Post by: Deborah on October 03, 2004, 05:51:00 PM
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Rep. Charles Rangel introduced a bill in Congress Tuesday to reinstate the military draft, saying fighting forces should more closely reflect the economic makeup of the nation.
"I truly believe that those who make the decision and those who support the United States going into war would feel more readily the pain that's involved, the sacrifice that's involved, if they thought that the fighting force would include the affluent and those who historically have avoided this great responsibility," Rangel said.
"Those who love this country have a patriotic obligation to defend this country," Rangel said. "For those who say the poor fight better, I say give the rich a chance."
Post by: Mister Pink on October 04, 2004, 02:46:00 PM
Post by: Anonymous on October 04, 2004, 04:08:00 PM
Howard Dean | Hidden Agenda: A National Draft in the Future?
Author: Howard Dean
Published on Sep 20, 2004, 07:08
A key issue for young Americans and their families to consider as they prepare to cast their votes in the upcoming presidential election is the real likelihood of a military draft being reinstated if President Bush is re-elected. President Bush should tell us now whether he supports a military draft.
Here is the evidence that makes a draft likely:
The U.S. Army has acknowledged that they are stretched thin and that finding new recruits is challenging. They recently placed 300 new
recruiters in the field. Bonuses for new recruits to the Army have risen by 67 percent to a maximum of $10,000 and $15,000 for hard-to-fill
specialties.
The extended tours of duty have made service less attractive for both the regular armed forces, and particularly for the National Guard and Reserves. To meet this year's quota for enlistees, the Army has sped up the induction of "delayed entry" recruits, meaning they are already borrowing from next year's quotas in order to meet this year's numbers.
Reservists are now being called away for longer periods. In 2003, President Bush dramatically extended the length of time for the Guard and
Reserves deployment in Iraq. Extended tours of up to a year have become common.
In a further sign of a lack of adequate staffing, the armed forces are now in the process of calling up members of the Individual Ready Reserves. These are often older reservists usually waiting retirement. They are typically in their mid-to-late forties, and have not been on active duty and have not trained for some time. Traditionally, they are only supposed to be called up during a time of national emergency. In 2001, President Bush authorized their call up but never rescinded this order even after he declared "Mission Accomplished" in Iraq in May of 2003.
The Armed Forces are already chronically understaffed. In 2003, General Eric Shinseki testified before Congress that an additional 50,000 troops would be needed beyond what the Bush administration said would be necessary to stabilize Iraq after the invasion. The President ignored him. We do not have enough troops in Afghanistan to be able to stabilize the country, as shown by the continual putting off of elections well past their announced date. In an effort to free up yet more troops in the coming years, we are moving troops away from the Demilitarized Zone in Korea and reducing the number of troops on the Korean Peninsula at a time
when North Korea poses more of a danger to the U.S. - not less. Because of the President's military adventurism, our Armed Forces are under enormous pressure. The only place to go for more troops is a draft.
Selective service boards have already been notified that 20-year-olds and medical personnel will be called up first.
President Bush will be forced to decide whether we can continue the current course in Iraq, which will clearly require the reinstatement of the draft. The Pentagon has objected to a draft but, the President has ignored other Pentagon recommendations in the past.
American families and young people are owed an explanation about the President's plans. Will the President withdraw from some of our military
commitments or will he reinstate the draft? We need to know that before we vote, not afterwards.
Howard Dean, former governor of Vermont, is the founder of Democracy for America, a grassroots organization that supports socially progressive and fiscally responsible political candidates. Email Howard Dean at howarddean@democracyforamerica.com
Post by: thepatriot on October 08, 2004, 12:53:00 PM
Post by: Antigen on October 08, 2004, 01:01:00 PM
Which do you think will happen, regardless of which way the next election goes?
The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws.
Tacitus, Roman senator and historian (A.D. c.56- c.115)
Post by: Anonymous on October 08, 2004, 01:16:00 PM
http://www.fornits.com/wwf/viewtopic.ph ... forum=32&1 (http://www.fornits.com/wwf/viewtopic.php?topic=6809&forum=32&1)
Post by: thepatriot on October 08, 2004, 01:17:00 PM
_________________
Sarasota Straight Escapee
Post by: thepatriot on October 08, 2004, 01:20:00 PM
Quote
On 2004-10-08 10:16:00, Anonymous wrote:
"No Child Left Behind By Military Recruiters
http://www.fornits.com/wwf/viewtopic.ph ... forum=32&1 (http://www.fornits.com/wwf/viewtopic.php?topic=6809&forum=32&1)"
They have already been doing that shit a long time, that is old news, I worked 90 days in a recruiting office....no new story there. Other than somebody finding something else to cry conspiracy about.
