Are there any other kind?
Thanks to LRC, a college student not only turned down an Army recruiter in Schaumburg, IL, but gave him a bold reply. Mark writes: “At my school, there is an Army recruit who has been emailing me every month or so trying to get me to sit down with him to think about joining the army reserves as a way to plan for my future. I paid no attention to him at first, and just ignored his emails thinking it’s pointless to respond. Yesterday, I decided to have a change of heart.” Mark wrote a bold reply to the recruiter. What follows is the recruiter’s initial e-mail, Mark’s reply, and then a second e-mail from the recruiter. Note the complete and utter change in the recruiter’s tone after Mark’s response.
Recruiter first e-mail to Mark:
I am loving this warm weather, how about you? Hey, it’s me, Sergeant First Class _____ , the Army Reserve Guy, once again. Just wanted to touch base with you and wish you well on your finals coming up. I know it’s crunch time and these exams are truly important; so study hard and do your best. I’ve had quite a bit of interest in our Army Reserve program this semester so I wanted to send once last message for you to consider before summer hits. The Army Reserve is looking for high-speed, sharp young people to fill positions in local positions in this area. We have openings as close as Arlington Heights. We offer paid skill training (over $1,300/month), vacation benefits, travel opportunities and leadership training that you won’t find any place else. If marketing yourself to successful companies in the future is part of your plan, it just makes good sense to consider the Army Reserve. You would train one weekend a month and two weeks a year. It’s part-time so you can go to college full-time, have a civilian job (full-time or part-time), raise a family, and pursuit your own personal goals as well. You get to choose the job you will do for us. Skills that include: human resources, logistics, intelligence, law enforcement, administration, the medical field, HVAC, transportation, mechanics, telecommunications, engineering and many more. We can pay 100% for colleges like Harper, ECC and College of DuPage or any college like them in the country. We can also help pay for your 4-year degree with our Tuition Assistance Program and you could qualify for up to $50,000 of student loan repayment. Some jobs have sign-on bonuses up to $20,000. You can get affordable healthcare coverage for under $52/month for yourself or under $205/month for you and your spouse and kids. Now, that’s a good deal. Listen, I know you have a lot on your mind; you’re busy, I understand. But all successful people are busy. Lazy people don’t do much. I’m not interested in talking to lazy people. So if you think you don’t have time, then I’m interested in talking to you. I would like to schedule a time to meet with you either on campus or at my office in Schaumburg, and discuss your options and benefits. The meeting is not designed to sign you up; it’s designed to answer your questions and to check your eligibility. The initial meeting normally takes 45 minutes to an hour, depending on your questions. So, what do you say? I’m not trying to change your plan or redirect your goals. I’m trying to show you a program that can help you reach your goals in better fashion. What have you got to lose? Contact me today and let’s plan to get together. This just may be what you’ve been waiting for.
Waiting to hear from you, SFC _____ , The Army Reserve Guy
Mark e-mail to recruiter:
I’m not sure if you are really a person or not, but I’m not interested in the military. This world is filled with so much pain and hatred, I could never add to it by joining the biggest bully on earth; the US military. I feel so much pain in my own being to see the bullshit that soldiers go through. Their families too delusional to talk to them and spare them from the insanity of invading another human being’s world and taking everything from that person. This is why I can’t support the troops; because I know it will only cause them more harm. I’m sorry if you are a real person and no one loved and cared for you enough to overcome the fear of being honest and telling you the truth. We were not meant to murder each other for the benefit of greedy, and delusional cowards that hide behind desks sending young boys out to do their bidding. whether it be congress or the board at Lockheed Martin, they are all guilty of deceit. The fact that I’m compulsively taxed is bad enough, but for it to go into funding the death of innocents I can never forgive. To be silent is to be complicit. I will no longer be complicit. You are wrong for what you do. You should be telling malleable and eager students to avoid the military. To shun it for what it is. This is not a game. The innocent people of Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen, Pakistan, Syria, Ukraine, Gaza, West Bank, Egypt, Turkey, Somalia and the entirety of Africa’s history to which I’m still so ignorant of deserve a chance at life just as much as anyone else. Please don’t email me again. I forgive you for what you do because you are a human and we humans are all flawed. No one is or can ever be perfect. I hope you can overcome your own fear and become free from the oppression that binds you. May you find your peace.
Recruiter second e-mail to Mark:
Your response stirred up quite a bit of emotion within my spirit. I thought long and hard about replying back and laying into your inappropriate stabs at my character, career choice and my family. But seeing that you are an undecided, twenty-five year old young man sharing his opinion with no life experience to back it up, I will refrain. I do agree with two things you mentioned: 1) all humans are flawed and 2) your statement about yourself- “I’m still so ignorant”. I’ve been serving this country for over 27 years. First as a medic and lately as a career counselor helping people plan their future. You are entitled to your opinion but attacking people you don’t know is immature and ignorant. I am 49 years old, happily married for 28 years and the father of 4 healthy and successful kids. I don’t trash you, your family or your career choice no matter what you decide to do. How dare you disrespect mine?! Please don’t ever email me again. My peace comes from my personal relationship with Jesus Christ and I fear nothing. May your future interactions with others be more respectful and come from a heart to build up instead of tear down.
Respectfully, SFC _____, Army Reserve Recruiter
Parents, if you can prevent it, please don’t let your children even e-mail military recruiters.
11:55 am on May 10, 2014
