Army pair's tactics eyed: student-led sting ensnarls recruiters

[struggle4progress]

By John Aguilar, Rocky Mountain News
April 30, 2005

Two Army recruiters in Golden have been suspended from their jobs while military officials look into allegations the two men used improper tactics to get an Arvada high school student to sign up for duty.

The Denver Army Recruiting Battalion, which oversees recruiting for Colorado and parts of three other states, launched the investigation Friday after CBS 4 News broadcast a report the previous night about the alleged improprieties.

The report featured David McSwane, an Arvada West High School honors student and editor of his school newspaper, who was "curious" to see what recruiters at a Golden recruitment facility would do if he told them he wanted to join the Army as a high school dropout with a serious marijuana problem. <snip>

Starting in January, McSwane met with two recruiters in Golden several times and secretly taped a series of phone calls with them. On the tapes, one recruiter is apparently heard encouraging McSwane to create a fake high school diploma to cover for the fact that he had dropped out. <snip>

http://rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_3741396,00.html

[lateo]

1. HAHAHAHAHa

Brilliant!

[yorkiemommie1]

2. But , but... where are all the patriotic Bushbots' kids????

come out, come out wherever you are!!!

[bush_is_wacko]

22. They are right here....

:hide:

[ikojo]

42. The Bushbot kids are in private high schools or an affluent

school district, both of which are ignored by military recruiters. Military recruiters know that children from more well to do families do not need the "educational assistance" offered by the military.

The recruiters, as shown on F 9/11 know where to go and it isn't the affluent suburbs that's for sure.

[leftchick]

3. It shows their desperation

Good for the principal too for letting him put the article in the school paper!

:applause:

[SoCalDem]

6. A recruiter CAME TO MY HOUSE

and made multiple calls, trying to sign up my son.. My son and his pals thought it would be "fun" to take the test.. My son missed ZERO..and as a 3 sport letterman, and summa cum laude graduate, they were very eager to "convince" him..

He left a few days after they took that test.. He went to Florence Italy to college, and of course he never bothered to tell ME that he had taken the test..

I was so afraid that he might have signed something.. He told me later that he had NOT.. When the recruiter showed up on my doorstep, I suggested that if he wanted to talk to my son, he would have to go to Italy:)

They stopped calling after that :)

[leftchick]

8. I am glad he is safely away from the US...

He sounds like a bright young man with a great sense of humor. I am sure he has a wonderful future in store for him.
Great Job there Mom! ;)

[SoCalDem]

9. He IS a joker.. and like his Mom, he actually liked tests

His brothers....complete opposites :)

[dxdem]

4. Recruiters

routinely coach inductees to admit nothing at MEPS (physicals, inprocessing, etc), drug use mostly. I knew one who was having sex with his recruit (my ex). Wait.....now I remember why I'm going to college.

[FlemingsGhost]

5. I am currently writing an investigative piece on this very topic.

Entering recruiting offices with a hidden tape recorder, presenting various "delicate problems" which are suppose to hinder my enlistment.

Fascinating stuff, so far ...

[AgadorSparticus]

7. this would be so hilarious if it wasn't so damn tragic. what have we

become?? and like the poster above stated, where ARE the young republicans???

[Zhade]

10. Good for McSwane! Now THAT'S journalism!

I'm reminded of a story I've read online, possibly apocryphal, about a recruiter who was asked by a recruitee if the recruitee could rape women if he joined the military. The recruiter allegedly looked him in the eye and said he could.

True or not, gives me the creeps.

[annabanana]

44. He puts the lapdogs in Corporate Media to shame!!

This kid is a shining light and an example to journalists everywhere. I hope some high profile guy (like KO, for instance) would give him some on-air props.

[leQ]

11. you would be amazed at the criteria they overlook for recruiting...

my navy recruiter (in denver no less) had to wake me up with my male lover by my side, after a night of heavy partying, to drive me to the airport to catch the plane to orlando bootcamp.

i was high when i went in two days before and took the tests. used a fake name even. and they STILL signed me up.

it wasn't until after boot that they figured out that the name i used was fake.

i spoze i could have blown the whole thing wide open, but i didnt.

i spoze having a plaque with my name on it at the meridian training center for going through the course in record time, was worth dropping any pretense of pressing the issue.

[w4rma]

12. LOL. That's awesome. (nt)

[grytpype]

13. We're making good progress, everything is under control...

... watch this kid get rendered to Syria for making a false statement to Dear Leader's military recruiters.

[tsuki]

14. They should be careful. In Florida, to tape someone without their

knowledge is against the law.

[NYC]

35. Different states have different laws.

Let's hope he kept within the law in his own state.

