Military "fine print"

[ridgerunner]

One day some friends and I were ragging on one of our buddies who was a Machinist Mate and worked in the engine room cause he was always pulling 12 on 12 off shifts and didn't have time to hang out with us. He made a very good point when he said "I didn't know what I was signing up for when I joined. Did you?"

I enlisted when I was 17 because I wanted to. Being a poor hillbilly from Kentucky it seemed like a good way to see the world, and it was. I've visited a lot of places and met a lot of people that I never would have been exposed to if I had stayed in Kentucky. I don't regret enlisting at all. But the way it was done was not entirely honest.

Like I said, nobody forced me to join, I did it with my own free will, but this is how it was done to me and I would imagine countless others.

My recruiter told me that I needed to go to the MEPS station in Louisville and take my ASVAB to see what kind of job I could get in the Navy. So I boarded a bus with about 25 other fellows and headed down the road. ALL of us were under the impression that we were just going to take our test and get a physical. We represented potential recruits for every branch of the service except the Coast Guard.

Well I get to Louisville, take my test, take my physical and meet with a career counselor. He asked what field I wanted to go into and I told him I wasn't sure yet. He offered me Signalman, which in hindsight I should have taken because I honestly never met one in four years active duty that participated in a working party. But I told him I needed some more time to think about what I wanted to do and would talk it over with my recruiter. That's when he told me that I had to make a choice right then because I had already enlisted.

I looked at him and said "When?"

He told me that I signed a form and had indeed enlisted. I didn't remember signing any form to enlist because they make you sign dozens of forms and don't give you time to read them. Yes, I know it was my fault for not fully reading every form, but I trusted these people since they had told me that the only reason I was going to the MEPS station was to take a test and a physical. Lesson learned. Read every form and don't trust salesmen.

On my way home I found out that every other person had the same experience. Now mind ya, we wanted to join, but it wasn't done in an honest way. So all this talk about people being recalled does not surprise me at all because quite frankly you just can't trust the government. You know how the old lie goes "Hi, I'm from the government and I'm here to help you."

The bottom line is this: Read everything before you sign it because with the way things are going you too may end up in the military when all you really wanted was a car loan.

[Florida_Geek]

1. that what worries a lot of parents about

high school recruiters. If you are 18 and sign an enlistment your in.

[ridgerunner]

2. Yeah, the first words out of mother's mouth were

"What do you mean you enlisted? I thought you were just going to take a test."

[undergroundpanther]

3. Resist and refuse

Signing a paper cannot take away your consience and free will
They can threaten,lock you up and all but they can't MAKE you obey they can only coerce.You don't have to be a gun ina human suit.You don't have to obey. You can simply refuse.

It is time we stopped fighting the wars the rich start

It's time for them to stop using us as fodder and taking our lives away as thier greed rises.The"leaders" lie all the time about why we get involved in other countries..
Itr's time to stop playing "Lets you and him fight"
Because I know if we didn't pull the trigger for these pigs in power
They sure as hell wouldn't do it themselves.No senators child is going to get shot at,The bush twins aren't gonna be in Iraq. And Rumsfeld ain't gonna go..No send the citizens they are dumb enough to die and see none of the fruits of thier labors dupe them again george..Oggga Booga!tereer...
Could it be the real terrorists are these friggin elitists,corporate greedhead pirates and so called "leaders".

[BrainRants]

4. Fortunately there's a safety valve...

that may not work any longer given the current soldier shortage:

"I'm gay!"

Disclosure: I served in the Navy from 82-88 and I'm not gay, although I'm willing to learn (credit to Bill Murray in Stripes for making me laugh when I was asked on that one!) :)

My Dad was in the Navy too and he gave me the simplest advice before enlisting, and as I left for bootcamp: "Keep your eyes open ,your mouth shut, and read everything before you sign it!" I followed his advice to the letter, worked like a charm!

I agree, there is some slimey stuff.

[ridgerunner]

9. My father was in the Army 63-67

and his advice to me was "Don't join the army, it's full of idiots and the only job training I got was how to kill other people."

I don't see many sailors being recalled, yet. But my father could get recalled since he was Airborne and highly trained. Of course I doubt if they want him back. He's a hard core yellow dog Dem who's favorite phrase about pukes is "I wouldn't walk across the street to piss on em if they were on fire."

[BrainRants]

12. Your Dad & I would get along well!

n/t

[Kingshakabobo]

5. I have a good friend who was "promised" no over seas duty

by the recruiter. He spent a year in South Korea.

[BrainRants]

7. If it ain't on paper (in triplicate)

it don't count.

And even if it is on paper, it don't count. IMHO, there's no such thing as a contract in the enlisted ranks, you go where they say you go.

I always say the best careeer move I ever made was joining the military, but the second best move was getting out!

[The Backlash Cometh]

6. Is there a limit to fraud and misrepresentation?

For example, for high schoolers, if they think they're signing a form for a program that advertises as a leadership program and it turns out to be the military, would a contract like that fly? I wonder.

[BrainRants]

8. Further, I've always wondered how binding...

a contract could be with a minor (i.e. a 17 year old)

[ridgerunner]

10. Keep in mind

that my parents had to give me permission at that age, so yeah I reckon it would be valid

[MaryH]

11. They should have a mandatory "Right of Rescission" like

they so on refinances. After all, its an important decision and 18 year-olds should have to have parental approval.

If they think women need parental approval for abortion - guys should get partently approval for joining up.

[GreyRoofoo]

13. In the air force its easy

I dunno how much of this applies to another branches, but in the AF, if you sign up and smoke pot before you go to boot camp, you can get out, though you can never re-enlist

[newyawker99]

14. Hi GreyRoofoo!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast: