Army Recruits Man Fresh from Psychiatric Ward - May 3, 2005

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.truthout.org/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi/37/10811

Army Recruiters Say They Feel Pressure to Bend Rules

By Damien Cave
The New York Times

Tuesday 03 May 2005

It was late September when the 21-year-old man, fresh from a three-week commitment in a psychiatric ward, showed up at an Army recruiting station in southern Ohio. The two recruiters there wasted no time signing him up, and even after the man's parents told them he had bipolar disorder - a diagnosis that would disqualify him - he was all set to be shipped to boot camp, and perhaps Iraq after that, before senior officers found out and canceled the enlistment.

Despite an Army investigation, the recruiters were not punished and were still working in the area late last month.

Two hundred miles away, in northern Ohio, another recruiter said the incident hardly surprised him. He has been bending or breaking enlistment rules for months, he said, hiding police records and medical histories of potential recruits. His commanders have encouraged such deception, he said, because they know there is no other way to meet the Army's stiff recruitment quotas.

"The problem is that no one wants to join," the recruiter said. "We have to play fast and loose with the rules just to get by."

[TahitiNut]

1. "The problem is that no one wants to join"?

A penetrating glimpse into the obvious. Promote this recruiter.

[Tom Joad]

2. Republican presidential candidates are recruited in much the same way.

[whistle]

3. That will be the precondition loophole that the Pentagon will use

...in the event this guy complains of PTSS (post traumatic stress syndrome) if he should survive being the cannon fodder which the chick-hawks really want him for.

[MADem]

4. You're right about that. What they're doing now is making everyone fill out a form

saying that they're "OK" before they get out of the service. Of course, most people just want to be gone so they check the "ALL WELL" boxes. Then, if they develop problems subsequently, they can wave the paper in front of them.

[Canuckistanian]

5. I wonder if he got the $40,000 signing bonus?

[UTUSN]

6. Later, they'll deny him benefits because he had "a pre-existing condition" n/t

[Swamp Rat]

7. Send young republicans

[NorthernSpy]

8. we're drawing heavily on the Group W bench nowadays...

"The problem is that no one wants to join," the recruiter said. "We have to play fast and loose with the rules just to get by."

Holy Cats, now I get it! Thanks, Obvious Man!

[NMMNG]

9. Duh

"The problem is that no one wants to join," the recruiter said. "We have to play fast and loose with the rules just to get by."

Maybe you should take that as a hint that everybody is against your bullsh*t war.

Except people who have no business being over there, that is.




Then again you could always draft the neocon chickenhawks. They're really supportive of the war y'know.

[Help me help Earth]

10. This doesn't sound that weird.

He tried to join, and the recruiters probably just moved him forward. If he denied what his parents said I doubt they would take their word over his, as I'd imagine they periodically get parents showing up to claim their kid has ADHD or is gay these days. He probably got to the medical exam, failed it, and was cut.