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[MIMIC]

I'm leisurely walking back to my dorm, listening to my iPod, when I see this guy in military fatigues around the corner looking at me. So, I jokingly tell myself, "Oh great...Bush has imposed martial law."

So, I'm getting closer to him, and I notice that he's staring at me...out of ALL of the people on the sidewalk, I guess I stand out because I'm black and I have a du-rag on (I only have it on because I washed my hair this morning and if I don't keep it down, my hair will stick out).

Not thinking anything of it, I acknowledge him with a nod as I continue to walk pass him, and when I get right beside him, he holds out a card. I take it (just thinking it was a handout), and I see his lips move, apparently signaling for to get me to take out my earbuds to listen to him.

"God dammit," I say in my head as I take out one of the earbuds. He then says, "I didn't mean to disturb you (oh really?)...but, are you interested in the Army?"

I'm then flooded with the memories of the hassles I had to deal with in high school, more specifically, a particularly infuriating encounter I had with Navy recruiters (I think I posted about it here).

Being the nice person I am, I simply say, "No, I'm not interested in the Army," and I immediately start walking away. I see the persuasion fade from his face when he gets the hint that I don't want to deal with this fucker.

I WANTED to say, "After seeing what you guys do in 'Fahrenheit 9/11,' do you fucking THINK that I have any interest in the Army? Get the fuck away from me."

I have the utmost respect for the people who DO sacrifice their lives for this country, but I am sick to DEATH of trying to be swindled into joining.

 

[darscot]

I don't know how you guys tolerate that shit with out becoming completely jaded. I would respond with a nice friendly fuck you.

 

[ManDudeChild]

I WANTED to say, "After seeing what you guys do in 'Fahrenheit 9/11,' do you fucking THINK that I have any interest in the Army? Get the fuck away from me."

I have the utmost respect for the people who DO sacrifice their lives for this country, but I am sick to DEATH of trying to be swindled into joining.

:lol

 

[lordmrw]

I'm leisurely walking back to my dorm, listening to my iPod, when I see this guy in military fatigues around the corner looking at me. So, I jokingly tell myself, "Oh great...Bush has imposed martial law."

So, I'm getting closer to him, and I notice that he's staring at me...out of ALL of the people on the sidewalk, I guess I stand out because I'm black and I have a du-rag on (I only have it on because I washed my hair this morning and if I don't keep it down, my hair will stick out).

Not thinking anything of it, I acknowledge him with a nod as I continue to walk pass him, and when I get right beside him, he holds out a card. I take it (just thinking it was a handout), and I see his lips move, apparently signaling for to get me to take out my earbuds to listen to him.

"God dammit," I say in my head as I take out one of the earbuds. He then says, "I didn't mean to disturb you (oh really?)...but, are you interested in the Army?"

I'm then flooded with the memories of the hassles I had to deal with in high school, more specifically, a particularly infuriating encounter I had with Navy recruiters (I think I posted about it here).

Being the nice person I am, I simply say, "No, I'm not interested in the Army," and I immediately start walking away. I see the persuasion fade from his face when he gets the hint that I don't want to deal with this fucker.

I WANTED to say, "After seeing what you guys do in 'Fahrenheit 9/11,' do you fucking THINK that I have any interest in the Army? Get the fuck away from me."

I have the utmost respect for the people who DO sacrifice their lives for this country, but I am sick to DEATH of trying to be swindled into joining.

I treat like crackheads on the street asking for change: as long as you don't make eye contact you're free.

 

[Kabuki Waq]

Mimic handled it the right way ...no need to be rude to the recruiter.

 

[levious]

some universities are now not allowing on campus recruitment because the military's don't ask, don't tell policy. Citing issues of equal opportunity employment. I've wondered how widespread it is.

 

[FrenchMovieTheme]

mimic where is your avatar from

 

[Kabuki Waq]

whats the dont ask dont tell policy?

 

[MIMIC]

mimic where is your avatar from

Arrested Development (Sundays on FOX @ 8:30 p.m. EDT).

 

[levious]

homosexuality, got implemented under Clinton.

 

[bishoptl]

Could have been worse.

 

[ge-man]

whats the dont ask dont tell policy?

The quick and dirty summary of the policy is that you don't have to tell the military about your sexuality. Keep it on the downlow and you won't be kicked out or denied oppurtunities.

 

[Kabuki Waq]

so umm whats wrong with that?

