Groups unite against military recruiters

[Smeggle]

Groups Unite Against Military Recruiters

PHILADELPHIA - Nancy Carroll didn't know schools were giving military recruiters her family's contact information until a recruiter called her 17-year-old granddaughter.
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That didn't sit well with Carroll, who believes recruiters unfairly target minority students. So she joined activists across the country who are urging families to notify schools that they don't want their children's contact information given out.

"People of color who go into the military are put on the front line," said the 67-year-old Carroll, who is black.

A provision of
President Bush's No Child Left Behind Act requires school districts to provide military recruiters with student phone numbers and addresses or risk losing millions in federal education funding. Parents or students 18 and over can "opt out" by submitting a written request to keep the information private.

But critics say schools do not always convey that message. In New Mexico, the
American Civil Liberties Union chapter sued the Albuquerque Public School District last month, charging it does not adequately inform parents of the opt-out provision.

Some critics oppose the federal law on privacy grounds, but others say it provides an unfair opportunity for the military to sway young minds — especially in economically depressed communities.

"They're not going to all the schools. They're going to the schools where they figure the kids will have less chance to go to college," said Rep. Jim McDermott (news, bio, voting record), D-Wash. "It's an insidious kind of draft, quite frankly."

Carroll, who is raising three grandchildren in a working-class neighborhood of Philadelphia, agrees that the practice is unfair. "I wouldn't want them to join," she said of her grandchildren.

But
Pentagon officials say the military deserves the same access to students that schools give to colleges and employers.

"In the past, it was all-too-common for a school district to make student directory information readily available to vendors, prospective employers and post-secondary institutions while intentionally excluding the services," Air Force Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke, a Pentagon spokeswoman, said in an e-mail.

"Having access to 17- to 24-year-olds is very key to us," said Maj. Gen. Michael Rochelle, commander of the Army Recruiting Command, said at a news conference Friday at Fort Meade, Md. "We would hope that every high school administrator would provide those lists to us. They're terribly important for what we're trying to do."

Asked about aggressive recruiters targeting young people, he said:

"I would certainly hope that we are harassing no one. A recruiter today has to contact roughly 100 people before they can generally get one of them to sit down and listen to the Army story. ... I'm not asking my recruiters to be any less aggressive. I would not wish for them to be overbearing or annoying."

As military conflicts in
Iraq and
Afghanistan drag on, the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines are having trouble attracting recruits to their reserve forces, though only the Army is falling short in attracting people for its active-duty ranks.

Andrew Rinaldi, a senior at Edison High School in Edison, N.J., filed an opt-out letter but said he was contacted by a recruiter anyway. He said the recruiter mocked his pacifist views. "They're becoming more aggressive," he said.

None of the nation's approximately 22,600 high schools has failed to comply with the military provision of No Child Left Behind, and just one is "finalizing its compliance," Krenke said. None has lost funding.

Before No Child Left Behind was signed into law in 2002, about 12 percent of the nation's schools refused to turn over student records to military recruiters, Pentagon officials said. Sen. David Vitter, R-La., who sponsored the recruitment provision, called the actions of those schools "offensive."

Now, activists are holding rallies and awareness campaigns to make sure students know they can opt out.

In Montclair, N.J., more than 80 percent of Montclair High School students have opted out since a student-led effort began last year.

"It's a place where military recruiters are not likely to have a ton of success, anyway, partly because ... a lot of parents can assist their kids with going to college," school district spokeswoman Laura Federico said.

In the urban blight of North Philadelphia, Joshua Gordy said the lure of college money led him to join the Army reserves at age 17. He said recruiters at his high school told him he could earn $35,000 for college.

That hasn't happened. Gordy, a 20-year-old reservist, said he apparently failed to send in the right paperwork in time. He hopes to enroll in community college this fall.

Rep. McDermott faults the military for enticing students with talk of patriotism, adventure and college funds, instead of giving them a realistic view of combat.