"Leah C. Wells serves as the Peace Education Coordinator for the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation."
that says it all give me a fucking break
_________________
Sarasota Straight Escapee
Post by: Tony Stark on October 09, 2004, 02:30:00 AM
The people's right to change what does not work is one of the greatest
principles in our system of government
--Richard M. Nixon
Post by: Antigen on October 09, 2004, 12:58:00 PM
Quote
On 2004-10-08 10:20:00, thepatriot wrote:
They have already been doing that shit a long time, that is old news,
I think Kerry's people were a little behind. I've seen reference to this article all over the net. And yet Kerry was touting his support for No Child Left Behind.
I know this is nothing new, except that recruiters are apparently getting pretty tough with districts and schools who don't go along w/ their plan. But, otherwise, this is just another example of how, when you reach out to grab the money, that's when they slap the cuffs on you.
I don't understand how the local schools can need federal funding when every household, w/ or w/o school age kids, pays a hefty school tax. And I don't understand why school administrators go along w/ conditional funding. Last I heard from the local guy, the Feds only provide about 6% of the budget, but they mandate over half of the spending.
To make certain that crime does not pay, the government should take it
over and try to run it
--G. Norman Collie
Post by: Deborah on October 09, 2004, 04:36:00 PM
Remember how educators (as well as other 'profressionals') expect an annual cost of living raise, and medical/dental benefits, and a retirement account, etc, etc. Well every year the ditricts expenses increase so they have to have more income. They also spend thousands and thousand on these ridiculous TASP test and a bunch of other ridiculous and excessive bullshit. Poor management. We all know the actual cost of educating a child is far less than what we're paying. The whole system is based on excess and redundancy.
I think what we're seeing is the natural progression of a system that was flawed by design from the get go. At some point it is inevitiable that they would hit the ceiling of reality. You can't increase your expenses every year indefinitely. There is a limit to how much tax payers can pay. Tax payers can't pay for annual cost of living raises and all the perks, not to mention the gross mismanagement of the adequate funds they do have.
Further, educators need to stop their pathetic pity party. They are paid a living wage and have a lovely 2-3 month vacation every year. I don't know ONE teacher who is scraping by. I wouldn't support another pay raise for them until the majority of wage earners below them- who AREN'T making a living wage- get a raise. Last I checked, babysitters were earning $5-7 an hour. That seems fair for their contribution.
Post by: Deborah on February 04, 2005, 01:37:00 PM
http://www.nodraftnoway.org/about.shtml (http://www.nodraftnoway.org/about.shtml)
Post by: Anonymous on February 06, 2005, 01:03:00 PM
Quote
On 2004-10-09 09:58:00, Antigen wrote:
"Quote
On 2004-10-08 10:20:00, thepatriot wrote:
They have already been doing that shit a long time, that is old news,
<
I don't understand how the local schools can need federal funding when every household, w/ or w/o school age kids, pays a hefty school tax. And I don't understand why school administrators go along w/ conditional funding. Last I heard from the local guy, the Feds only provide about 6% of the budget, but they mandate over half of the spending.To make certain that crime does not pay, the government should take it"
over and try to run it
--G. Norman Collie
Good points. If we actually stuck to the Constitution, the Federal Government would have nothing to do with Education: 10th Ammendment. Government was never given authority to regulate education by the Founding Fathers.
School Administrators have to go along with it, otherwise, the government can come in and take over their school. It has happened on rare occasion.
Just because Bush said it, doesn't make it true. Oh let me count the lies....
Post by: Anonymous on February 07, 2005, 03:39:00 AM
Post by: Anonymous on February 07, 2005, 05:24:00 AM
Post by: misbehaver on February 13, 2005, 04:27:00 AM
Post by: Deborah on April 19, 2005, 12:29:00 AM
Children Recruited in the USA:
'Enlistment bonuses' offered to 14 yr olds
In an effort to increase its ranks for coming wars, the U.S. military is recruiting - and paying - children as young as 14 years old for future combat duty. By Tim Schmitt
Colin Hadley spends most of his days after school
skateboarding or playing Halo II on his new X-Box with friends. He sleeps until noon or later on
weekends and rarely, if ever, does any schoolwork
outside the classroom, where he pulls down solid C's and a few D's - just enough to get by. He's
the typical 15-year-old American boy: cocksure in
demeanor, certain the world revolves around him, and confident that life is going to serve him
well. And he's the new "target of interest" for U.S. military recruiters who've begun signing up boys as young as 14 for military service, which they will be required to begin when they turn 18.
"It's a sweet deal," says Hadley, who boasts that he bought his X-Box with the enlistment bonus he received after signing up last month. "I don't have to do hardly anything for three years, but they're paying me now."
Hadley's windfall was made possible under the
Pentagon's "pre-enlistment program" that was quietly authorized last month in an effort to ensure the number of military troops available for combat remains steady for at least the next few years.
The conditions of the program are simple. A young
man who is at least 14 years old and has a parent's permission can enlist in the U.S. military, but will not report to duty until he reaches the legal age. The future soldier agrees to remain "physically and mentally fit" and to undergo annual physical examinations at the
Military Entrance and Processing Station (MEPS). In exchange, the government provides him a $10,000
sign-on bonus that is paid in yearly installments of $2,500 until the age of 18, at which time any
remaining balance is given to the recruit.