 

[whytemyke]

best thing to do with recruiters is show them that you're educated. personally, i was in army rotc for 2 and a half years, so i know the ins and outs of recruiting bullshit. when they come up to me, i'll just say something like "yeah, actually i've got a recruiter in lansing who's gonna set me up with a six year stint and OCS and hopefully something at monterrey... we'll see if I can spin that into some intel job." Most of these recruiters really don't know much about the service aside from their own branch... what they're telling you is bullshit anyways and their only real experience is with talking to people who may have done what you want or just watching a few people. I had a recruiter who was a nuclear engineer on a sub trying to tell me about how great intel was... but it was obvious he didn't know shit. So yeah, just arm yourself with knowledge and recruiters step off.

 

[Escape Goat]

Say "no thanks" and keep walking. You dont owe them anything.

Jesus...

 

[ge-man]

so umm whats wrong with that?

I'm only guessing here, but assume the argument of the universities is that it's implicit discrimination because the policy suggests that as long as you carry on the appearnce of straight person you can continue duty. The military really hasn't changed its policy towards gays, it's just that they won't pursue the question of sexuality if it doesn't come up. As long as it's out of sight, it is out of mind.

 

[mrmyth]

Could have been worse.

Exactly. I was waiting for Armed Forces Chokeout II:Eletric Boogaloo


This thread is useless without headlocks.

 

[djtiesto]

Say you have a heart murmur or poor vision or something... worked for me whenever I got calls. You don't have to give em an attitude and I'm glad you didn't... I don't agree with the policies of this administration but I work with a lot of former military people and they are some of the coolest guys I know...

 

[tedtropy]

I've had a muslced-up recruiter basically corner me while I was setting up a computer in a small room, back when I worked part-time for my college's IT department. The thought raced through my mind "oh great, this is the day I get ass raped".

But instead I got a 30-minute rant on how signing my life away could somehow improve my existence while I uttered 'uh-huh' every few seconds in the middle of trying to do my job...

 

[mrmyth]

I've had a muslced-up recruiter basically corner me while I was setting up a computer in a small room, back when I worked part-time for my college's IT department. The thought raced through my mind "oh great, this is the day I get ass raped".

But instead I got a 30-minute rant on how signing my life away could somehow improve my existence while I uttered 'uh-huh' every few seconds in the middle of trying to do my job...

You set a specific date on your calendar?

 

[tedtropy]

You set a specific date on your calendar?

Nah, but sometimes you just think to yourself "this is gonna' be the year". It's these flattering cargo pants, damn them!

 

[SlickWilly223]

Your a crazy son of a bitch. He's a recruitment officer, it's his job. No need to take time writing up a huge summary on the whole thing.

Maybe if they shackled you in handcuffs and put you on a plane to Iraq I can understand your disgust, but the guy just handed you something and asked if you would like to join the service. Obviously a quick "No Thanks" had sufficed as an answer, so what's the problem?

 

[darscot]

Why is it if something is someones job it's ok. This guy's job is to recruit people based on a pack of lies and send them to kill people and hopefully not get there own ass blown off. And to make matters worse they pay you fuck all to do it. In my mind if you do that for a living your a dirt bag and should be treated as such.

 

[MIMIC]

Obviously a quick "No Thanks" had sufficed as an answer, so what's the problem?

I'm then flooded with the memories of the hassles I had to deal with in high school, more specifically, a particularly infuriating encounter I had with Navy recruiters (I think I posted about it here).

Reading is fundamental.

 

[Blackace]

you should have gave him a 2 dollar bill...

 

[SlickWilly223]

I'm then flooded with the memories of the hassles I had to deal with in high school, more specifically, a particularly infuriating encounter I had with Navy recruiters (I think I posted about it here).

Reading is fundamental.

So what if Navy officers gave you trouble in the past, the Army officer didn't even take more than a minute of your time.

 

[whytemyke]

Why is it if something is someones job it's ok. This guy's job is to recruit people based on a pack of lies and send them to kill people and hopefully not get there own ass blown off. And to make matters worse they pay you fuck all to do it. In my mind if you do that for a living your a dirt bag and should be treated as such.

You know there's people in the military who don't just kill others, right? And even though it's his 'job', the reason it's more acceptable is because, unlike you or I, he can't just quit, otherwise he spends the rest of his contract in Ft. Leavenworth, and gets out unhireable because he's got a dishonorable discharged stapled to his ass anywhere he goes. Most recruiters are only doing it because it was the only way out of going to do the killing themselves, something most of them didn't sign up to do. Getting a recruiting gig is usually a reward for years of hard work for the military and is a sunset job before you get out. I've never talked to a recruiter who cares if you sign up to go to JAG or if you want to be in the Infantry, and I've talked to a lot of recruiters. If you want to hate soldiers, that's your business, don't abdicate treating them like shit as a whole.

