You know. I live in this little town out here in the middle of nowhere, and some of the things I hear on a regular basis..... Man I tell you what.
The median income here is somewhere in the 20's. That's right the 20's. Without giving away my location, I tell you that's about a third of what a family actually needs to survive comfortably out here. So it surprises me everyday when I talk to a young man who is recently married, is 23 years old, has a new baby on the way, and works at Taco Bell, telling me how he has "it all figured out."
I remember when I was 21 and getting ready to get married thinking how in the hell am I going provide for a family working as a cook? So into the recruiting station I go. Thirteen years later I think WOW thank God a recruiter was there that day. I shudder to think where I would be now. Really I do. I owe everything in my life to God and the Army. Without either of those things I would be nowhere.
Getting back to the point. Well I guess that was the point. I guess what I am trying to say is why not give the recruiter a chance? Why not sit down with him, and just maybe see if there is something there. I mean Taco Bell is never going to pay what we pay. Taco Bell is never going to give you all the money for college you will ever need. Taco Bell is never going to provide your family with the health care benefits we have. Stop being scared to admit your way isn't working. Sorry bud, I understand how much you want to be the next Jeremy Mcgrath, but get real. It's probably not going to happen.
Is the thought of going to Iraq that scary? Is the thought of maybe serving a cause greater than YOU (yeah I know nothing is more important than you) really a bad thing? You know you can take the dirt bike with you when you go to Fort Hood or wherever? In fact we'll pay to ship it there.
OMG I don't wanna die in Iraq!! That is a profound statement. So I am going to post a link hopefully I get it right. I thought whoever is reading this might find this interesting. Compare that to the current toll in Iraq and Afghanistan combined 3500 or so in 4 years. Don't get me wrong I think everyone of those losses brings me great sadness, but get real. More people are killed by drunk drivers every year.
Just my thought for the day.
http://www.the-eggman.com/writings/death_stats.html
Monday, April 30, 2007
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Things that Amaze,Confuse and Annoy me
This list could be 14 days long. I'll try to keep it short for now. I am sure there will be many more to follow.
1. Kids in high school with a 3.0 average that can't pass the ASVAB. My ten year old can pass the ASVAB.
Parents take note. Contrary to what you might believe your son/daughter may be too stupid to drive a truck in the Army.
2. People who call me from jail wondering if they are qualified to join the Army. Hint: If you're not qualified to walk among the rest of us because you can't stop stealing, drinking and driving, or beating people up with a hammer, you're pretty much not qualified to play with 20 million dollar helicopters either.
3. Folks that work at MEPS that are sitting there staring at your applicant all day, knowing that they need something from the recruiter to continue, waiting until 25 minutes before they close to call and let the recruiter know something is wrong
4. Parents who somehow believe that sitting down with me and their kid, to talk about whether or not the Army might help their kid, automatically means that little Joey will be in the Army before I leave the house. As if I have a set of hair clippers in the car, and 14 different sizes of boots just waiting on him.
5. Kids who can't spell UCLA telling me how they are going to go there next year.
6. Every "tough guy" in town who looks down and walks into walls and such to not make eye contact with a recruiter. Even female recruiters. I saw a guy at Walmart bowl over a three year old once trying to get away from me. This guy weighed 300 pound easy. What on earth made him think I was even interested in talking to him?
7. Recruiters who think that they are fooling their station commanders. Hey genius, my phone has a speaker on it too. I can and do listen to all your phone calls.
8. Applicants that tell me the last time they smoked weed was a long time ago. Saturday WAS NOT a long time ago Jackass.
9. Recruiters that still don't believe that "big brother" is watching. That's OK I'll think it's funny when CID puts you in handcuffs. Go watch your porno at home, on your own computer jackass.
That should do for now. there will be many more to follow
1. Kids in high school with a 3.0 average that can't pass the ASVAB. My ten year old can pass the ASVAB.
Parents take note. Contrary to what you might believe your son/daughter may be too stupid to drive a truck in the Army.
2. People who call me from jail wondering if they are qualified to join the Army. Hint: If you're not qualified to walk among the rest of us because you can't stop stealing, drinking and driving, or beating people up with a hammer, you're pretty much not qualified to play with 20 million dollar helicopters either.
