recruiting tool. If you do it right, say... 10,000 people a month. Publicize the piss out of that policy, but do not actually draft anyone. People will line up in droves outside of recruiting stations to get into the branch of choice. All of the recruiting manuals have a section for the Draft.

But while admitting that restoring the draft would be politically "very difficult," Senator Patrick Leahy, the ranking Democrat of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said something will have to be done because the situation with recruitment was not likely to improve.

"If you think you have trouble getting recruits today, you're going to have far more trouble six months from now," Leahy predicted on CBS's "Face the Nation" program. "It is not going to get better. That's going to get worse."

Anyone remember Campaign 2004 when Kerry kept pushing the back Door Draft issue? I love it now. Only the Legislature can turn on the draft. I am certain that it will not happen. They will keep throwing money at it. That is the Governments way. They will cut the bonuses for the Navy and Air Force because they are doing ok now, but that will push them to issues later on. Here is an interesting thought... oh... snap...

The army, navy and marine corps reserves also fell short of their monthly goals by 18 percent, six percent and 12 percent respectively, according to the figures.

Recruitment at the Army National Guard was down 29 percent while the Air National Guard fell short 22 percent.

According to the office mates, the Navy Reserve has been WAY worse until the active and Reserve Navy came together. The Marine Reserves are doing ok, just a bad month, and the Army Reserve is plagued with the same issues. The Army and Reserve look the same and on the street, the entitlement kids will not talk to them. The National Guard and Air NG get a Yearly quota vice a Monthly. The NG usually makes their yearly mission somewhere around April-May.

Any one ever notice that Bin Laden mixed together would be Biden? Just a thought.

Militantpundit posted @ 6:30 PM

Friday, June 10, 2005

Journalist sticking to her guns

He...He.... He...

I must say that this woman has Gov. Blago's "Testicular fortitude". The lady who wrote the article that charged me up yesterday, is defending her story.

Her defense is based off a few e-mails that ran the gamete from the recruiters were right to recruiters should be banned. The loudest critics were Gregory Gadow and Ted Fitch, a website designer for MJM and Associates.

With feelings about military recruiters in our high schools running hot, many, Gregory Gadow, Ted Fitch and others included, called for action against the recruiters (who did not return requests for interviews), for going beyond the call to fill their quotas.

Here is my favorite section of her article.

They accused the teen, his mother, and the other relatives and friends who witnessed pieces of Axel's experience of lying. They called the boy a wimp and worse. And, without knowing anything about her, they called his mother a control freak for tracking her boy to Seattle and, with her daughter's help, springing him from the testing center.

She did not actually say anything rebutting the statements made in her e-mail. From the outside, driving a far distance to get your kid from doing what he wanted seems a little controlling. The boy could be a wimp. He might be a wimp. He had his mom, at the very least, tell the recruiters that he was not interested. That to me is not masculine. Which in male form, could be defined as a WIMP.

He had to run away from his own mother to join the Marines and so did his son, wrote Michael G. Jackson, Col., USMC (retired). Who signed off with: "If you can read this, thank a teacher. If it's in English, thank a U.S. Marine."

You can see from her writing the last line of that paragraph that she does not understand how the Military works, does not appreciate it and wants nothing to do with the military.

I am sick:

And, after 12 years as a U.S. Army recruiter, Lonnie Dotson offered these tips (assuming that the teen truly does not want to join):

"Call the recruiting station commander, the recruiters' commanding officer and/or the command sergeant major and complain.

Hmmm... All ours will do is send down an e-mail saying "good job, but cool your jets a little"

Call or write your elected official -- the military will drop everything to respond.

I will Smack you in an instant for that one. Let me tell you one thing... if you pull that with one recruiter, we have ways... oh do we have ways... lead cards are easy to create. I will go to Army.com, Navy.com, Airforce.com, 1-800-go-guard.com, marines.com, gocoastguard.com, and put your name, address and phone number into each. That is 6 hungry recruiters that will call you and call you. Oh, and don't forget changing the zip code... then you have different cities recruiters calling you.

Fail the written test on purpose.

Can't do anything about that one.