 

[MIMIC]

So what if Navy officers gave you trouble in the past, the Army officer didn't even take more than a minute of your time.

So, I'm not allowed to have FEELINGS, all the while being respectful to the recruiter?

Well excuse the hell out of me.

 

[lexi]

Maybe he is posting on a military forum right now about how some guy with an ipod hurt his feelings? How do you feel now?

 

[whytemyke]

Maybe he is posting on a military forum right now about how some guy with an ipod hurt his feelings? How do you feel now?

:lol :lol :lol

 

[SlickWilly223]

So, I'm not allowed to have FEELINGS, all the while being respectful to the recruiter?

Well excuse the hell out of me.

Well I never read your "Navy Officer" post so I still find it very odd that your feelings can be so affected by a man in uniform who you only shared a few short sentences with today.

And who cares if you were respectful to the Army recruiter. Your first post spews quite a lot of hatred towards the Army in general, and who knows, maybe that kind of disrespect offends some people on this board.

I can understand getting pissed off at recruiters who waste your time, but this guy was pretty straightforward and he knew when to leave you alone. Why complain? You should be happy.

 

[Dilbert]

So, I'm not allowed to have FEELINGS, all the while being respectful to the recruiter?

Well excuse the hell out of me.

whytemyke and Badabing are exactly on point here. It's his job to recruit people. If you're not interested, say so politely, and move on -- end of story. If you've had bad experiences in the past and STILL can't get over it years later, that's your damn problem. I simply do not understand what a recruiter could do to you which could reasonably cause lasting emotional scars.

I also don't like the generalizations about the military which some people are engaging in. "Pack of lies?" Oh please. Obviously the recruiter wants to portray the military in the best way possible, but I find it hard to believe that they lie their heads off just to get people in the door. The recruiters I've dealt with have all couched their claims very carefully: "You might be eligible for this," "if you score highly enough," and so on.

The bottom line is that no matter what your job is, chances are excellent that you will eventually be asked to do something utterly stupid or even which personally bothers you. If you work at Taco Bell, at some point you get to man the headset and offer people the weekly "Grilled Stuft Bean Turd Burrito" for $1.79 because it's your job. (In my job, it's motherfucking Six Sigma...but don't get me started.) Some people have to be recruiters, and yes, some people in the military may have to kill people as part of their job. But it's unfair to generalize the entire military based on that, since there are a lot of other jobs and specialities within the service.

 

[MIMIC]

whytemyke and Badabing are exactly on point here. It's his job to recruit people. If you're not interested, say so politely, and move on -- end of story. If you've had bad experiences in the past and STILL can't get over it years later, that's your damn problem. I simply do not understand what a recruiter could do to you which could reasonably cause lasting emotional scars.

1) YEARS later? Please...this happened less than a year ago.

2) It's a long story, but the Navy recruiters at my school were running an operation that my school wasn't aware of, and when it came my way, I called them on their bullshit and they got in trouble with our school's administration and were barred from ever coming back to our school.

3. And emotional scars have nothing to do with it. Some recruiters won't take no for an answer (have you ever seen "Fahrenheit 9/11"). I've had to deal with people who try to fucking twist your words when you try and be nice to them and follow you, still trying to get that desperate, persuasive story out.

You must enjoy being repeatedly annoyed.

 

[djtiesto]

Why all the hate on soldiers?? Like other people said, these guys were just trying to do their job... unless they really really harass you, just be cordial and all is well. Would the soldier bashers prefer that NOBODY signs up to protect them? Plus, the military may not be for everybody (I am wayyyyy too much of a primadonna for it, personally), but there's a lot of plusses for joining the service - the job opportunities (my boss's boss and many of the managers @ my job were former military), the boost to your confidence, the ability to learn useful vocational skills, etc. (I hear they don't really pay much of anything for college ). Don't base your judgements of soldiers on clips from Fahrenheit 9/11 and the Abu-Graib people, please.

 

[Drinky Crow]

Man, the recruitment spiel was really tiresome in high school. My answer was always same: "look, I really don't wanna have to kill someone unless I absolutely have to." I was actually told on several occasions that "hey, the chance that you'll ever have to shoot at someone is really, really small." It might not exactly be a lie, but it was certainly a bloody disingenuous response.