And while waiting to report to duty at 18, the new
recruits are paid a modest stipend and allowed access to funds granted veterans for education.
Because combat duty is a requirement of enlistment, the program is currently open only to young men, and it has been authorized for only three years, so Congress will have to renew the program again in 2008.
"The program is still in the early stages, but we're certain it will prove a valuable tool for the U.S. military while providing future soldiers with much-needed financial assistance so they can start planning for the future now," says Lt James Pederson, a spokesman for the U.S. Pentagon's Office of Recruitment and Retention.
With the war in Iraq still taking a toll, and
potential conflicts on the horizon in Iran, North Korea, Syria, the Philippines and elsewhere, the U.S. military is faced with a shortage of manpower not seen in decades. The Army National Guard met only 56 percent of its recruiting
quota in January, and the Marine Corps fell short of its recruiting goal that month for the first
time since 1995. The Army missed its February
recruiting goal by 27 percent, and the numbers for March and April are not expected to improve.
"We're going to appeal to the patriotism of
parents," says Pederson. "Parents have to understand that their children are needed in a time of war and that sacrifices need to be made for the good of the nation."
Tom Hadley recognizes this need, and when he heard
of the pre-enlistment program, convinced his son that it was in his best interest to sign up
"There aren't a lot of opportunities for poor or
working class kids in this country right now, so this program is a blessing," says Tom. "Colin can
spend the next couple years just being a kid and
save a few bucks for school, and after his four years of military service he'll come out ahead. I'm proud of my son for making such a wise decision and standing up for his country."
Carla Bloomer agrees with Tom that poor children
have few options, but rankles at the suggestion that selling military service to a child is an
answer to the problem. And she didn't even know this was an issue until she learned a recruiter had talked to her 14-year-old son and convinced him to sign up. "He's not smart enough to make a decision like that at this point in his life," she says. "That recruiter came in and played to his teenager's sense of invincibility and know-it-all attitude and convinced him this was the best thing for him to do. In the end, I had to give in and let him sign up."
After he signed the paperwork, however, Bloomer took a closer look at the contract and was even more disturbed by what she learned. The small print reveals that the $350 monthly stipend her son receives is actually an advance on his $250 per month combat pay and $100 per month hardship duty pay.
"What they've done is guarantee that my son will go to war when he's old enough," says Bloomer. "They're paying him for it now so he can't back out later."
Her son, Richard, admits he wasn't aware of the
source of the payments he's receiving, but adds that he's not worried about it either. "At least I'm getting paid now," he says. "Hell, I might get
killed my first week out and then I'd get nothing. At least I can enjoy it now."
But it may not be that simple. According to
Pederson, the money paid out in the pre-enlistment program is an advance on pay, which will need to be paid back if the soldier is unable to serve in combat for any reason.
"If a recruit is incapacitated or killed before two years of service have been completed, half of the funds paid to him pre-service will need to be
returned to the U.S. government," he says. "That's
still very generous, considering we could ask for reimbursement of funds for the entire period of
incomplete service."
And once these kids sign up under this program, they are committed to serving in a combat zone and face strict punishment if they refuse duty when they come of age. If any refuse to show up for duty they will be charged with desertion in a time of war and be subject to military court martial, which, theoretically at least, could result in the death penalty.
"We expect our recruits of all ages to honor their
commitment," says Pederson. "We are expending resources to guarantee their future service and
will do whatever is necessary to make sure they live up to their pledge."
But Pederson says the pre-enlistment program is
really not that much of a change from recruitment methods that have been in place for the past few
years. With passage of the No Child Left Behind Act in 2002, the military was guaranteed access to the nation's public schools for recruiting
purposes. According to the Office of Recruitment and Retention, the U.S. military was denied access to public schools on 19,228 occasions in 1999. But since the passage of No Child Left Behind, these schools have no choice but to let them in.
"This allows us to send our professionals into
schools to share information about the benefits of military service to young people, just as colleges and other businesses are allowed, encouraged even, to visit with students and do
the same thing," says Pederson.
But Karen Foss, the mother of a 14-year-old at
Lincoln High School, says the intensity of the recruiting focused on her son took her by surprise. "I don't think most parents realize how much time and energy they (recruiters) spend on these kids," she says. "I was shocked when I found out that they were calling my son at home and visiting with him outside the classroom
without my knowledge."
And Foss is quick to point out that she comes from a family with a long history of military service (her grandfather was at Iwo Jima and her dad earned two purple hearts in Vietnam) and that she's a registered Republican who supported the war in Iraq. "This is just too much, though," she adds. "These are children they're after."
Lindell has taken small groups of students out for
pizza and met with them over sodas and snacks at an area coffee shop frequented by teens. He uses
these meetings to tell the kids about the advantages of military service.