[Robb]

40. Colorado has the single party rule...

A few other states do, too. The rule is taping is OK as long as one party in the conversation knows they're being recorded. In this case, it would include the person carrying the recorder.

[KingOfLostSouls]

15. They Tried Recruiting My Brother

he's a college graduate with degrees in anthropology and biology.

anyways, we're both working at an indian casino on a rez, and he just went down to get information the other day, him and his live in girlfriend broke up quite dramatically, typical "hot headed" reaction to events. Well, apparently the Navy recruiters lied to him about his contract. a friend of ours is ex-navy and worked on fire control on a sub, and he called his old C.O. up about what they said on the contract to investigate for him. complete bullshit stuff apparently

well now the recruiters are coming INTO the casino to solicit him, with HUGE "NO SOLICITATION" signs up and everything. they had to be asked to leave by security and tribal police.

I just told him, I told you not to fucking do that shit.

live and learn.

[bush_is_wacko]

16. I've been telling people these recruiters are working the school systems

HARD. They must have had a recruitment week at my district last month. They were all there one right after the other Air Force, Navy, Marines, Army. At least one a day for the entire week. Course now that I read this there might have been another reason. BTW, I support our troops but two of these young men made some very inappropriate comments about a womans ass while in uniform and leaving a school administrative building. Didn't their commanding officers ever tell them how rude that was or am I just overreacting because I am a woman?

[BeHereNow]

17. Just think, if thousands of kids did this every week

the recruiters would spend all their time and efforts
pursuing dead end results...
Hmmm...
And just WHERE are the young repukkkians?
How can there be a shortage of cannon fodder
when there are so many young white Bush supporters?
BHN

[KingOfLostSouls]

18. I'll tell you where they all are

playing grabass with their male life partners at the country club and commenting on the blue bonnets.

[BeHereNow]

19. Rolf...that or

Hiding out in Evangelical church basements
watching "left-behind' movies.
Hypocrites.
BHN

[NNN0LHI]

20. Remember way back when 60 Minutes and other investigative...

...reporters would do stuff like this? Seems like it happened in a past life it has been so long.

Don

[YankeyMCC]

24. That's what struck me about the story

Now we have to rely on High School editors and reports to do real investigative reporting.

Mr McSwane should be proud of himself though.

[bush_is_wacko]

21. Nominated! And I am oh so proud of this kid!

It takes a lot of guts in this town to rage against the machine! This is the home town of THE 4000 member fundie cult church! I hope he and his family are safe and sound!

:woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:

[diamond14]

23. STAND UP AND DO SOMETHING....stop those recruiters (PHOTO)

look how easy it is to SHUT DOWN THE RECRUITERS....stand up and DO SOMETHING....reading this thread is like listening to SHEEP going to the SLAUGHTER.....


it's NOT DIFFICULT....save yourselves and your friends/relatives....look here how EASY it is the SHUT DOWN THE MILITARY RECRUITERS.....STAND UP....do something....





http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/index.php?id=2432


either go to be KILLED/maimed in bush* oil wars...or STAND UP now...
this site was answer all your questions...YOU will be drafted, now ENJOY the draft...too few have decided to STAND UP, so it's real easy for bush* to draft YOU, your friends/relatives....
http://www.enjoythedraft.com/


Rochester



Baltimore



Cleveland



Madison, Wisconsin



San Diego



Brooklyn



NYC Times Square



Harlem



Washington DC

[bush_is_wacko]

25. Beleive me. they haven't been getting very many recruits here.

according to my HS student the kids just take thier free stuff and walk the other direction while wearing thier "Not My President" t-shirts. Just because they are trying hard doesn't mean they are succeeding! If they just walked a couple blocks up the street from where this kid goes to school they could avail themselves of a shitload of freeper kids. Not that I want them to be hurt either, but it never ceases to amaze me that these kids seem to be immune from recruitment despite their support for bushitler just because it is a PRIVATE/CHRISTIAN school. Recruiters have a permanent table in ALL PUBLIC high schools!

[diamond14]

27. The Battle for America has begun (VIDEO)...will YOU stand up ?

or are you just watching and whining while the most vulnerable are taken away for KILLING/maiming in bush* oil wars....some are taken from YOUR school every single week....and what have you done?, except deny reality?

The Battle for America has begun !.....STAND UP and do something....
http://www.thebattleforamerica.com/the-battle-for-america-large.html

[ThoughtCriminal]

26. We have GOT to figure out how to get this kid

White House press credentials! I hear that's easy - right?

[bush_is_wacko]

28. Ummm, I think his parents might find that kind of behavior

distasteful. this kid doesn't need to whore himself out to dirty old men to be considered a "real" reporter!

