The Navy just called my son.

[MissMarple]

Actually, the guy was pretty low key (yes I listened because we had both picked up the phone and said hello). When the recruiter had exhausted what he had to offer, not much because he's going to college next year and doesn't have to worry about the money, and dangling "world travel" out there, my son told him to have a nice day, and said goodbye. There was no hard sell to get him to come in for some testing like they did with my daughter.

I've been worried he might make some romantic decision and go for the "adventure" thing, but he seems to remain grounded and focused on school.

Thank you GOD. :bounce:

[etherealtruth]

1. The calls for my son finally stopped n/t

[purduejake]

7. I told them I'm gay...

and they still wouldn't stop calling. They told me it wouldn't matter. We all know that's not true until after the wars when I would get a dishonorable discharge after serving my country and putting by life on the line.

[FreedomAngel82]

14. That's just disgusting

How disgusting of the military. :banghead:

[purduejake]

2. I am sure he is a bright kid...

but even the stupid republicans want nothing to do with this war, even if they get a chance to shoot a bunch of A-rabs.

[Jesus Saves]

3. I wonder how they get the phone numbers?

I could of swore I read something about the schools handing over lists with names and numbers of graduating seniors.

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

6. yes - under NCLB they have to

Unless the parents sign a form opting out. M Moore has info on this on his site

[MissMarple]

11. Oops. I thought it was the Patriot Act. You're right.

[kcass1954]

23. But the schools don't tell you that you can "opt out"...

I didn't find that out until it was too late. They've also shared my email address.

[MissMarple]

8. It's in the Patriot Act. You have to call and opt off the school's list.

Otherwise the school has to give them your name and phone number. I think they may include some other personal information, but I'm not sure. We didn't do that. My bad.

[tsuki]

10. No Child Left Behind. Let's get 'em over there.

[FreedomAngel82]

15. Yes

The schools are required under the NCLB. Now I know why they have the name "No Child Left Behind." They used to call here a year or two after my brother graduated from high school. It got really annoying because they never said anything. They always just asked if he was in school and how he was doing. Finally my Mom told them to get lost or she'd report them to their supervisors. We never heard from them again. Heh. They never called for me. :shrug: I dunno but I graduated in 2001 so I don't know if that has anything to do with it. My brother graduated in 2003.

[evlbstrd]

4. As long as he isn't a Medic,

Seabee or pilot, he's less likely to see ground action or hostile fire. I didn't see the Navy's recruiting numbers being as off as the Army's, but I may have missed it.
I'm glad he's not joining, I'm just saying.
I spent five years in the Navy right after Vietnam. Seemed less odious than the other services, and it was my only route to college.

[MissMarple]

13. That's good to know.

My step father was in the Navy in WWII, in the Pacific. But he was a doctor on a hospital ship. I think he saw a lot of badly injured kids.

[FreedomAngel82]

16. My grandfather was in the navy

But I don't think he ever saw any action either. I've never heard anyways and I've heard plenty of stories (I always enjoy them).

[evlbstrd]

18. I've been reading some good WWII nonfiction,

especially on the Pacific war. "Flags of our Fathers" and "Flyboys" most recently. The Pacific was naval warfare and Marine Corps beach invasions, culminating in hand-to-hand combat once they were through the Japanese defenses. It was horrible in that theatre. Your step father undoubtedly saw horrendous things. And, yes, they were mostly kids.

[eissa]

5. You've got great self-control

I'd be yelling my head off like some manic psycho, threatening the caller with bodily harm for trying to pry my only son out my hands to fight *'s ridiculous wars.

[mcar]

9. We've only gotten one call so far

and my son graduates in May. I told the recruiter politely that my son was going to college and wasn't interesting in the military and I specifically asked him to take my son off the call list.

The man was equally polite and said he would do so. That was in the fall, we haven't gotten any calls since. However, my son turns 18 this month so I imagine they'll start again. :shrug:

[MichiganVote]

12. My son got a call from the Marines today

Normally assertive, he was unable to tell the guy to get lost. Talked to us and then he called the guy back and said 'no sale'.

[humanriteswritlarge]

17. There are recruiters in high schools every day

I retired two years ago, but there were clean-scrubbed recruiters in the high school every farking day, trying to meet their quotas. Lots of kids don't have money to go to college, so they sign up. I would like to organize a parent/grandparent group to be at the highsschool every day to counsel these kids not to sign up for an illegal, immoral war. There are other ways to go to school.

[MichiganVote]

24. I know what you're saying. I counsel kids and tell them to go

stand in the street and get by a car. If they like it, sign up, if not, better stay away from the tables.

[MissMarple]

20. The Navy called our daughter for two years. She was in college.

They finally stopped. She couldn't say no at a career event at her high school. She went in to their office and took an aptitude test or something. She said after the guy graded it, he almost fell off his chair. He went in the back and came out with two other guys. I'm guessing they were cute and gave her lot's of friendly pressure. But she stood her ground and didn't cave after she realized her first mistake. She's in graduate school now. Neither one of them is temperamentally suited to be in the armed services. We are quiet people, but are very strong minded and hold definite opinions on how things should be done. It would never have worked out. :-)

[MichiganVote]

25. Well they've gotten smart and ask directly for the kid

so I didn't think much of the call until he told us who it was. Then we quizzed him. Nah, the military isn't happenin' for this kid. Too bad they didn't get me by phone instead. I would have been torn between telling the guy he was at an appointment with his parole officer or at his G/L meeting.

[TiredTexan]

19. My now 17 year old son

told a football coach he wasn't interested in playing football because he was fond of his knees, and would like them to be around when he was 50. He was 13 at the time and I laughed hysterically at his spunk. He recently told a recruiter he'd sign up when Bush's twins did so.

Great kid.

[MissMarple]

21. What a great sense of humor your son has.

:-)

[TiredTexan]

22. He's one of those people who

says the funny things at the right time. I always think of them later in the car on the way home. We go on trips and I spend the whole time laughing so hard I sometimes have to pull off the road cause I'm crying.

And he's also a good liberal, to the chagrin of his wealthy Republican father. His dad's money means very little to him, and that's amazing to me because he can't be bought, in spite of tremendous effort on his dad's part to buy him off.

Great kid.

Thanks for the compliment. I'm glad your son has good sense, too.

[efhmc]

26. Unlisted phone numbers are well worth the cost. My listed number has a

fax machine on it. I love it.