"It's important that they know they can make a real difference in the world," he says. "I tell them about the opportunity to travel, the chance to earn money for college, the medical benefits and the feeling of pride that comes with serving your country. "It's an important tool to reach these kids before they are influenced by outside forces who lack understanding of the U.S. military's worldwide goals," he adds. "These kids understand the need for a strong military and haven't had their thoughts corrupted by
unpatriotic ideas."
Foss' son, 14-year-old Tyler, and his best friend,
15-year-old Matthew Biehn, met with Lindell several times but declined to sign on despite the
benefits Lindell told them about. Last month,
Lindell arranged another meeting with the boys at a South Side coffee shop and brought along fellow
recruiter Sgt. Lindsey Reas. After meeting with Reas several times Tyler decided to join the pre-enlistment program, and once he did, Biehn signed on as well.
"I didn't even know the recruiter was talking to him until he told me he wanted to sign up," says Karen. "His father, whom I divorced several years
ago, agreed to let Tyler join, so there was nothing I could do to stop him.
I'm fairly confident that they brought a young woman recruiter in to close the deal with these boys. They're in the throes of puberty and would pretty much do whatever a pretty girl asks them to. I just don't think it's fair."
Reas refused to entertain that notion and said the
final incentive for these two boys came when she pointed out the number of comic books $350 per month could buy. And in fact, when Tyler and Biehn agreed to discuss their enlistment, they arranged a meeting at a comic store where they promptly dropped more than $50 each for new releases.
"They give us a lot of money for doing nothing,"
says Tyler. "If we have to go to war later, it won't be that bad anyway. She (Reas) gave us a copy of an Army video game that lets you see what it's really like. If you know what you're doing, you probably won't get hurt or killed."
The game Tyler refers to is a free one available at http://www.goarmy.com (http://www.goarmy.com) that the army has developed as a recruiting tool. The site boasts that the game
allows players to "Experience realistic training
missions and see what it takes to become part of America's Army team."
Local recruiters will also provide free copies of
the game on CD to anyone interested, especially the young boys who generally play such games. Despite Karen's concerns, the recruiters are within their rights to talk to the kids without parental permission or knowledge. Section 9528 of the No Child Left Behind Act enables recruiters to gain personal information about students -
home addresses, phone numbers, extracurricular
activities - from school records. The only time parental involvement is required is when it comes
time to sign the papers.
"Yeah, we talk to the kids," says Lindell. "But it's not like we're kidnapping them and making them do this. They make an informed decision
based on the facts we give them."
In the short time the program has been in place, at least 10,763 young men aged 14-16 have joined the pre-enlistment program. Of those, at least 94
hail from Iowa, which boasts the second highest rate of participation (per-capita) in the nation, falling only behind Mississippi.
These new recruits have begun chatting on the
Internet and sharing thoughts on their upcoming service on message boards and have started an informal organization of members called VFW - Veterans of Future Wars. It's an accurate title, too.
Pederson says these new recruits will be required,
after completing boot camp and two weeks of additional training, to serve in combat zones. The
very nature of the war on terror, he explains,
ensures that the United States will be in a state of armed conflict with some enemy or another for
many years to come.
"We will most definitely be at war with someone for the next decade, at least," he says. "And our recruitment programs are an effort to ensure the
safety of all American citizens and to protect the
American way of life."
Beck, director of the NPJA, disagrees, and says this is indicative that we as a country have reached a level and acceptance of war that may be
difficult to turn away from. "That parents are
allowing and encouraging their children to sign up under this program is troubling and shows a real lack of understanding of what's happening in the world," she says. "By committing our children to wage war, we are committing our society to a path of violence and oppression and militarism that will be impossible to sustain and that will further alienate us from the rest of the world."
Still, Pederson says the program is a necessary
step. "Is it unfortunate that we have to recruit children to serve in battle? Absolutely," he says.
"But most countries have had children soldiering for centuries. We're just leveling the playing field." PB
http://www.pointblank-dm.com/archiv.. (http://www.pointblank-dm.com/archiv..).
http://bellaciao.org/en/article.php3?id_article=5786 (http://bellaciao.org/en/article.php3?id_article=5786)
Post by: Deborah on May 03, 2005, 01:59:00 PM
Retired General Tommy Franks came to Logan Street Elementary School in Echo Park on
Tuesday, April 19th last week. There was a protest (see the article below) when it became known, but the staff and the community were not informed about it in advance. There will be a press conference regarding this on Tuesday, April
26th tomorrow in front of the school, at 9 am- 10
am. Art Goldberg (David Goldberg's father) will be there. The assembly was kept secret, the staff did not know about it, there were "security
measures" taken in preparation for the visit. The auditorium windows were covered with paper and it was not announced on any calendar or bulletin to the parents or to the faculty.
