I am thinking about joining the army but have been told that Army recruiters are shady.?

Sara S

Ummmm.... Just be careful. My husband is a US Air Force recruiter, and his office used to be right beside the Army's, I don't even want to tell you some of the things he would hear.
And truthfully if you can join the Air Force or Navy I would recommend that. Pretty much everyday my husband would have a kid come in his office that had a father, grandfather, uncle, mother, or someone else who told them "if you join any force it will be the Air Force." And truthfully it was hard for me to believe until we moved close to a 2 Air Force bases and Army base this past summer, we have many Army neighbors (wonderful people) and they all (including their spouses) have said something to us along the lines of "the Air Force is the way to go."
Whatever you do, good luck. And if you end up serving our country in any branch thank you!

Miz Peacock

no .. take another person with you. a parent, friend. someone who can help you through the BS.

Niki

Your decision on joining the army shouldn't have a lot to do with the recruiter. Of course they will do all they can to try and get you to join-that is their job but ultimately it is your decision. Make sure if you want something in particular with the army ( a specific job, location, extra training, bonus enlistment) that you have it in writing. My husband is Active duty. One of the reasons he wanted to be in the Army was to become a paratrooper and without that in his original contract it would have been a lot harder for him to get into that training program. Also know that you can negotiate with them about your enlistment bonus, especially if you have some sort of college or special skills.
Good luck, and really think about your decision before you sign up.

Bob

They're not necessarily shady, but they do definitely highlight the positives while diminishing the negatives, same as any salesman. Joining the army is a very good choice for some people, so don't let you distrust of recruiters completely change your decision to join (or not join).

Retain a healthy amount of skepticism and do your own independent research online to verify whatever they tell you. Get any promises (bonuses, pay, starting rank) in writing.

Rexie R

My dad was a recruiter. No I am not offended. He did not want me to join. He is a Vietnam Era Vet and was awared the Vietnam Medal for Gallantry. REmember this. Recruiters are salesman. They don't keep a job unless they bring in troops and numbers. If you go in try going Guard or reserve they are the easiest to pull out of legally you just don't show eventualy you dropped from the roll-count then you are discharged. Active is different if you don't show up you might go to jail and get a dishonorable discharge. Also remember the bottom line you join the military to fight. Unless you are a conscientous objector. As a honorably discharged vet Air Police and Special Operations. You can serve your country in or out of uniform as a policeman,Doctor,lawyer,teacher,professi... athlete,contractor,painter,electrician,b... and on and on. You will be just as patriotic even if you do not serve in a military capacity. Not all want to serve and some should not serve lots of mental health problems out there (lol) not really funny. Join because it's right for you not for someone else. Hope I have helped God Bless Protect amd Keep you. And Good Luck.Also go in as a Officer if possible but go to college first.

Jimmy J

Army recruiters want people who are likely to enjoy and stay in the Army...getting people to join who aren't going to like it is pointless because they will leave and money would have been wasted on them...

Why should they lie?

chlorina2006

recruiters have quotas to meet just like any other employee

don't believe everything you hear

talk to several people who have already enlisted, gone through training, and received their first job assignment

make informed decisions

Weasel McWeasel all that & chips

Never TRUST a recruiter.

Whatever he PROMISES you......get it in WRITING.

Dont fall for any of that......."well, you can apply for that, AFTER you get in " stuff.

If they stick you cleaning latrines......guess what......you're a latrine cleaner.

and you won't be able to change that once you sign on the dotted line.

If you want Rangers, or some special school......you get that IN WRITING. Screw handshakes and "I give you my word".

Because I give you MY word.......that's a bunch of happy horseshit.

You want something.......put it down on PAPER and SIGN it!

Shutterbug Mama

To an extent...

My husband is in army recruiting school right now. If they lie and get caught, they can get in really big trouble.

The biggest problem my husband and I have found is that he has been in the army so long, he's what we call "armified". He sees the world in an army way, and, to an extent, so do I.

So when he talks about the army, he talks about in army terms. Civilians may not quite understand everything.

For example:

Some would say that telling a potential recruit that they are absolutely guaranteed to get the job listed on their enlistment contract is a lie.