3. Folks that work at MEPS that are sitting there staring at your applicant all day, knowing that they need something from the recruiter to continue, waiting until 25 minutes before they close to call and let the recruiter know something is wrong
4. Parents who somehow believe that sitting down with me and their kid, to talk about whether or not the Army might help their kid, automatically means that little Joey will be in the Army before I leave the house. As if I have a set of hair clippers in the car, and 14 different sizes of boots just waiting on him.
5. Kids who can't spell UCLA telling me how they are going to go there next year.
6. Every "tough guy" in town who looks down and walks into walls and such to not make eye contact with a recruiter. Even female recruiters. I saw a guy at Walmart bowl over a three year old once trying to get away from me. This guy weighed 300 pound easy. What on earth made him think I was even interested in talking to him?
7. Recruiters who think that they are fooling their station commanders. Hey genius, my phone has a speaker on it too. I can and do listen to all your phone calls.
8. Applicants that tell me the last time they smoked weed was a long time ago. Saturday WAS NOT a long time ago Jackass.
9. Recruiters that still don't believe that "big brother" is watching. That's OK I'll think it's funny when CID puts you in handcuffs. Go watch your porno at home, on your own computer jackass.
That should do for now. there will be many more to follow
Friday, April 27, 2007
My First Blog
Hello,
This is my first attempt at a blog, so excuse me if I get some of the etiquette wrong. I wanted to start a blog because I think I have a lot to share about my experiences in recruiting. I am going to try to NOT use this blog as place to get into huge political debates and what not. However if someone comes in here and says something retarded, I will probably say something retarded back.
I am a promotable Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Army. I have served this great country for thirteen years, and have loved every minute of my service. There are things about the Army that drive me nuts, but those things do not weaken my love of this Army.
I did not join the Army as a recruiter, I joined as an 11 bravo, Infantry guy. Most awesome job in the Army. Even though I sold my soul to the gods of recruiting I still believe that the Army is made up of the infantry, and everyone else.
I do however believe that Recruiting is the most important job in the military. Without us there is no military.
I am going to try to use this blog as a way to vent some of my frustrations about this job. I am also going to use this as a way to express the joys of this job.
Contrary to what many believe, we are not here to steal yous sons and daughters, and make them "cannon fodder". That's my favorite thing to hear by the way. We are here to first provide the strength for the Army, and secondly to help young men and women achieve their goals. That is the reason I do this. That is the reason I chose to stay in recruiting. The joy of watching a young person grow into something great chokes me up every time. I have always felt I do the greatest good out here in "recruiter land".
I am located somewhere in the middle of the great hot nowhere. I live in a great little town. I have a great family, and I work for the greatest Army in the world.
This is my first attempt at a blog, so excuse me if I get some of the etiquette wrong. I wanted to start a blog because I think I have a lot to share about my experiences in recruiting. I am going to try to NOT use this blog as place to get into huge political debates and what not. However if someone comes in here and says something retarded, I will probably say something retarded back.
I am a promotable Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Army. I have served this great country for thirteen years, and have loved every minute of my service. There are things about the Army that drive me nuts, but those things do not weaken my love of this Army.
I did not join the Army as a recruiter, I joined as an 11 bravo, Infantry guy. Most awesome job in the Army. Even though I sold my soul to the gods of recruiting I still believe that the Army is made up of the infantry, and everyone else.
I do however believe that Recruiting is the most important job in the military. Without us there is no military.
I am going to try to use this blog as a way to vent some of my frustrations about this job. I am also going to use this as a way to express the joys of this job.
Contrary to what many believe, we are not here to steal yous sons and daughters, and make them "cannon fodder". That's my favorite thing to hear by the way. We are here to first provide the strength for the Army, and secondly to help young men and women achieve their goals. That is the reason I do this. That is the reason I chose to stay in recruiting. The joy of watching a young person grow into something great chokes me up every time. I have always felt I do the greatest good out here in "recruiter land".
I am located somewhere in the middle of the great hot nowhere. I live in a great little town. I have a great family, and I work for the greatest Army in the world.
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