McDermott is among those in Congress trying to change the law so that students instead "opt-in" for recruitment.

"There's nothing dishonorable with serving in the military," said McDermott, a psychiatrist who served stateside during Vietnam. "But it ought to be done with your eyes open."

___

On the Net:

http://www.LeaveMyChildAlone.org

http://www.militaryfreezone.org

Src - Yahoo

targeting 17-24year olds?

Before No Child Left Behind was signed into law in 2002, about 12 percent of the nation's schools refused to turn over student records to military recruiters, Pentagon officials said. Sen. David Vitter, R-La., who sponsored the recruitment provision, called the actions of those schools "offensive."

I think it's 'Offensive' to target anyone to be turned into mindless killing machines. After all, you can dress it up as much as you want, but it all comes down to being trained to kill.

With what 'WE' as a species face in the coming centuary - you'd think it about time morons like that would grow up, get a big fucking grip on reality and learn to live, share and work together.

*Growls* I get so pissed at these people.

[Omega X]

Heh, or having them molest people in that age group. Atleast that's what happened here with an Army recruiter.

[ShyShy]

I read another article in the New York Times that touched on the same subject. But, a good point that one retired general made is that with parents telling their kids not to join the military, and recruiters facing shortages all over the country, in current conditions this could very well be the beginning of talks to activate the draft.

[Omega X]

Originally posted by ShyShy
I read another article in the New York Times that touched on the same subject. But, a good point that one retired general made is that with parents telling their kids not to join the military, and recruiters facing shortages all over the country, in current conditions this could very well be the beginning of talks to activate the draft.

Wow, the draft. I know a ton of people who are gonna be put in millitary prison for refusing to participate.

[ShyShy]

And funnily enough, next year, my husband who is not a citizen and hates certain aspects of American life will be eligible for the draft. If that does happen, we'll be moving to Australia a lot sooner than expected

[Smeggle]

Originally posted by ShyShy
And funnily enough, next year, my husband who is not a citizen and hates certain aspects of American life will be eligible for the draft. If that does happen, we'll be moving to Australia a lot sooner than expected

How can a foreign citizen be deemed eligible for the draft? I mean has he taken Nationality? or is he still considered Australian?

Anyway, starts fund in readiness to help you move should need arise

Seriously though I can't stand the military, it's methods or ways. They are probably the most immoral set of die hard 'Old Ways' idiots that exist. They try to glorify what they do, which is essentially, (As I stated above), to kill.

Oh yeah right - you get to travel, to see exotic places etc etc blah blah blah but only to go kill a few thousand people or be killed yourself possibly. (They don't tell you that bit).

And yes I was caught up in there claptrap when I was younger and spent the 2+ most wasted years of my life in the British Military. I was singled out for recon assignment and extra training just because for the weird fact I am a class a shot (Or very good with a rifle in other words). It made no difference that I wanted to do engineering, that I wanted qualifications that I could use when I left the Army.
Just because I could understand and judge windage and it's effects on a fired round and therefore compensate accordingly and it was like just, natural for me to do that, I got trained as a sniper/recon.

Gone were all the promiss's, gone was my chance at learning something constructive or educational. They don't care. And don't limit 'Cannon Fodder' to minority groups. In the U.S. military I believe this is most non-white groups. Iyt certainly seems the case but it's mainly worked out on I.Q. levels. If your below a certain I.Q. your going to remain a private or maybe after time you may be given basic n.c.o status but your still gonna be cannon fodder.

And recruiters are aggressive. They will do anything, say anything just to get you in there. Another body, another weapon fired, another bag if your not lucky (Or fucking good at keeping out of harms way).

There sitting there giving you all this crap of like 'Where else do you get to see so much of the world' or How else would you get the chance to meet so many different cultures, people' 'What better job gives you all that.

