When the call to service is distorted by recruiters

[Guest guest]

http://www.oregonlive.com/editorials/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/editorial/1147132549145400.xml & coll=7 When the call to service is distorted by recruiters Pressure to produce soldiers for an increasingly Tuesday, May 09, 2006 The Oregonian unpopular war hurts the services and the troops T he tawdry recruitment of Southeast Portlander Guinther shouldn't require a very lengthy "investigation" by the Army. It's obvious that Guinther, who is autistic and considered disabled, isn't an appropriate candidate to serve as a cavalry scout. Serving in such a role would endanger himself and his fellow soldiers. As The Oregonian's reported in a disturbing story Sunday, Army recruiters signed Guinther, an 18-year-old high school senior, to a four-year Army contract and steered him toward a

military career as a scout. When his parents found he was taking an enlistment test, they were startled. They contacted the recruiters with information about 's disability, from the special education classes he's taken to the menial job he got through a program for disabled workers. Their concerns, they said, were dismissed. His stepmother said a recruiter told her, "Well, 's an 18-year-old man. He doesn't need his mommy to make decisions for him." This is, in a word, outrageous. The Army and members of the state's congressional delegation should swiftly declare it so. should be released from his contract, his parents apologized to and the recruiters disciplined. The Army said Monday it is still investigating the case and doctors have asked for more medical records. Nobody outside the recruiting office where was persuaded to enlist thinks he should serve, especially as a scout in a war zone. Of course, the case of Guinther is about something much larger than a single Portland teenager. The United States is fighting a dangerous and increasingly unpopular war, military recruitment numbers are lagging, and recruiters are under severe pressure to bring in new soldiers. The military has increased its bonus payments to those who enlist or re-enlist, put more recruiters in the field, raised the maximum recruiting age and relaxed rules that would bar some recruits from signing up. Some recruiters have gone farther by deliberately bending the rules, recruiting people who shouldn't qualify for military service. While it's too soon to say that 's recruiters did so, recruiters elsewhere clearly have. Last year, after evidence that recruiters in Colorado, Texas and elsewhere had broken rules by threatening recruits, forging documents or agreeing to overlook criminal behavior, the Army called a one-day recruiting moratorium to emphasize the need for ethical behavior by recruiters. The Army is in a tough spot, but it makes its position worse by knowingly taking advantage of vulnerable people. Not only do unqualified recruits pose risks to the Army's own troops, but they undermine the public's perception of the military and its methods. And that is a shame. This country needs a well-qualified, well-equipped and highly motivated military force. And through training, education, discipline and even dangerous duty, the military can offer a better life to many. It can give structure, purpose and a sense of honor to many whose lives lack those qualities. It's regrettable when the clarity of that message is overshadowed by the Army's own misconduct. By acting promptly and firmly, the Army can undo at least some of the damage it did itself by recruiting Guinther.

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[Guest guest]

Genius, did Rumsfeld think this up?

Enlisting autistics into the military may be one solution to help

solve the upcoming financial drain on society; Send Recruiting

officers to Group Homes.....

As babies they were deemed " expendable " , as we have seen from the

lack of appropriate response to this man-made epidemic of autism.

The United States Autistics- We put a whole new meaning to " Special

Forces "

If we could only get them to line up, get them to stop putting on

their uniforms inside out and backwards, and quit arm flapping.....

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http://www.oregonlive.com/editorials/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/editor

ial/1147132549145400.xml & coll=7

>

> When the call to service is distorted by recruiters

Pressure to produce soldiers for an increasingly

> Tuesday, May 09, 2006 The Oregonian

> unpopular war hurts the services and the troops

> T he tawdry recruitment of Southeast Portlander

Guinther shouldn't require a very lengthy " investigation " by the

Army. It's obvious that Guinther, who is autistic and considered

disabled, isn't an appropriate candidate to serve as a cavalry

scout. Serving in such a role would endanger himself and his fellow

soldiers.

> As The Oregonian's reported in a disturbing

story Sunday, Army recruiters signed Guinther, an 18-year-old high

school senior, to a four-year Army contract and steered him toward

a military career as a scout.

> When his parents found he was taking an enlistment test, they

were startled. They contacted the recruiters with information about

's disability, from the special education classes he's taken

to the menial job he got through a program for disabled workers.

Their concerns, they said, were dismissed. His stepmother said a

recruiter told her, " Well, 's an 18-year-old man. He doesn't

need his mommy to make decisions for him. "

> This is, in a word, outrageous. The Army and members of the

state's congressional delegation should swiftly declare it so.

should be released from his contract, his parents apologized

to and the recruiters disciplined.

> The Army said Monday it is still investigating the case and

doctors have asked for more medical records. Nobody outside the

recruiting office where was persuaded to enlist thinks he

should serve, especially as a scout in a war zone.

> Of course, the case of Guinther is about something much

larger than a single Portland teenager. The United States is

fighting a dangerous and increasingly unpopular war, military

recruitment numbers are lagging, and recruiters are under severe

pressure to bring in new soldiers. The military has increased its

bonus payments to those who enlist or re-enlist, put more

recruiters in the field, raised the maximum recruiting age and

relaxed rules that would bar some recruits from signing up.

> Some recruiters have gone farther by deliberately bending the

rules, recruiting people who shouldn't qualify for military

service. While it's too soon to say that 's recruiters did so,

recruiters elsewhere clearly have. Last year, after evidence that

recruiters in Colorado, Texas and elsewhere had broken rules by

threatening recruits, forging documents or agreeing to overlook

criminal behavior, the Army called a one-day recruiting moratorium

to emphasize the need for ethical behavior by recruiters.

> The Army is in a tough spot, but it makes its position worse by

knowingly taking advantage of vulnerable people. Not only do

unqualified recruits pose risks to the Army's own troops, but they

undermine the public's perception of the military and its methods.

And that is a shame.

> This country needs a well-qualified, well-equipped and highly

motivated military force. And through training, education,

discipline and even dangerous duty, the military can offer a better

life to many. It can give structure, purpose and a sense of honor

to many whose lives lack those qualities. It's regrettable when the

clarity of that message is overshadowed by the Army's own

misconduct.

> By acting promptly and firmly, the Army can undo at least some

of the damage it did itself by recruiting Guinther.

>

>

>

>

>

> ---------------------------------

> Love cheap thrills? Enjoy PC-to-Phone calls to 30+ countries for

just 2¢/min with Messenger with Voice.

>