GI nephew got his Christmas "orders"

[snappyturtle]

I just heard that my nephew who just graduated from basic training is "allowed" Christmas leave to recruit his friends! It was a pre-requiste to his coming home that while we was home he HAS to talk to his friends and endeavor to get them to sign up! In January he'll report to a cavalry division at Ft. Hood. I'm afraid Iraq won't be far behind.

[wryter2000]

1. I'm so sorry

I hope he stays safe.

[Blue Gardener]

2. My nephew

Is scheduled to be deployed to Iraq in July. My fear is he will have to go sooner because of the "Surge".

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. Oh I am so sorry

Those damn recruiters! We went shopping last night and the clerk who waited on us told us they had just ran off 2 recruiters in the store!!

[snappyturtle]

4. Thanks all for the compassion....

most of us in the family are very distressed he signed up in the first place. His father thought since he didn't make it grade wise through a year of colledge and was having trouble finding himself in the job market that this was his only recourse! All I see is a boy with big brown eyes being shaped into something he is not. I hope he's around next Christmas.

[frylock]

5. is he in the army or amway?!

jeez. Good thoughts and positive vibes to your nephew.

[snappyturtle]

7. Thank you. n/t

[seriousstan]

6. It's called Hometown Recruiting and your nephew applied for it.

He had to submit a DA 31 form and be approved. It WAS NOT a pre-requiste to his coming home. He actually gets up to an additional 20 days at home by doing this. He has applied and could be accepted as a temporary requiting assistant. Perhaps you should educate yourself about the program so you can talk intelligently to him about it when he comes home.

[snappyturtle]

8. Aw, let's see........

I sign this DA 31 and get to be home for twenty days longer OR I don't sign and get far less time at home. What SHOULD I do?

I don't understand why we bother paying recruiters. Don't we already ask enough of our soldiers?

[alfredo]

9. Such things on your DD 214 or whatever they call it now,

add to your resume. Some employers do look at what you did in the military.

Of course what I did in the military disqualified me for many jobs. Such problems are rare for vets. Many MOS's (Military Occupations Specialties) have relevance to the general workplace.

So what your nephew signed up for could be beneficial beyond the extra time home. It shows a willingness to work with the public, to be an advocate, to be a leader. Maybe, just maybe your nephew is well adjusted and sociable.

[nadinbrzezinski]

10. And someday, maybe six years (or four depending on the

contract) or perhaps 20+ if he decides to make the army a career, he will be out.

And yes it is still called a DD-214.

[snappyturtle]

11. Well, all of you certainly know more about

this than I do! A lot more. I guess I look at this situation from a civilian point of view and can't help but wonder if he successfully recruits one of his friends from high school or college and said friend dies in the war, how that decision this Christmas season will influence the remainder of his life?

[alfredo]

13. Recruit people you know would never qualify. That's what the

recruiters do to get their numbers and help the pentagon meet its recruiting goals. So what if they never make it to basic training.

[snappyturtle]

14. Really? Is my complete ignorance showing? n/t

[alfredo]

15. No. The recruiters play the system and the Pentagon plays along.

People do what they can go get by.

Most likely your nephew is only needs to make contact and a pitch. PR work. Not sure if he has to do any paperwork and gather signatures proving his contacts. Others might know.

It is smart of the Army to encourage peer to peer contact.

[alfredo]

12. I never got that other form, a more formal, suitable for framing

document that stated I was discharged. I got the DD-214, and that is the important one.

I Dropped out of society (went counter culture) for a number of years, 69-81. They may have sent it to my parents and had lost it by the time we made contact in 1973.