U.S. Army just called, trolling for my elder son.

[July]

They've never called before, so I was a little surprised. Caller gave his name, but didn't identify he was Army till I asked what he was calling about (I had seen U.S. Govt. on the caller ID).

Son has been out of high school for over three years, so I'm guessing they're using a Selective Service list. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Any theories, or is this business as usual?

[eyepaddle]

1. I'd imagine they are just desperate

and are now calling recent as well as current high school students. I was recently in grad school in a health related discipline and while I never got called I sure did receive a ton of stuff in the mail.

FYI I am in my mid 30s and was rejected when I tried to enlist when I was in high school because of poor eyesight and asthma. I have sort of a feeling they'd take me now though.

[AllegroRondo]

2. My mom got calls for 4 years after I graduated

the Navy and Marines kept calling even after she told them I had joined the Army.

Im guessing his name is on a recent graduate list.

[July]

3. You're probably right.

But I'm surprised that they took until he was in his fourth year of college to call.

[cwydro]

4. Yikes!

So what'd you do/say?

[Tyrone Slothrop]

5. Tell them he's gay

Worked for me.

When I was finishing high school, I got barraged with phone calls from the Marines. (Maybe because my Dad was one?) Anyway, at some point, I told them that I didn't think they'd want me as I led an alternative lifestyle -- if they knew what I mean.

After getting weekly phone calls for most of a summer, I never received another phone call or piece of mail from any branches of the military.

[sakabatou]

6. They won't take me due to my meds

[reyd reid reed]

7. Business as usual...

plus a little desperation. The calls for #1 son stopped about a year after he graduated, but now they're calling for #2 son (Marines called for him just yesterday). They get selective service lists and lists of high school juniors and seniors, so if a young man is 17 or so, they've got his number.

They're pushier these days.

[av8rdave]

8. Business as usual, I think

They tried hard with my son before he went off to college.

They are still calling my daughter a couple of times a week, even though she explains to them every time that she is a type I diabetic and ineligible for military service. That doesn't seem to slow 'em down.

[Zookeeper]

14. Wow, that's interesting about your daughter....

My H.S. daughter also has Type 1 and I just assumed they wouldn't bother her. Actually, I didn't know they were trying that hard to recruit young women either.

:hi:

[av8rdave]

22. having served in the military many years ago...

my guess is that once they get a list of "prospects," the recruiters that make the calls aren't authorized to remove any names from their list without approval from someone or another.

The diabetes makes her ineligible to serve even if she wanted to, but that doesn't stop the calls and letters!

[ileus]

9. normal...I got calls in my 3ed year of college.

And that was in 1990 or so...

[TimeChaser]

10. The calls for me always amused my mom

The recruiter usually hung up when mom would start laughing at the thought of me in the army.

[Midlodemocrat]

11. Tell him to call back after the Bush Twins enlist. That's what I did.

[Zookeeper]

15. .....

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[Taverner]

12. The US Army is using damn near everything for call lists

Magazine subscriptions, high school rosters, selective service lists...etc

[RubyDuby in GA]

13. They called for me for 5 years after I graduated high school

We were required to take a standardized test called the ASVAB or something similar. It was a military aptitude test. I evidently did well. All branches called for years - even when my parents told them I was off at college. When one did finally reach me I simply told them I didn't get that whole "running miles a day" part and to please not call again. They still did.

I say after 5 years, they'll quit calling.

[Lyric]

18. Nearly exactly the same thing happened to me.

We had to take the ASVAB, and I scored a 96 (out of a possible 100). I had recruiters from all branches calling me for 2 years. Then we moved and I didn't hear from them again, probably because the phone number in my school records was no longer valid.

They were really pushy about it. I'd have never made it through basic, though--I was overweight and had numerous health issues.

[LeftyMom]

16. Don't they sell police whistles where you guys live?

They got my info from the PSAT, and I got good scores but don't come from money so they were ringing our phone off the hook.

So Mom got a police whistle. Only had to use it once. :D

Normally I'd feel bad for doing that to somebody, but recruiters are lying scum and even very devoted military people will tell you so.

[HughBeaumont]

17. Been there, loathed that.

Actually, it's when the Army recruiter kept trolling my house that I became aware that something was amiss. For example, how exactly am I a target? Because I had a low GPA? And what was worse, my mother (thankfully she got out of this way of thinking) was encouraging me to listen because she didn't think I'd be going to college with my grades. I'm like, why is this guy STILL targeting me?

It was then I put 2 and 2 together and realized the school and the military were in cahoots.

[Zookeeper]

19. No Child Left Behind military opt-out....

I contacted our school district to opt-out my two oldest kids. I think it's most effective if you do it before the 10th grade.

http://www.rcnv.org/counterrecruit/optout/

My sixteen year old just received a letter from the National Guard, anyway.

[July]

20. I've filed the opt-out for both of my sons.

In fact, for the younger one I've done the "double opt-out," following a link a DUer provided to keep him out of some Pentagon list. I think for the older one I only did it for his senior year in high school -- I think that's when NCLB kicked in and caused the need to do so. And since I pay way too much attention to details, I sent the forms to the school board AND to the principal, kept copies, and sent the forms certified.

That's why I think they must be looking at the Selective Service list. My son is 21, which is the age that would be the first targeted in the event of a draft, so perhaps the Army thinks he's just the right age to be sacrificed to George Bush's murderous dick-wagging adventure in Iraq. I was surprised it took them so long to seek my son out, and I'm guessing they won't wait as long with son #2.

Wish I'd remembered to mention the Bush twins!

[Xithras]

25. Make sure you get official transcripts before they graduate.

FYI, when you opt out, it prevents the school from distributing the information to ANY third parties...which includes COLLEGES and UNIVERSITIES which are trying to confirm high school grades, and/or future employers trying to confirm degrees and diplomas during background checks. Many high schools will only provide official transcripts to students for one or two years after graduation, so this can be a problem down the line (after a year or two, many schools archive student data and will only provide a simple confirmation that a student attended and graduated).

There's always a catch, isn't there?

[texanwitch]

21. The Army is so hard up for people I have been receiving letters from them.

Sure I want to give up my good job and go back to the Army and get killed for Bush.

[Parche]

23. army

Can I ask what he said to you????

[TheMightyFavog]

24. I found a way to get the recruiters off my case right away,

Pretend to be gay and hit on them.

The only recruiter to bug me ever again was the Marine Corps recruiter.. who happened to be the one who hung on the line the longest.

[Danger Mouse]

26. My coworker got a call from an army recruiter the other day. On his cell phone.

Is that creepy or what?
They're REALLY desparate for more meat for the grinder...

[blondeatlast]

27. Timely reminder to tell the military to "LEAVE MY CHILD ALONE!"

While I know this wouldn't work in this case, I take every opportunity I can to press for the "Leave My Child Alone" project to stop military recruiters from targeting school age kids. I'd like to see them speaking to merely a handful of kids at their oh-so-easily-camouflaged assemblies.


(Love the graphic!)

Find out more, sign the pledge, and protect your child from the circling vultures here:
http://www.themmob.org/lmca/index.html

Thanks for the opportunity to push my agenda!