I think I get MIMIC's stance -- I respect what the military does when it defends this country. Hell, I even agreed with the invasion of Afghanistan. But I'll be damned if my respect and admiration for those soldiers who defend our country out of a sense of duty is going to transfer to those soliders who actually power trip on killing people -- and let's not kid ourselves, there's probably an equal number of both.

 

[darscot]

My Dad did thirty plus years in the military. So I dont have any kind of a hate on for a soldier. What does make me sick is a bunch of recuiters trying to convince some kid to get his ass blown off in Iraq. If your willing to do that for a living you better learn to accept the odd fuck you from a guy like me. Cause I'll be damned if I'll pretend it's ok. Same goes for any asshole type job. I had a lawyer hound me after an accident saying just sign with me and I'll get you 10 grand for pain. I told him to go fuck himself and I dont care for a second that it was his job.

 

[pestul]

Exactly. I was waiting for Armed Forces Chokeout II:Eletric Boogaloo


This thread is useless without headlocks.

This thread is useless without a good zinging or two..

 

[FnordChan]

FnordChan

 

[SatelliteOfLove]

My Dad did thirty plus years in the military. So I dont have any kind of a hate on for a soldier. What does make me sick is a bunch of recuiters trying to convince some kid to get his ass blown off in Iraq. If your willing to do that for a living you better learn to accept the odd fuck you from a guy like me. Cause I'll be damned if I'll pretend it's ok. Same goes for any asshole type job. I had a lawyer hound me after an accident saying just sign with me and I'll get you 10 grand for pain. I told him to go fuck himself and I dont care for a second that it was his job.

How much was he promising from the pain and mental anguish of being asked to consider a career in the military?

 

[darscot]

How much was he promising from the pain and mental anguish of being asked to consider a career in the military?

Then I would have hired him!

 

[Groder Mullet]

All you have to do is say "No thanks." You people are going to have heart attacks by 40 if you get so worked up about something so trivial.

 

[darscot]

It's the Father part of me that get's so pissed off. It wouldn't be so trival if my son came home "Guess what Dad , you know that college education you re-mortgaged your house for.. well I figured I'ld get my ass shot off in Iraq instead." That comic sums it up rather well.

 

[bjork]

Sometimes it depends on your mood when you are approached by people though...

Like, I went into a grocery store yesterday. On the way in, kid asks me if I want to buy a candy bar. I say "no thanks" and keep going.

It takes like 30 minutes to get through the line, because grocery stores out here are greedier than ever with their payroll. So the kid asks me if I want to buy a candy bar, and I was like, "I ALREADY FUCKING TOLD YOU NO" and kept walking.

I know people were staring and it was probably mean, but god damn it...

 

[Pimpwerx]

If you tell him to fuck off, there's really nothing he can do. Military recruiters are no different from anyone else soliciting. They'll get positive and negative reactions. I have no problem telling someone to go fuck themselves. If you don't get the hint the first time, I'm always welcome to put it bluntly. :lol

I don't help any of the recruiters that come to my school. Some are former classmates, but it doesn't matter to me. Military recruitment is the problem, not the solution. We just continue the cycle. Any kid that asks to skip my class to see the recruiter I always dissuade. I tell them not to do it and remind them of the shitstorm in Iraq that they WILL be going to. Troop levels aren't gonna drop there for a while, it's the reality of the situation. It's not like I'm making a public speech on it, but I gotta let these kids know what's up, b/c the recruiters paint such a rosey picture of what's basically brainwashing. I can't stand by and watch some perfectly capable kids wasting time with the military. It should be an absolute last resort. PEACE.

 

[ChrisReid]

I was at work today, and some guy came in and said hello to me. He said his boss was doing a clearance on a bunch of stuff and he could work me a good deal. "Tommy, Polo, etc, etc, what do you wear?" It was kinda noisy, but I thought he was talking about colognes. So I told him I had a stomache disorder and all those things made me terribly sick. He didn't say a word, turned on his heels and exited. He might've been talking about clothes too, but I sure showed that son of a bitch.

 

[Pellham]

I actually got suckered into army recruitment, because the thought of earning an extra $300 on the weekends for reserve duty was something that I didn't want to pass up. I also thought about being stationed in Japan as well.

Well I took all the tests and filled out all the paperwork... turns out i'm 12 lbs overweight for my height, and there's no way i'm going to be able to lose that much weight in a couple weeks... so I guess no army for me. :lol