What I won't tell you is that in visiting those different places your gonna (probably) blow the living shite out of them. What I won't tell you is that your (probably) gonna destroy those cultures, kill those people you meet. What I won't tell you is the risks involved and how it can be extremly dangerous to you.

And heres a thought - Isn't that illegal? Technically they are 'Advertising' and that 'Advertising' is misleading and mis representitive. Doesn't that make it false advertising? And isn't an 'Employer' responcible for your safety in the work place? No matter where that work place is?(After all it is them that call it a job, so in that case, they are your employer).

hmm - interesting, might be a case there and isn't also illegal for a 'Prospective Employer' to mislead in the representation of a job and employ someone to do a job that could result in the death of that employee?

Though I suppose they have a way out of that one..

meh - remember guys - in filns you don't die - reality is slightly different.

[ElChevelle]

George W swore we wouldn't have a draft.

[MegaRock]

Originally posted by ElChevelle
George W swore we wouldn't have a draft.

He's said alot of things.

[spiderbaby1958]

He also swore that we would go to war in Iraq only as a last resort.

You can bet that Bush will do everything in his power to keep that promise. Vietnam taught the powers that be that a draft is not only politically disastrous, it isn't exactly good for morale. Most analysts seem to agree that we won't have an "official" draft... barring some unforseen national emergency.

What we have now, of course, is the "back door draft"... people being called back after already serving due to some fine print on their contract. Call it what you will... it's people serving time that they didn't volunteer for, and some of them aren't coming back at all.

[ElChevelle]

W can lick my A while I M.

[ShyShy]

Originally posted by Smeggle
How can a foreign citizen be deemed eligible for the draft? I mean has he taken Nationality? or is he still considered Australian?

Anyway, starts fund in readiness to help you move should need arise

A foreign citizen who has acquired permanant resident status (which the hubby has), and doesn't have to be a citizen, MUST sign up for Selective Service (draft) after a year of residency. One of those little known facts that I dug up while doing research on the draft.

Yeah, need to do some serious saving up just in case.

[ElChevelle]

If you join now, $40,000 in bonuses.
If you get drafted, not a damn thing but loss of free will.

[Phyltre]

"Having access to 17- to 24-year-olds is very key to us," said Maj. Gen. Michael Rochelle, commander of the Army Recruiting Command, said at a news conference Friday at Fort Meade, Md. "We would hope that every high school administrator would provide those lists to us. They're terribly important for what we're trying to do."

You know, I would have trouble making that sound worse than it already does. Seriously, it sounds about as disgusting as I can formulate.

[Smeggle]

Agrees phyltre - One of the main reasons for posting that piece. I notice the lack of 'Military' adds as well around this place lately? Wonder what happened to them? (Hopefully there gone - thank fuck!)

The more sickening thought about that is, you can tell the numbskull who said it actually believes it! I mean, what an fing neanthradal..

Very Important to us? In what way? So they can kill of another bunch of 'Kids'? They only people I really worry about is extremists like that. Makes no difference to me what they are fighting for or against, there all just a bunch of numbskulled terroising, brainwashed extremist excuses of an existance.

What a sad sick bunch. And if any of you guys are stuck in the situation and you have an option or a way to get out of it - then take it!

And if you guy's need a donation towards travel expences shyshy, give me a shout - would be only to happy to give you a few quid to help you on your way!

Heck, if I could afford it right now I'd send you the air fare!

[Phyltre]

Sadly, I wouldn't know how to use a quid if I had one...

[ShyShy]

Originally posted by Smeggle
And if you guy's need a donation towards travel expences shyshy, give me a shout - would be only to happy to give you a few quid to help you on your way!

Heck, if I could afford it right now I'd send you the air fare!

*big hug* Thanks for the offer, Smeggle!

[Smeggle]

hmm - just a thought o isn't Australia supporting the Iraqi occupation?
hmm on second thoughts, you guy's should just move to Ireland - neutral and safe and the crack is great (Not to mention the 'Black Stuff' < ask ethan