Local National Guard member denied re-enlistment bonus money

[jayfish]

http://www.woodtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=3490124&nav=0RcdbB6n

<SNIP>
"I'm absolutely heartbroken, this was a decision he made...that he wanted to get back in the military," said Carrie Bunker.

Carrie's husband, Tommy, decided last month to re-enlist in the National Guard. He spent most of the 1990s serving his country. Now, hard financial times and deep patriotism helped spur the decision.

"He wants to serve his country but every door we go to they're closed on us," Carrie told 24 Hour News 8.

The Bunkers thought they would be eligible for the National Guard's $15,000 re-enlistment bonus. They say their recruiter even told them it was going to happen.
</SNIP>

Absolutely vile! I love how this country supports its' troops.

Jay

[pinniped]

1. Sad, but, this guy should have known the recruiters tell you...

anything to get your Hancock.

[Catch22Dem]

5. I was very fortunate. My recruiter was 100% honest with me...

Nothing he told me was bullshit. Of course, this was the Air Force in 1992. My 8 years in the Air Force were GREAT too. I loved nearly every minute of it. Most of my AF buddies (with whom I'm still very close) are all true blue liberals too. :D

[powwowdancer]

7. Yes, BUT...

My recruiter was very straightforward with me as well, BUT, that was then... this is now. Back in the early 80's, they didn't really desperately need people, so they could pick and choose! They could afford to be honest, hell... they even insisted on a high school doploma! Now, well... let's just say that "Invasion Of The Body Snatchers" is the new recruiter training film. I was Navy, by the way. Navy Band New Orleans.

Go Navy, Beat Army,

Jeff.



Visit: Bush Is Yella

[GCP]

8. Hi Powwowdancer

Welcome to DU :toast:

[AllegroRondo]

12. Navy Band? What instrument?

I did 13 years with the Army Band.

Have you checked out the Yahoo group for current and former military band members? Its a great way to keep in touch with old friends.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/usmilbands/

[powwowdancer]

14. sorry, haven't posted enough to do this on the sly...

I majored in euphonium, minored in T-bone, ended up in the Steel Band playing six barrel basses. (Wanted the better travel). The steel band has a rather moribund site a mil dot com, but there's an excellent site for ex-squids called "Navy Musicians Association," and I've yet to plumb it's depths. (The steel band was de-commisioned in the late 80's... rumors abound). :cry: I'm now doing taps bugler at funerals. I've got about five CD's of the Navy Steel Band from an ex-steel-banger shipmate whome I met on line. Unrelated, but I bought a CD of Navy Bluegrass Band (D.C.) at the Bluegrass Festival in Lexington KY. Quite good. To be honest, I've kept in touch with one shipmate, and that's enough to suit me. You schooled at Norfolk, right? I apologize to everyone else, but as I'm new, I can't reply privately, the rules won't allow it yet. Please, don't lynch me. :scared:

[Rainscents]

16. Powwowdance... Welcome to DU!!!

Love the photo! LOL

[skooooo]

2. These kind of stories really help recruitment, I'm sure! n/t

[maddezmom]

3. to get the bonus you have to enlist for 6 yrs???

As for the $15,000 bonus, Sgt. Dunckel says the recruit must prove prior service, enlist for six years, and have not received a previous bonus.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[powwowdancer]

15. It's $15,000 more than I was offered!

Ye-gods! Where was all this federal largess when I was a young lad? I got e3 outta boot for having gone to college, but I can assure you, no money changed hands! Shoot, they didn't even offer re-enlistment bonuses! Here's how it breaks down:

Peace = Your life is an easy commodity, sign off or f**k off.

War = Your bass-ackward, single-digit asvab scorin' ass is worth exactly $15,000. If you accept your rich uncle's wager, step right up and play Iraqi roulette. Sure the stakes are high, but where else can under-educated, lower middle class unemployables like yerselves get their hands on this kinda baksheesh? Think of it as Russian roulette with slightly better odds. It's your only chance to better your station!

D'ya think rich people are gonna sell BLUE blood for that kinda chump change?

:nuke:

[buff2]

4. Oh come on........

You actually think we should waste our money on our soldiers rather than HALLIBURTON? Please....we HAVE to save the BILLIONS for dickhead cheney and his precious Halliburton. :sarcasm: :grr:

[UpInArms]

6. and the continued carrot dangling to get him to sign again

is disgusting!

"What he can do, what he has the option of doing is one year from now he can re-enlist with the National Guard, since his commitment is only for one year and there will be a bonus available then...the same amount," said Major Dawn Dancer of the Michigan National Guard.

Why would they trust the lie again (providing he lives through the next 12 months)?

[jody]

9. "Now, hard financial times and deep patriotism helped spur the decision."

Sorry but the reporter got it wrong.

It was hard financial times not deep patriotism that motivated Tommy Bunker, even Archie would understand that!

[acmavm]

10. Regardless, he had his chain yanked big time by his own government.

Yep, you are right, the money was the big motivation here. But regardless, one would think that there would be some case for fraud here. Or maybe his wife should just wait and see if he gets killed or loses his mind, or an arm or both legs, or something. Something the sons and daughters of the rich will never have to worry about.

[jody]

11. I agree with chain yanked. The sad thing is many prospective recruits

simply don't understand everything a recruiter says.

I wonder if some of the recruits have IQs very close to 80?

[pocket]

13. most of them do

have that iq