Fail the physical, tell the recruiters you take mind-altering drugs, or that you're a convicted felon waiting for your parole to finish.

We verify... Especially if you are a lead.

And lastly, call a reporter."

I hope you call one of my local reporters. They are usually taken out for lunch at least once a month by at least one of the services. We like to have as many people on our side as we can... they are called Centers of Influence. This recruiter needs his ass kicked. It seems as if he is a favorite of the Seattle News Media. Dotson however served VERY honorably in Vietnam, so his ass only needs to be kicked... a little.

We then find out that Axel is staying at home at Community College. WIMP. WUSSASS.

I love that word.

Militantpundit posted @ 10:30 PM

Thursday, June 09, 2005

Army looks to raise bonuses to 40K

Coolness.

WASHINGTON — The Army wants to double the top cash bonus for new recruits to $40,000 in an effort to stem a continued recruiting shortfall in the midst of the Iraq war.

As another incentive, the Army is proposing a pilot program to provide up to $50,000 in home mortgage help for recruits who sign up for eight years of active duty, Lt. Col. Thomas Collins said in an interview Thursday. Congress must approve both plans.

Alright. This will not help the fact that kids nowadays do not believe in giving back to your country. This will just get people into the seats without getting to the problem. There is no way to fix the problem in the short run, so, like always, if you throw money at the problem, the problem tends to go away.

How many recruits have mortgages when they come in? Are they going to take away BAH for those Soldiers? If they don't, then you have issues about Private Pile and Private Benjamin getting 2 different pays, which is why the Army did not want to give reparations to Reservists and National Guard soldiers.

Militantpundit posted @ 11:57 PM

Marine recruiter kidnaps applicant

Oh My Gawd! This has to be the worst story that I have ever read.

I am going to show all of my readers how you can see that the kid wanted to join.

First, the Marines had this kids phone number, name and birthday. How you ask? He was a LEAD! This kid wanted something. He went to the website, sent in a card to get a keychain, etc. The recruiters were admittedly happy, they had a damn LEAD! Woohoo! It is a kick ass day when we get a lead in.

Second, after the Mom said that her son did not want to talk, somehow the kid ended up at a marine recruiting event. These Pull-up contests always drum up interest. It gets at kids soul.... Competition. People who are marines are marines for a reason. They do not even like being in the same class as the military. They want it to be the other 3 branches... And then the marines above all of them. It is just normal to them. And they want kids with that same tenacity. This one did. And he had the fortitude to stand up against mom. The kid found the Marines. Do any of you believe that the Mom would have given any contact information to the Marines? She already said that she refused to answer the Marines calls.

The thought of the mom giving this account makes me laugh and throw up in my mouth a little. She said...

At about 3:30 in the morning, Alex was awakened in the motel and fed a little something. Twelve hours later, without further sleep or food, he had taken a battery of tests and signed a lot of papers he hadn't gotten a chance to read. "Just formalities," he was told. "Sign here. And here. Nothing to worry about."

This stinks. If you are STUPID enough to sign something without reading it, you deserve what it is that you signed. I am betting that the kid was ready to go, wanted to join, was ready to join, and then...

Then, with her grown daughter in tow, she high-tailed it south, frantically phoning Axel whose cell phone had been confiscated "so he wouldn't be distracted during tests."

Axel's grandfather was in the hospital dying, she told the people at the desk. He needed to come home right away. She would have said just about anything.

But, even after being told her son would be brought right out, her daughter spied him being taken down a separate hall and into another room. So she dashed down the hall and grabbed him by the arm.

Yep. No phones allowed at the MEPS site. Mom lied to the Government. I bet that the desk watch called the Marine office, they talked to the kid and he said... get me sworn in before I talk to them. It just so happened that the sister had a keen eye. So. Now. Not only has the kid's life been screwed up, but the recruiter WASTED OVER A YEAR with this little asshole just to not have him stand up to his mom at the time that he needed to.

A little clue to anyone who wants to be a recruiter: this crap happens everyday in recruiting. It does not help that this made the news, but with a little training and reading past the hippie talk (Mom grew Organic Lettuce for Seattle Restaurants) you can see that this is just an extreme case of No Authority to Buy.

