National Guard Recruiters Forged Re-enlistment Papers

[tekisui]

Source: The Raw Story

Washington State National Guard recruiters repeatedly forged re-enlistment papers in a desperate attempt to hold on to soldiers in the run-up to the Iraq war surge, a local news channel's investigation has found.

In one case, a soldier found himself fighting against deployment to Iraq after re-enlistment papers with his signature on it appeared -- even though he never signed any such papers, reports Chris Ingalls at KING channel 5 news in Seattle.

And in another case, a sergeant who had signed up for a one-year tour of duty was shocked to discover his enlistment papers stated he had signed up for two years.

Former soldier Michael Patrick sounded the alarm when he discovered forged re-enlistment papers with his name on them.

"Sounds crazy," Michael Patrick told KING 5. "Sounds like something from a movie."

more: http://rawstory.com/rs/2010/0420/guard-recruiters-forged-reenlistment-papers/

[arcadian]

1. Sounds an awful lot like the British kidnapping of sailors

in the Chesapeake-Leopard affair.

[enlightenment]

2. Impressment?

American Navy did that too . . .

Actually this is more like what the British Army used to do - pulling stunts like dropping a shilling into the bottom of a mug of ale, then giving it to a likely 'recruit'. When they drank the ale they'd discover that by taking and drinking the brew they had 'taken the King's shilling' and bingo! They were enlisted!

One Yorkshire regiment (the 33rd Regiment of Foot) was called the 'havercakes' (oatcakes) - in part because their recruiting Sergeants (notice in the picture that they dressed like officers, with sash and sword) would skewer a few havercakes on the end of a sword and entice the often starving men into enlisting with promises of plentiful food.

[RaleighNCDUer]

3. And that is why you ALWAYS get a photocopy of any official document you sign. nt

[no limit]

4. The problem here is they never signed any official documents

[RaleighNCDUer]

6. The guy who re-upped for one and got two signed something.

As for the straight up forgery, that's a different matter.

[Jim__]

5. What should you ask for when you don't sign anything? - n/t