However, it is true, you will get the job listed in your contract.

However, everyone in the army does jobs that aren't part of what they trained to do. They all clean floors and mow grass and other things not related to their "job" in the army.

Also, they are always exceptions... like if someone doesn't qualify for a security clearance and one is required for the job in their contract, then you can be retrained for another job.

See what I mean?

Another example is telling of spouses that they can go with their spouses to where they are assigned and then the spouses freaking out later that their soldier could go to Korea for a year without them... and they claim they were lied to by the recruiter...

Alison

You can trust the recruiter that he or she will do everything to get you in. My recruiter lied to me about what my unit would go over with me before entering Basic Training. He told me that they would prep me on the M16, marching, all the basics. That never happened. He told me to lie on the application and not put certain things. Eventually the military found out. I was able to get myself out of it by telling them that my recruiter told me not to put it on there so they understood. But all in all just do everything you are supposed to. Do not rely on the recruiter. Once you start working with one do not bank on everything he or she says. Just have an understanding that if you get in you get in, if not then not. Good luck!

mikecoma

i used to be really interested with the Army....i wanted to become a Ranger...so i talked to the Army recruiter bout it. he was pretty honest, but he kept calling me 3 times a week...it was annoying...eventually he wouldnt call so much...until he called one day, and said that there was a Ranger position open...Now, I'm not stupid, to become a Ranger, you have to try out for it...i did a little researc on what job i wanted....Now, I think of the Army as a bunch of liars who are really desperate for ppl(this is only MY opinion, not EVERY recruiter is like this, but he left me a bad taste in my mouth bout the army) thats why i enlisted into the MARINE Corps instead...

Erik S

They aren't nearly as shady as what is said. This depends on your recruiter, though as well. As has been pointed out they can get fried if they are caught being shady and if they are they will get caught. The recruiter should be nothing more than a facilitator. He should show you the choices you have based on your ASVAB scores and what benefits are available and that's about it.

Dakin Watland

they kinda are, more so then the navy. thats one of the reasons i chose navy instead of the army, but you recruiter might be different.

Nick H

They are not all bad. If you seem gullible they will take advantage of you. While they won't lie to you, they will some times withhold information. I would recommend doing some research before you even think of talking to a recruiter, so that when you do it'll be you telling him what you want to do rather than asking.

xtreme2099

take anyone prior service friend anyone that been in the military can smell BS a mile away.

and if too good to be true its probably too good to be true.
example :
the typical kid wants to be a Ranger and they guarantee you a Ranger contract with fancy name so thinking you are gonna get a good deal, you signed, later u find out after basic that you have to meet all these requirements that your recruiter forgot to tell you and someone without the same fancy name contract had the same chances.

inshape

ok... how can I say that? they are not shady, they just tell you what they believe you want to hear!
read first the text on the link
http://usmilitary.about.com/cs/joiningup/a/recruiter1.htm

then contact this soldier :
aaronspencer09@yahoo.com (tell him I told him that you could contact him)

he is in the army, I am in the Army national guard. he will answer your questions from a soldier point of view and he can recomend you to an recruiter.

If you want to join the Army National guard just shoot me questions at alexthomazini@hotmail.com

take care buddy

rnwallace07

Most recruiters, but not all, are like politicians - they tell you what you want to hear, not what you should hear. There have been instances when a recruiter can guarantee a career field, but not too often. If you are a teen, be sure to take your parent(s) with you. And if you do get a guarantee and enlist, get the guarantee in writing. An open enlistment means that you will be placed where the military needs you, not necessarily where you want to go. Recruiters have a quota that they have to meet.

John A

It is their job to get people to join. They assume because you are young that you are easy to manipulate and can be easily conned. Why
become cannon fodder in wars overseas? Stay home and get a job. Why risk death or injury when the last president was a draft dodger and his vice president was as well? Let the rich folks join up to fight in these wars.

However if you MUST go in do not trust these guys. They will tell you how smart you are and how you will meet zillions of girls who want to jump on you because you are a soldier. They desperately need bodies for Iraq and Afghanistan and will tell any lie to get you.

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