It was not scheduled, obviously, through the
Leadership Council. This is supposedly part of a series of visits so either this has been done at other schools and/or is planned to be done at other LAUSD schools. I think this should be widely distributed and people should let their School Board Member know we don't want this, and that "secret assemblies" are not acceptable. The people from Frank's organization filmed the event and it is unknown if parent permission slips were signed. The students were instructed to write letters to the troops and the teachers were instructed to screen out any negative. The only students involved were student council members and only "well-behaved" members from the student council were allowed. This came from Eric Garcetti's "BLOG"
http://www.ericgarcetti.org/blog/index.php (http://www.ericgarcetti.org/blog/index.php)>http://www.ericgarcetti.org/blog/index.php (http://www.ericgarcetti.org/blog/index.php)
> tf.jpg
> peace.jpg
Tuesday, April 19, 2005, 4:47PM
Retired General Tommy Franks came to Echo Park's own Logan Street Elementary School today. Echo Park used to be home to a Marine Corps training center (now the Los Angeles Fire Department's training center) and is the home of many veterans, anti-war activists (not necessarily mutually exclusive) and there are currently local residents in Iraq as part of the U.S. armed forces. This trip to the local elementary school, though, was organized on behalf of US Trust, and arranged by Fleishman-Hillard, Los Angeles. General Franks came to Logan, according to
Businesswire:
as part of the U.S. Trust Conversations With
Greatness: Pivotal People at Pivotal Moments speaker series. Franks will address the school's fifth graders about citizenship and community service. Additionally, the students will show Franks cards, pictures and letters they have created that will be sent to U.S. troops in Iraq, along with care packages made possible by a
donation from U.S. Trust.
That's when anti-war protesters stepped in.
According to a news release from CISPES (an anti-war group that Raul in his comments has referred to as a biased source, and I have been searching for another side to the story to be fair), here's what happened next:
DEMONSTRATORS BLOCK CAR OF GEN. TOMMY FRANKS;
LOS ANGELES SCHOOL IS SITE OF DRAMATIC CONFRONTATION
by don white
LOS ANGELES [April 19, 2005] A small but militant
group of anti-war protesters confronted retired
Iraqi war general Tommy Franks this morning as he left a student assembly at Logan Street Elementery School in the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles.
General Franks, attempting to leave the school in an SUV with tinted windows, was totally blocked by
protesters who climbed onto the hood and body of the car and blocked his departure with banners, signs and their own bodies. "War criminal! Murderer of the Iraqi People!" and other chants were directed at the car as it remained immobilized in the middle of the street.
Parents and community people, outraged by the
appearance of the general, joined in the direct
confrontation which came as the vehicle was leaving campus. A father whose son was killed in the Iraqi war reported after the episode, "I looked Franks right in the eye and told him he killed my boy." Veterans of the Iraqi war also reported that they were able to see into the lightly tinted windows and address Franks with their comments.
Protesters were nudged by the driver but no injuries and no arrests took place. Police made an exit route for the general's car. The protest, called and organized in a three-hour time frame, came about when parents, teachers and community members learned of the appearance of General
Franks at the school. The school's administration
and Los Angeles Unified School District officials kept the appearance a secret from the community.
"We had no idea this was going to happen," a veteran teacher told reporters. A parent commented, "I didn't know a military man was speaking to our children today; we should have been told," she told KNX Radio News in an interview. Many parents, speaking in Spanish, told protesters they did not like the idea of
the military being on campus promoting that option
to their young people. Logan Street is a grade school in a working class, heavily immigrant community just west of downtown Los Angeles. The general was brought to the campus by a non-profit pro-military foundation which arranges celebrity appearances.
The school was in full lockdown as demonstrators
arrived at 11:00 a.m. No community people were
allowed on campus and signs indicating a press
conference were at main entrances.
About 25 loud and lively demonstrators carried signs and banners with various messages:
> ---NO GENERALS TEACHING WAR; TEACH PEACE
> ---DON'T RECRUIT OUR FIFTH GRADERS FOR THE WAR
> ---ROTC AND GENERALS OFF CAMPUS
> ---LOGAN STREET HAS SOLD OUT ITS STUDENTS
and other protest signs. Several organizations in
the peace movement sent representatives and community people joined the activity.
Los Angeles Unified District police threatened to
take one protester into custody if she did not
provide her name and personal information. After a lengthy exchange she did so under protest. Logan Street vice-principal had reported, "She twice requested to come on campus and we are afraid she will disrupt."
The protester denied she did anything illegal or
provocative and a legal observer from the National
Lawyer's Guild said an inquiry would probably be
made at school district headquarters. The situation grew tense when protesters angrily
confronted administrators at the school for
providing General Franks as a role model for fifth graders.
The event ended shortly after General Franks left the campus.
Post by: Deborah on May 03, 2005, 04:29:00 PM
Excerpts:
Army Recruiters Say They Feel Pressure to Bend Rules
By Damien Cave
The New York Times
Tuesday 03 May 2005
It was late September when the 21-year-old man, fresh from a three-week commitment in a psychiatric ward, showed up at an Army recruiting station in southern Ohio. The two recruiters there wasted no time signing him up, and even after the man's parents told them he had bipolar disorder - a diagnosis that would disqualify him - he was all set to be shipped to boot camp, and perhaps Iraq after that, before senior officers found out and canceled the enlistment.
