Circumventing No Child Left Behind

Another Ban Recruiters Story

August 12th, 2008

According to The Eureka Reporter, “Recruiters exaggeration of the benefits of military service and a drive to meet recruitment quotas are two reasons why two ballot initiatives for November’s election will ask Arcata and Eureka voters whether they want to take away the U.S. military’s ability to contact youths under 18 years old for the purpose of recruiting.”

My question about the proposals would be if there is a high school within the city limits and Recruiters visit those schools to canvass for applicants - is each student going to be required to wear a tag or sticker displaying their age so the Recruiter doesn’t have a chance of breaking the law? Personally developed contacts (PDC) is one method of prospecting - Recruiters would walk up to people who appear to be of recruitable age and strike up a conversation, would those who are 17 and under wear some sort of badge out in town too? Are college recruiters going to be held to the same? This appears to be just one more lame attempt at circumventing the No Child Left Behind Act.

Another quote from the article - “By law, military recruiters cannot enlist anyone under the age of 17 years old without consent from a parent or guardian.”

Truth is the youngest a person can be is 17 years old and they must have parental consent. You can not enlist if you are 16 and younger.

Oh, btw, All services have the Delayed Entry Program (DEP). The program is a management tool designed to ensure level loading of boot camp and follow on schools. I have read recent articles which stated the DEP was a program for people to “try out” the service of their choice - that’s crap. The services do not make people ship to boot camp who do not desire to go because it is not in keeping with the spirit of an all volunteer force. Besides that the contract more than likely would not stand up in court, not because it is poorly written but, because the DEP member is not being compensated (monetarily) during the time in DEP (I’m not a lawyer but that makes since to me :)).

I wonder how many trees will have to die to create all the posters, fliers and ballots for this ignorant proposal?