Hi Flapjack,

I so much agree with you.  As soon as I'm done with this post I'm gonna read into the link you left.

 

What these recruters do, is that they prey on kids when they're still in school!  They go out to the junior high and high schoos and tell the kids how wonderful their lives will be if they just join the army or whatever.  Then, right about graduation time they really lay it on strong. 

 

It's hard when a middle class type kid graduates and he doesn't really have a family business to follow or money for college, and I know these days it REALLY scarry for kids age 19-29 or so.  It's just not the same when we were kids (me anyway) where you could go and get a decent paying job with benefits that you would have for your whole life until retirement.  Now if you dont have some kind of college degree under your belt you mays as well just about forget any kind of good paying job enough to support a family.  Not only that, once you get a job good luck on thinking you're going to have that same job until retirement. 

 

So the army bribes these kids.  Thats exactly what they do: bribe them.  Offer them $15,000 join up money and free housing, food, insurance, whatever. 

 

You should see how hard those 'recruit guys' work at getting people.  They came to my house, took my kid out to eat a few times and just wouldn't stop until he signed in!  I went with my kids to the recruit office to talk to one of these recruit men and make sure my kids didn't sign up.  WELL, the way they talk you'd think we'd be the dumbest people on earth if the kids didn't join the army!

 

All I can say is I thank God my kid is home from Iraq. (I got 2 kids in the army reserve, against my better judgement they both joined one week before 9/11 happened, but only my son went to Iraq). Some parents aren't so lucky as me.  One kid didn't make it home from Justin's unit.......very sad. 

 

My daughter says trying to get the "free $$ for college" is like a job in itself.  The army made her jump through so many hoops and she still hasn't got the college money.  She ended up paying herself and the army is suppose to pay her back.

 

anyway, thanx for the info and links.  I'm going to check them out now and if they're as interesting as what you post I know I will enjoy reading.

 

luv,

sue