Despite an Army investigation, the recruiters were not punished and were still working in the area late last month.
Two hundred miles away, in northern Ohio, another recruiter said the incident hardly surprised him. He has been bending or breaking enlistment rules for months, he said, hiding police records and medical histories of potential recruits. His commanders have encouraged such deception, he said, because they know there is no other way to meet the Army's stiff recruitment quotas.
"The problem is that no one wants to join," the recruiter said. "We have to play fast and loose with the rules just to get by."
****
He said that in the last year, he had seen recruiters falsify documents so that applicants could earn ranks they were not qualified to hold. When enlistees tested positive for marijuana, he said, recruiters coached them to drink gallons of water before visiting military doctors. Occasionally, the recruiter said, he has been ordered to conceal police records and minor medical conditions like attention deficit disorder, which usually disqualifies a candidate. When he and others resisted such orders, he said, superiors threatened to ruin their careers.
The recruiter, who has fought in several conflicts including the current war in Iraq, said one in every three people he had enlisted had a problem that needed concealing, or a waiver. "The only people who want to join the Army now have issues," he said. "They're troubled, with health, police or drug problems."
The recruiter said he believed in the Army and his job, often working 80-hour weeks. But he sometimes worries about the mental capabilities of those who are enlisted, he said, especially as they move up the ranks.
"If they are in a leadership position and they're sending 10 or 11 people all over the place because they can't focus on the job at hand," he said, "we're in trouble."
Post by: Anonymous on May 04, 2005, 10:13:00 AM
Quote
On 2005-05-03 13:29:00, Deborah wrote::lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
"http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/050305Y.shtml
Excerpts:
Army Recruiters Say They Feel Pressure to Bend Rules
By Damien Cave
The New York Times
Tuesday 03 May 2005
It was late September when the 21-year-old man, fresh from a three-week commitment in a psychiatric ward, showed up at an Army recruiting station in southern Ohio. The two recruiters there wasted no time signing him up, and even after the man's parents told them he had bipolar disorder - a diagnosis that would disqualify him - he was all set to be shipped to boot camp, and perhaps Iraq after that, before senior officers found out and canceled the enlistment.
Despite an Army investigation, the recruiters were not punished and were still working in the area late last month.
Two hundred miles away, in northern Ohio, another recruiter said the incident hardly surprised him. He has been bending or breaking enlistment rules for months, he said, hiding police records and medical histories of potential recruits. His commanders have encouraged such deception, he said, because they know there is no other way to meet the Army's stiff recruitment quotas.
"The problem is that no one wants to join," the recruiter said. "We have to play fast and loose with the rules just to get by."
****
He said that in the last year, he had seen recruiters falsify documents so that applicants could earn ranks they were not qualified to hold. When enlistees tested positive for marijuana, he said, recruiters coached them to drink gallons of water before visiting military doctors. Occasionally, the recruiter said, he has been ordered to conceal police records and minor medical conditions like attention deficit disorder, which usually disqualifies a candidate. When he and others resisted such orders, he said, superiors threatened to ruin their careers.
The recruiter, who has fought in several conflicts including the current war in Iraq, said one in every three people he had enlisted had a problem that needed concealing, or a waiver. "The only people who want to join the Army now have issues," he said. "They're troubled, with health, police or drug problems."
The recruiter said he believed in the Army and his job, often working 80-hour weeks. But he sometimes worries about the mental capabilities of those who are enlisted, he said, especially as they move up the ranks.
"If they are in a leadership position and they're sending 10 or 11 people all over the place because they can't focus on the job at hand," he said, "we're in trouble."
"
Deborah "Mid Life Crisis Poster" , more like "Mid Life Crisis PASTER"
Post by: thepatriot on May 17, 2005, 03:16:00 PM
Quote
Howard Dean, former governor of Vermont, is the founder of Democracy for America, a grassroots organization that supports socially progressive and fiscally responsible political candidates. Email Howard Dean at howarddean@democracyforamerica.com"
A Little More on Howard Dean
Breaking party lines, former Gov. Howard Dean said Monday he supports Rep. Bernard Sanders' bid for the U.S. Senate, saying the Independent makes a "strong candidate." "A victory for Bernie Sanders is a win for Democrats," Dean said in a telephone interview Monday.
Now, if I were a member of the DNC I would take issue with this big time. Is Dean drawing parallel lines with the current Democratic Party and socialism? It sure sounds like it to me. My Grandfather was a staunch Democrat along the like of JFK; he would roll over in his grave to see what his party has become today.
What I am curious about is what the general stance of the Lefties like Dean is anyway other than Bush bashing. Hell we can all do that and many of us do including me. But my question to Howie is; what is your vision for the White House? What would you do different? What the hell is Yours, Hillary?s, Fat Teddy's and the rest of the DNC's stance on the state of the nation anyway?
