<p>At the beginning of my "Great Quest to Find a Purpose" I decided the military would be something to check out. Well, I looked at Air Force, Army, Navy, and Marines. To cut the story short, I decided I was going to aim for Marines. During the process I had visited a few recruiters and gotten some information. I finally decided upon "the few, the proud" because I'm a sucker for elitist advertising (haha).</p>
<p>Well, I was at a local show this past weekend when who do I run into? An Army recruiter---the same one I had talked to a few months ago. He looked at me and smiled. He remembered who I was and asked if I had decided what to do yet. I told him about my plans to go to USNA over USMA. He seemed shocked. He asked me why I would choose the Marines over the Army and shook his head.</p>
<p>He continued about how he thinks I'm an Army person, how he thinks I'd like Army better, and how the percentage of female jobs are larger in the Army. Of course, he is a recruiter, so I let him talk. He said that I could still go into the Army now, ditch the USNA, and go to college while I'm in the Army. Not bad, considering I was thinking about doing just that if USNA didn't come out so well.</p>
<p>Where does this all wind up? I said I'd come listen to him finish talking this Saturday. He wants me to take the ASVAB or something and show me what I could have done. Anyways, I'm bringing my older brother because I think he'd like the Army and maybe the recruiter can take him.</p>
<p>I'm wondering, is this recruiter just really desperate for recruits? Or do most recruiters try swaying someone who wants to go into another branch (it didn't seem like just friendly competition between branches, but a serious do-not-go-to-navy-or-marines-or-air-force)? Or is he being completely honest, saying that, by hard facts, a normal person would have a better life in the Army than in the Marines/Navy/Air Force?</p>
<p>Yeah, recruiters have quotas to meet just like police officers have to give out a certain number of speeding tickets each month. Sometimes (I'm generalizing here) the recruiter doesn't care about your future as long as you're willing to sign on the dotted line of the enlistment form (and skip over the fine print). To many people, enlisting and having the government pay for college seems like a great deal (us service academy dudes are different, I guess), and the recruiter's spiel is tailored to the average Joe.</p>
<p>I've had recruiters call me before and I told them I'm going to USNA, and they're like, "Wow congrats. I guess I can't interest you enlisting, can I?...Good luck in Annapolis" A lot of times the recruiter is just happy to talk to someone who is going military--enlisting or otherwise.</p>
<p>I had a recruiter try to convince me to enlist, even after I described how I was headed for USMA. I don't think some of them understand the academies... Nice people though.</p>
<p>Well, i think its important to understand that some of these recuiters are very heavily pressured by their superiors to meet quotas. When army recuiters called me, i felt pretty bad for them when i told them that i was already in the middle of my USNA application. However palpably dissapointed, they were very polite.</p>
<p>haha... i went looking for an army guard recruiter, found an army AD/reserve recruiter, and now he wont let me go, haha! i got a 99 on the practice asvab and now hes trying to get me to go to meps and get my flight physical and take the asvab and all that... not right now thanks! they seem to want to put in a package for WOFT(warrant officer flight training) for me, which right now seems like an awesome deal after 4 years at illinois.</p>
<p>I remember a Navy recruiter trying to get me to enlist when I dropped by just to see what was up. The story went that my chances of getting into USNA would be higher and my repect level among the troops greater if I was wearing a Good Conduct Ribbon, etc. I was also looking at enlisting just in case I didn't get into USNA (I doubted I would).</p>
<p>I also remember not understanding that rates (Electronics Technician, Aviation Ordnanceman, etc.) were for enlisted and not officers, but that's another story.</p>
<p>My dad was FURIOUS! Raised all holy hell and dropped it in our living room that night! He was convinced I was going to be "some sailor" instead of an OFFICER, etc., etc., etc...</p>
<p>He was right, of course, but his delivery (as usual) sucked!</p>
<p>I don't remember if I knew about NAPS at the time....</p>
<p>Any good recruiter should love the organization for which he/she is recruiting - whether it's a school, a corporation, or a branch of the military. It follows that some just can't believe that a candidate would make another choice. I think it speaks well of him that he remembered you and thinks highly enough of you to continue recruiting you. It's what he should be doing.</p>
<p>I still have a chat now and then with my dd's recruiter! Nice guy! He's very excited that my dd is headed to USNA, but he was thrilled when she drove a friend down to sign up. The young man had no parental support and didn't want to go by himself. Remember, not only do they have to make a quota, but they get hassled if they don't show a number of contacts for the week. My dd's recruiter would call every Wednesday, knowing she'd be at orchestra, but just to chat. He knew I have a lot of contact with other homeschoolers--in fact, sent him our cousin and two good friends!</p>
<p>S is on a NROTC scholarship and even within his own unit, the Marines (who are far fewer in number) are constantly telling the Navy midshipman that they need to transfer to the "other side".</p>
<p>That would be the worst case!!!!!!! Someone who has already gained admission to a Service Academy is someone a recruiter is still going to pressure. they know that you're smart, so if you enlist in a "smart" job, it looks better for them.</p>
<p>I would like to weigh in on recruiters. Here in military country there are lots of recruiters from all branches of the service. Without fail, I have found them to be the nicest people around. I had 5 kids who tested with near perfect ASVAB scores ( our high school does this test routinely) so of course the recruiters would call our home and ask about our children's interest in the military. They were always polite to me when they asked to speak to my children, and never harassed my older 4 when they replied they had no interest in military service.</p>
<p>Here at our high school we have an amazing program where in junior year as part of US history the entire class prepares for a "Living History" Day and a mock USO show. For an entire day, veterans from WW2 come on our campus and are interviewed in classes by juniors. Kids and vets were vintage uniforms and at lunchtime the arts dept. kids put on a USO style show with music, singing, dancing. It's the best thing on the planet to see a 16 year old teenager dancing the swing with an 85 year old vet in his old uniform. Anyway - the high school lets recruiters set up tables in one corner of the gym for this activity. This year I made it a point to stop by each table of each service branch and individually shake each person's hand to thank them for coming and for their service to our nation. Since then, I have befriended the Army Sergeant recruiter - who has an office across the street from the school. Why him over the others? Well, I thought he was the cutest, if you want to know the truth. You can get away with murder when you're an old grandma. :-) Actually - he had a really really sharp military uniform on that day and showed the most enthusiasm. Plus my mother's instinct kicked in and I just felt he needed some support. Turns out he's brand new to his job....recently divorced...not living with his kids...BUT he is an outstanding Army recruiter and decent human being. We got talking that first day and I told him about our daughter's appointment - mostly to gauge his reaction....His face lit up with a huge smile and with genuine approval said: 'That's teriffic! Tell her congratulations for me!" Since then he has contacted my husband about speaking at our Civil Air Patrol Squadron for recruiting....sponsored our family for a dinner along with other people connected to our high school to show military support for youth interested in military service....and this recruiter and his sons (at a time when he has them for a visit) is coming to our home for a social visit.</p>
<p>I never thought I'd befriend an Army recruiter - heck - we're Navy/MARINE all the way. But there are decent hardworking folk in every branch of the military and I tell this story to outweigh people who want to tar all recruiters as 'body counters' for their quotas.</p>