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Home Front: Politix
Military Recruiters Believe their Soldiers are the Best and Brightest
2006-11-02

After 12 years in the military and three college degrees, U.S. Army Recruiter Raul Narvaez is offended by Senator John Kerry's comments. In fact, many of the young men and women who come to him for information about the service sign up to earn money for college. And a lot of high school students join the military having already earned up to 24 college credits.

Narvaez said, "A lot of people coming in [to the recruiting office] believing that they've got nothing else going on so they'll just join the military, when seven times out of ten, those people aren't qualified - whether it be through educational levels, moral, or even medical, they're just not qualified."

Before the Vietnam War, a high school diploma was not needed to join the military, but that changed after the draft. "A lot of times, they are believed to be some of the 'bottom of the barrel' type people and that's just not the case," said Narvaez. "They are the most intellectual people that you'll ever meet in your life because of what they have to go through everyday. Not just in a war zone, but there are hundreds of humanitarian missions going on around the world that they have to deal with and being in a situation like that, you've got to be able to think on your feet and be an intellectual person and an educated person in order to handle the mission in that type of situation."
Posted by:Fred

#7  LETTER FROM A FARM KID,
(NOW AT San Diego MARINE CORPS RECRUIT TRAINING)

Dear Ma and Pa,
I am well. Hope you are. Tell Brother Walt and Brother Elmer the Marine Corps beats working for old man Minch by a mile. Tell them to join up quick before all of the places are filled.

I was restless at first because you got to stay in bed till nearly 6 a.m. but I am getting so I like to sleep late. Tell Walt and Elmer all you do before breakfast is smooth your cot, and shine some things. No hogs to slop, feed to pitch, mash to mix, wood to split, fire to lay. Practically nothing.

Men got to shave but it is not so bad, there's warm water. Breakfast is strong on trimmings like fruit juice, cereal, eggs, bacon, etc., but kind of weak on chops, potatoes, ham, steak, fried eggplant, pie and other regular food, but tell Walt and Elmer you can always sit by the two city boys that live on coffee. Their food plus yours holds you until noon when you get fed again. It's no wonder these city boys can't walk much.

We go on "route marches," which the platoon sergeant says are long walks to harden us. If he thinks so, it's not my place to tell him different. A "route march" is about as far as to our mailbox at home. Then the city guys get sore feet and we all ride back in trucks.

The country is nice but awful flat The sergeant is like a school teacher. He nags a lot. The Captain is like the school board. Majors and colonels just ride around and frown. They don't bother you none.

This next will kill Walt and Elmer with laughing. I keep getting medals for shooting. I don't know why. The bulls-eye is near as big as a chipmunk head and don't move, and it ain't shooting at you like the Higgett boys at home. All you got to do is lie there all comfortable and hit it. You don't even load your own cartridges. They come in boxes.

Then we have what they call hand-to-hand combat training. You get to wrestle with them city boys. I have to be real careful though, they break real easy. It ain't like fighting with that ole bull at home. I'm about the best they got in this except for that Tug Jordan from over in Silver Lake . I only beat him once. He joined up the same time as me, but I'm only 5'6" and 130 pounds and he's 6'8" and near 300 pounds dry.

Be sure to tell Walt and Elmer to hurry and join before other fellers get onto this setup and come stampeding in.

Your loving daughter,
Ann

Posted by: Besoeker   2006-11-02 18:38  

#6  I echo TW's comment! RB is the best in terms of snarkery, knowledge and hands-on expertise! Plus, the pics help owt dose of us'n hoo r stoopid.
Posted by: BA   2006-11-02 13:17  

#5  And we are stuck hear with Jon Carry, ha.
Posted by: Besoeker   2006-11-02 11:05  

#4  Steven Dev Beste has comments on this picture at one of my other favorite sites
Posted by: Nimble Spemble   2006-11-02 10:54  

#3  The left's stereotyping and demonizing of our military hasn't left the 70's. The Army left that behind when Dutch took office in 1981 and went full blast back to a professional force. Gone are the days of wide scale drug abuse, constant Article 15s and Courts Martial, race riots, high AWOL and desertion rates. Those are decades are way behind except for those who still inhabit their little paradise of 1970. Strange though, those same folks seem to think it is alright to send those same illiterate uneducated economic throw-aways to do the grunt work whether it is Katrina or “Save Darfur” while they organize and hold charity function to raise monies in the comfort of their little warm cocoons.
Posted by: Procopius2K   2006-11-02 10:17  

#2  I've certainly noticed that here.
Posted by: trailing wife   2006-11-02 08:20  

#1  "They are the most intellectual people that you'll ever meet in your life because of what they have to go through everyday."

And God bless every last one of 'em.
Posted by: Hyper   2006-11-02 01:02  

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