This is my point, they have no vision, no new ideas I guess it?s just easier to point fingers both parties at each other than it is to step up to the plate either way they still get that fat retirement and travel expenses, special intrest groups in their pockets. It would be nice to see some new faces with some new ideas on the Hill, but as long as it belongs to the GOP and DNC we we are in for a long ride. And a independant that is a socialist is not my idea of a new face with new ideas.
[ This Message was edited by: thepatriot on 2005-05-17 12:17 ]
Post by: Anonymous on May 17, 2005, 03:50:00 PM
Post by: Anonymous on May 18, 2005, 08:53:00 AM
Quote
On 2005-05-17 12:50:00, Anonymous wrote:
"Give me a socialist over a fascist any day. New idea for the white house: how about HONESTY, INTEGRITY,and a little concern for promoting the general welfare of the USA? But I have no hope that there will ever be a chance for a democrat or any other party to be selected. Ever heard of "hard-coded" software?"
Hey I'll buy that! Honesty and Integrity, but spare me the 60's throw back fascit crap, you could put them all in the category.Let me ask you this, do you think ANY career politician is capable of true integrity or Honesty? Fact of the matter is this nation is pretty much bitterly divided and you can blame both parties for that.And by the way socialism even as a experiment hasn't panned out very well anywhere. You maybe in the majority on this web site but thats about it, suggest socilism to Joe Sixpack even being in a Union and he tell you your nuts.
Post by: Antigen on May 22, 2005, 05:56:00 PM
http://www.mises.org/story/1822 (http://www.mises.org/story/1822)
Our Federal government has become the beast we set out to slay over 200 years ago. Time to fire them and go back to being a commonwealth or confederacy.
It (the Bible) is full of interest. It has noble poetry in it; and some clever fables; and some blood-drenched history; and some good morals; and a wealth of obscenity; and upwards of a thousand lies.
--Samuel Clemens "Mark Twain", American author and humorist
_________________
Ginger Warbis ~ Antigen
Drug war POW
Seed `71 - `80
Straight, Sarasota
10/80 - 10/82
Anonymity Anonymous
return undef() if /coercion/i;
Post by: Deborah on June 09, 2005, 09:18:00 PM
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/paynter/2 ... ter08.html (http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/paynter/227497_paynter08.html)
Wednesday, June 8, 2005
When Marine recruiters go way beyond the call
By SUSAN PAYNTER
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER COLUMNIST
For mom Marcia Cobb and her teenage son Axel, the white letters USMC on their caller ID soon spelled, "Don't answer the phone!"
Marine recruiters began a relentless barrage of calls to Axel as soon as the mellow, compliant Sedro-Woolley High School grad had cut his 17th birthday cake. And soon it was nearly impossible to get the seekers of a few good men off the line.
With early and late calls ringing in their ears, Marcia tried using call blocking. And that's when she learned her first hard lesson. You can't block calls from the government, her server said. So, after pleas to "Please stop calling" went unanswered, the family's "do not answer" order ensued.
But warnings and liquid crystal lettering can fade. So, two weeks ago when Marcia was cooking dinner Axel goofed and answered the call. And, faster than you can say "semper fi," an odyssey kicked into action that illustrates just how desperate some of the recruiters we've read about really are to fill severely sagging quotas.
Let what we learned serve as a warning to other moms, dads and teens, the Cobbs now say. Even if your kids actually may want to join the military, if they hope to do it on their own terms, after a deep breath and due consideration, repeat these words after them: "No," "Not now" and "Back off!"
"I've been trained to be pretty friendly. I guess you might even say I'm kind of passive," Axel told me last week, just after his mother and older sister had tracked him to a Seattle testing center and sprung him on a ruse.
The next step of Axel's misadventure came when he heard about a cool "chin-ups" contest in Bellingham, where the prize was a free Xbox. The now 18-year-old Skagit Valley Community College student dragged his tail feathers home uncharacteristically late that night. And, in the morning, Marcia learned the Marines had hosted the event and "then had him out all night, drilling him to join."
A single mom with a meager income, Marcia raised her kids on the farm where, until recently, she grew salad greens for restaurants.
Axel's father, a Marine Corps vet who served in Vietnam, died when Axel was 4.
Clearly the recruiters knew all that and more.
"You don't want to be a burden to your mom," they told him. "Be a man." "Make your father proud." Never mind that, because of his own experience in the service, Marcia says enlistment for his son is the last thing Axel's dad would have wanted.
The next weekend, when Marcia went to Seattle for the Folklife Festival and Axel was home alone, two recruiters showed up at the door.
Axel repeated the family mantra, but he was feeling frazzled and worn down by then. The sergeant was friendly but, at the same time, aggressively insistent. This time, when Axel said, "Not interested," the sarge turned surly, snapping, "You're making a big (bleeping) mistake!"