[genieroze]

29. In this day and age, yes he does. Most msm reporters are corporate

whores.

[K-W]

30. Beautiful EOM

[Joey Liberal]

31. Why aren't the red staters lining up to enlist?

Where are the Christian Evangelicals that support Bush so much? Why aren't their kids lining up to enlist in Bush's "crusade for oil"?

[Joey Liberal]

32. And remember - most recruiters voted for Bush!

Let the recruiters fight for Bush, after all, most of them voted for the bastard.

[Big_Mike]

33. I was a recruiter from '88 - '90

I didn't last. I figured I would only put people in who I was willing to work with after that duty was over.

I lasted about 19 months of a 48 month tour.

Unfortunately, I found out the guys I ran off were recruited by the POS station commander after I was gone. Oh, well.

These guys are under TREMENDOUS pressure to put people in. But they had a saying when I was recruiting, recruit with integrity. I will guarantee one thing. These guys will be relieved, have a career end, and may go to jail. If something like this is publicized, it comes down on them like an avalanche, and is just as implacable. The charge is Recruiting Impropriety. Hope both guys are single, or their family's are in the s**t!

[NYC]

36. Thanks for the info.

Welcome to DU. :hi:

I recently read quotes from some current recruiters. One of them said he would rather be in a combat zone. Recruiting is so difficult right now, they all seem to hate doing it.

[d.l.Green]

37. "Recruit with integrity"-read: lie for the MAN with your naive honesty n/t

[LiviaOlivia]

34. Army pair's tactics eyed-Student-led sting ensnarls recruiters

Rocky Mountain News
Army pair's tactics eyed-Student-led sting ensnarls recruiters
By John Aguilar, Rocky Mountain News
April 30, 2005

Two Army recruiters in Golden(Colorado) have been suspended from their jobs while military officials look into allegations the two men used improper tactics to get an Arvada high school student to sign up for duty.
~snip~
The report featured David McSwane, an Arvada West High School honors student and editor of his school newspaper, who was "curious" to see what recruiters at a Golden recruitment facility would do if he told them he wanted to join the Army as a high school dropout with a serious marijuana problem.
~snip~
Starting in January, McSwane met with two recruiters in Golden several times and secretly taped a series of phone calls with them. On the tapes, one recruiter is apparently heard encouraging McSwane to create a fake high school diploma to cover for the fact that he had dropped out.
~snip~
McSwane got a friend to film another recruiter driving him to a store to purchase a detoxification kit to rid his system of supposed marijuana traces.
~snip~
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_3741396,00.html

[daleo]

38. This young man doesn't understand journalism.

I fear he will never get a job in the profession with his attitude - trivial matters like war and peace are not appropriate subjects for modern journalism. He might want to see if he can locate a "runaway bride" from his high school. That is newsworthy.

[wildeyed]

39. lol, high school students doing the job of the MSM.

It would be funny if it wasn't so sad.

Good on McSwane and the high school principal for allowing him to publish the story.

[Dr Fate]

46. I know- he actually used clever teqniques & "investigated" the story.

Imagine that- ironic that a kid can show the "esteemed, trusted journalist" of the MSM how it used to be done.

This kid deserves an award or somthing.

[Nothing Without Hope]

41. Michael Moore's site has this story and video clips

on the front page:

High School Student's Sting Operation Busts Two Army Recruiters;
David McSwane "wanted to see how far
the Army would go during a war
to get one more solider"

Click Here for Video

Full Interview With Lt. Col. Jeffrey Brodeur
(8 Minute Video)

http://www.michaelmoore.com

[tom_paine]

43. That kid has more balls than CNN. sad that he will be unable to find

a job in Coporate TV Pravda.

WAY too much integrity for those disgusting toadying whores.

[Dr Fate]

45. That is the real story here- this kid used INVESTIGATIVE journalism

...instead of just taking the "official word" as fact the way fake reporters do.

Note how he MADE the story happen- just like all the greats used to do. If you dont MAKE the story to some extent, it will slip by.

This kid is my hero as well- good job!!!

[Infomaniac]

47. I was home last month

I was home last month (Buffalo, New York) walking through the Kenmore Target parking lot with my two nephews. Both are 16 but look a little older. We were approached by two Marine recruiters. I got in between the recruiters and my nephews and politely asked that the recruiters not make a pitch to my nephews. It was along the line of don't-waste-your-time with these boys since they're both headed to college. One of the recruiters said something about needing men without apron strings and I just went off. I ignored my own mother's advice about not arguing with crazy fools and told the buttwipe that "...We liked their arms and legs just where they are and his mother should have raised his sorry arse to have more respect for women."