Militantpundit posted @ 6:45 PM

Ode to missing Goal

Oh the mission...
How elusive you are...
You have been so good to me and so bad to others...

It happened again. Even with a goal reduction nationally, the Army still could only come up with 75% of the asses in seats. It would have been 63%, but National shifted the target to the summer.

I have to file a bit of a complaint abut the numbers around the divorces that all of the stories are touting. Guess what? When you leave, things change. Mommy turns into daddy and when daddy returns, Dad has to adjust to being just someone in the house for a couple of weeks while Mom is letting him get back to having the job that he was taken away from. This is very hard on alot of the guys coming back. If they are not ready to come back and not "come home" so to speak, it can be very stressful. Even beyond that, it can be downright hate filled. These poor guys are coming back from a stressful situation, to come back to a different stress-filled environment.

And then you run into cheating wives. The story that this woman tells is not an isolated event. Granted it is a navy story, but those boys have been dealing with deployments forever. It is not a new thing like it is for the army. So now the divorce rate is going up in the army. Who'da thunk it? When you take away a partner for a long time, the dreams of what the partner is like, especially after an extended period, become so grandiose that the partner cannot match the dream. And coming back into the marriage with a letdown is not a good foot to start on.

Nice. Another Anti-recruiting site. This one looks a little better, I must admit, than the counter-recruiting website. One thing that I appreciate is the breakdown for the MGIB. I tell everyone about the issues surrounding the MGIB. There is always the (SERVICE NAME HERE) College Fund that will kick your MGIB benefits up to a certain amount. (ie, the Army College Fund is 50,000. Technically it is only 14,000 because it kicks the 36000 up to 50000)

For all of the military members that come by my humble abode, here is a list (granted it is only 4) of bands that are against military recruiting. Please help me out by not buying any of their music. If you have to have your fix, download it.
Anti-Flag
Darkest Hour
Rise Against
Thought Riot

from this editorial, I am a little miffed. I am going to pick apart a couple of statements

Although the recruitment figures are falling, the demand for military personnel remains high, leading to great pressure on military recruiters to keep the ranks supplied. This pressure has led to many reports of aggressive and unscrupulous tactics by recruiters to sign up young people, including forging high school diplomas, pursuing mentally challenged high-schoolers, and encouraging potential recruits to lie about drug use and arrests.

There have been no major diploma controversies since 1999 when the Chicago Navy Recruiting District was involved in a Homeschool Diploma scandal where diplomas that were issued by a homeschool agencies were taken as "Tier 1" and given the full educational Qualifications. There were a TON of recruiters (like 40 from my Navy source) that were sent to office hours "Captain's Mast" to Navy people including supervisors and front line people. We do not "pursue" mentally challenged applicants. We call people from a list. We do not know if they are challenged or not. If they are and are interested, we will usually test them. That will put the Kibash on their dreams normally. If it does not and they are interested, it is MY OBLIGATION to give that person the opportunity to serve his country. The definition of "mentally challenged" is so diluted now that it is like a liberal calling a conservative "extreme" it just does not have any teeth. Lying about drugs and arrests. Not only are kids sly, but they will lie to you a million times. We, in my office, have a questionnaire that we make the kid fill out, sign and date it. That is how we cover our asses when it comes to arrests and drugs. If he will put his signature on a lie, then he is the one with no integrity, not the recruiter.

The recent death of Minnesota State Senator Becky LoureyÂs son Matt, who died in combat in Iraq, underscores one of the inequities that many people see in who goes to war and who stays home. The sons and daughters of the powerful and the well-connected do not often end up in the military, so LoureyÂs death was an anomaly.

Can someone explain this one to me? Where does this guy get this from Anyone remember the big-hoopla following Mayor Richard Daley's Son enlisting (yes ENLISTING) in the Army. If that is not a "powerful and the well-connected" ending up in the Army, I do not know what is. The problem is that the powerful and well connected children do not feel that they need to give back to the country. It is not that Daddy is keeping recruiters away. It is the kid is treating recruiters like crap and we don't want to deal with his tongue.