Next thing Axel knew, the same sergeant and another recruiter showed up at the LaConner Brewing Co., the restaurant where Axel works. And before Axel, an older cousin and other co-workers knew or understood what was happening, Axel was whisked away in a car.
"They said we were going somewhere but I didn't know we were going all the way to Seattle," Axel said.
Just a few tests. And so many free opportunities, the recruiters told him.
He could pursue his love of chemistry. He could serve anywhere he chose and leave any time he wanted on an "apathy discharge" if he didn't like it. And he wouldn't have to go to Iraq if he didn't want to.
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."
By then Marcia had "freaked out."
She went to the Burlington recruiting center where the door was open but no one was home. So she grabbed all the cards and numbers she could find, including the address of the Seattle-area testing center.
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.
"They were telling me I needed to 'be a man' and stand up to my family," Axel said.
What he needed, it turned out, was a lawyer.
Five minutes and $250 after an attorney called the recruiters, Axel's signed papers and his cell phone were in the mail.
My request to speak with the sergeant who recruited Axel and with the Burlington office about recruitment procedures went unanswered.
And so should your phone, Marcia Cobb advised. Take your own sweet time. Keep your own counsel. And, if you see USMC on caller ID, remember what answering the call could mean.
Susan Paynter's column appears Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Call her at 206-448-8392 or send e-mail to susanpaynter@seattlepi.com.
Post by: Deborah on June 15, 2005, 02:11:00 PM
Education, Not Ammunition
By MARK TAYLOR-CANFIELD
AlterNet
Organizers of the military counter-recruitment campaign estimate that over 150 students walked out of classes and marched on recruiting offices at three different locations around Seattle on May 23rd. Three recruiting centers ? one near the University of Washington, another in the Central District and one at the Northgate Mall -- were forced to temporarily close their doors, as students blockaded the facilities and picketed outside.
Remainder of article here:
http://www.globalresistancenetwork.com/ ... ation.html (http://www.globalresistancenetwork.com/MT_Education.html)
Post by: webcrawler on June 15, 2005, 11:03:00 PM
Post by: Paul on June 18, 2005, 10:53:00 AM
Something is going to happen.
One thing for sure, the Presidents need
for the military is not going to decrease.
The surprise to me, is that there is not
more outrage at the long term use of the
National Guard.
As well as, the increased use of military
contractors to provide services that where
once performed by uniformed forces.
Last I heard it takes 11 military personnel
to put one troop on the front.
I would be curious to add the amount of
military contractors to that number. It
will be shocking, I am sure.
Post by: Anonymous on June 23, 2005, 09:09:00 PM
Post by: Deborah on July 03, 2005, 01:12:00 PM
http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Pentagon_ ... _0622.html (http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Pentagon_begins_building_teen_database_for_re_0622.html)
Post by: Antigen on July 03, 2005, 01:57:00 PM
Quote
On 2005-06-18 07:53:00, Paul wrote:
The surprise to me, is that there is not
more outrage at the long term use of the
National Guard.
Oh, the outrage is there! It's just not reported in the media. I live in an extremely military friendly neck of the woods. During the Cuban Missile crisis, JFK actually came to this little po dunk to speak because here was made a particularly high quality of steel needed for war ships and so Monessen had been a prime military target since WWII. People here are proud of their distinction as having sent more boys to defend America than any other region.
But they're not the least bit happy about the way things are going now. Some of them will still encourage their sons to go. And they won't complain too loudly. But the entheusiastic support for this effort is just missing.
When a religion is good, I conceive it will support itself; and when it does not support itself, and God does not take care to support it so that its professors are obliged to call for help of the civil power, 'tis a sign, I apprehend, of its being a bad one.
--Benjamin Franklin, American Founding Father, author, and inventor
Post by: Anonymous on December 12, 2005, 03:47:00 PM
WAR COMMITMENT, QUESTIONS - AND ANTIDEPRESSANTS
By Ellyn Moran Santiago - The Sun Staff
WESTERLY - Purple Heart medalist Marine Lance Cpl. Nickolas D. Schiavoni, killed by a suicide bomber in Iraq more than three weeks ago, at once
struggled with - and was committed to - fighting the war in Iraq, his mother says.
But his mother, Stephany Kern of Westerly - herself an opponent of the war -says her son was "depressed about all of it."
And so, too, apparently were members of his platoon: Schiavoni wrote his father that he and others in his unit were being prescribed antidepressants.
"We got word that the unit was all depressed, and Nicky was on Zoloft," Kern said. "He had post-traumatic stress the first time he came home."
A Pentagon spokeswoman told The Sun that privacy acts prohibit her from discussing what, if any, medications specific Marines are prescribed. But,
she said, antidepressants, "a common prescription these days," are prescribed generally, and on follow-up, military health officials found that
the medication has a "calming effect," and makes soldiers "more alert."
Staff Sgt. Christina Delai said that antidepressants are prescribed to Marines "case-by-case." She could not confirm if an entire unit was on the medication.