More recruiters not keeping it in their pants. I am not saying anything here... but it seems that Marine Recruiters are always involved. I am sure it is because they are usually more physically fit that the rest of the recruiting force, but the recruiting force needs to keep it in the pants. This school is looking for ANY reason to kick us out, and now they have a reason.

Army raises J.O. age limit.

Cool.

Militantpundit posted @ 5:24 PM

Tuesday, June 07, 2005

Unrest in the Phillipines

Check out this article.

ECHOING an earlier warning by the Armed Forces, the Philippine National Police yesterday said the controversies and scandals rocking the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo were but a prelude to a larger scheme to overthrow it.

Wow. I have not heard anything in the news media about the unrest in the Phillipines.

On Monday, the military brass said enlisted men were being recruited for the supposed destabilization try.

GASP! Why is this not on World News Tonight???

It seems as if this is all over a scandal developing from Gambling Payoffs involving the president, and other members of government. Hmmm. Instead of Adscam, they have GamScam...

Militantpundit posted @ 9:25 PM

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Monday, June 06, 2005

Official Slap your Co-Worker Day

Tomorrow is the official Slap Your Irritating Co-workers Holiday: Do you have a co-worker who talks nonstop about nothing, working your last nerve with tedious and boring details that you don't give a damn about? Do you have a co-worker who ALWAYS screws up stuff creating MORE work for you? Do you have a co-worker who kisses so much booty, you can look in their mouth and see what your boss had for lunch? Do you have a co-worker who is SOOO obnoxious, when he/she enters a room, everyone else clears it? Well, on behalf of Ike Turner, I am so very very glad to officially announce tomorrow as SLAP YOUR IRRITATING CO-WORKER DAY! There are the rules you must follow:

-You can only slap one person per hour - no more.
-You can slap the same person again if they irritate you again in the same day.
-You are allowed to hold someone down as other co-workers take their turns slapping the irritant.
-No weapons are allowed...other than going upside somebody's head with a stapler or a hole-puncher.
-CURSING IS MANDATORY! After you have slapped the recipient, your "assault" must be followed with something like "cause I'm sick of your stupid-a$$ always messing up stuff!"

If questioned by a supervisor [or police, if the supervisor is the irritant], you are allowed to LIE, LIE, LIE! Now, study the rules, break out your list of folks that you want to slap the living day lights out of and get to slapping.....and have a great day

***I am in no way responsible for any lawsuits or arrests caused by said Holiday****

Militantpundit posted @ 8:32 PM

Wednesday, June 01, 2005

About time!

Link

The feds are now pulling federal money from law schools. I am not so sure that fed money goes to high schools or how much, but they need to do this on the secondary school level.

Blame the Media for Military Recruiting Crisis

Hard hitting article! Go take a minute and read it. There are some important points there that we on the street hear and see everyday.

And another one is off to Boot Camp!

And Daddy is not happy. I read this one through and there are some glaring problems with his story. A 2 year program for the AF? Hmmmm... I am not so sure that there is one. I cannot recall any 2 year program now. But that is not the issue. If the kid has a back problem and CHOSE to not tell anyone, he is the one without integrity. If the recruiter tells you something that you feel is incorrect, then you are at fault for not following your core values that Mr Air Force should have. They got him the Dental tech job he wanted, they told him he would not have to go to basic training. He is not there. He is at a 4 week.... oh... I got it. He signed up for Operation Blue to Green. There you go. Congrats son. That is what happens when you tell the air force you are getting out to join the army and have second thoughts. I will bet you hard earned CASH that is what happened. I am going to put this guy's name in my post so when he googles his name this blog comes up. JOSHUA OWENS. You sorry ass excuse of a soldier and airman. Here is the link to the Warrior Transition Course that Daddy is so pissed that his son is at. Looks like a summer camp to me! Cry Baby.

I will be in the Out of Commission log for the next couple of days with the second of two surgeries. I will try to interact with you, but if my comments ramble more than normal, it is the drugs.

Militantpundit posted @ 11:31 PM