# Dear United States Army: LEAVE ME ALONE! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 24, 2009, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-united-states-army-leave-me-alone/482776 "2009-01-24T07:19:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2009, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-united-states-army-leave-me-alone/482776/141 "2009-01-30T06:02:02Z")
> [@SSG\_Schwartz](#): > > If the applicant has to tell, then who is he hiding it from? > > SSG Schwartz (snipped) Family, kids at school, members of their church, etc. Plenty of gay people are basically out to much of the world without being out to their family and local community. Which is entirely not the point anyway. The very fact that you think it’s ok to go around telling other people ANYTHING someone you’re telemarketing to says is completely over the line. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2009, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-united-states-army-leave-me-alone/482776/142 "2009-01-30T06:45:26Z")
> [@SSG\_Schwartz](#): > > Those that want to serve, but cannot refrain from being identified as gay before they can be identified as Soldier, should have told the family already. > > SSG Schwartz Why? So some of them can be ostracized by their friends and families for being gay? Or worse, homeless, like some of my friends were when they came out to their families. As **Kimstu** and others so eloquently said, it’s not your call to make. There are other ways to take a stand against DADT that don’t involve the risk of ruining someone’s life. Please, stop outing the people you try to recruit, if not for your reputation on the SDMB, then for your professional reputation. You’ve probably alienated yourself from some of the posters in this thread, and I’d hate to be you if someone you tried to recruit and subsequently outed chose to make a literal federal case out of it. Robin ---
**Author:** ![DarkPrince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@DarkPrince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarkPrince)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2009, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-united-states-army-leave-me-alone/482776/143 "2009-01-30T14:19:17Z")
> [@SSG\_Schwartz](#): > > I see nothing wrong with people being who they really are. I also believe most of what people tell me when I call them. So here is the typical conversation: > > SSG Schwartz: “…So I am your local Army Recruiter.” > Potential Applicant:“Yeah, well I am gay, otherwise I would love to enlist” > SSG Schwartz: I never asked you about your orientation. > PA: Well, I am so gay, I have to tell you about it and I can’t join unless you could accept me for being openly gay. > SSG Schwartz: Thanks for your interest, and I will do what I can. > > Potential Applicant (2): Hello > SSG Schwartz: This is your local recruiter. PA wants to join, but he is openly homosexual and can’t. Can you believe that?I’ve talked to him several times and never suspected. To each his own, and I hope the Army policy changes so I can put him in some day. He said he would join if he didn’t have a boyfriend he was so much in love with. > Anyway, if you don’t want to talk about your orientation, I want to talk to you about your furture… > > Repeat as needed. > > SSG Schwartz So basically you hope to make the person’s life hell by capitalizing on their friends’/family members’ supposed homophobia. Well aren’t you a wonderfully vindictive piece of shit. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2009, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-united-states-army-leave-me-alone/482776/144 "2009-01-30T14:39:25Z")
Perhaps more to the point, why should you want them, if they are so clearly unwilling “to serve their country”? I’m way past the point of being anything but a civilian, but if I had to have someone watching my back, I surely don’t want someone who never wanted to be there in the first place. How can you be all you want to be if you don’t want to be? Isn’t that kinda the whole point of an all-volunteer force? ---
**Author:** ![SSG\_Schwartz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SSG\_Schwartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSG_Schwartz)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2009, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-united-states-army-leave-me-alone/482776/145 "2009-01-31T04:29:38Z")
You are all missing the point. I **DO NOT** ASK about orientation. I even remind the person that he or she does not have to tell me about orientation. When someone tells me that he is so gay that he would have to reveal that, otherwise he would love to serve in the Army, what am I to believe? Basically, if you have to make up an orientation that would hurt you to be revealed, than man the fuck up and tell the Recruiter that you are not interested at this time. We don’t care why. Fuckers waste my time by trying to make up excuses when they don’t even know what the rules are. Nobody is forced to serve his country and some may find it distasteful to do so. I don’t care, but what I would like is common courtesy. Finally, to those that have to make up a disease or an orientation to keep military Recruiters from calling you, what do you say when the aluminum siding guy calls, or the FOP. or the satellite company calls. Homosexuality won’t get them to stop calling. SSG Schwartz ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2009, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-united-states-army-leave-me-alone/482776/146 "2009-01-31T04:38:11Z")
> [@SSG\_Schwartz](#): > > Finally, to those that have to make up a disease or an orientation to keep military Recruiters from calling you, what do you say when the aluminum siding guy calls, or the FOP. or the satellite company calls. Homosexuality won’t get them to stop calling. > > SSG Schwartz They are subject to the Do Not Call lists and can be sued. Are military recruiters in the same situation? ---
**Author:** ![Trepa\_Mayfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@Trepa\_Mayfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trepa_Mayfield)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2009, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-united-states-army-leave-me-alone/482776/147 "2009-01-31T04:40:19Z")
The thing is, though, as evidenced in this thread, many people believe–a belief often based on anecdotes from close friends and family–that the recruiters will never stop calling until they are given a reason. So you’re punishing people because they’re misinformed and afraid of the military. ---
**Author:** ![SSG\_Schwartz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SSG\_Schwartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSG_Schwartz)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2009, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-united-states-army-leave-me-alone/482776/148 "2009-01-31T04:46:16Z")
> [@pedescribe](#): > > The thing is, though, as evidenced in this thread, many people believe–a belief often based on anecdotes from close friends and family–that the recruiters will never stop calling until they are given a reason. So you’re punishing people because they’re misinformed and afraid of the military. No, I am fighting ignorance. If you claim as disqualifying condition, I don’t have the time to waste with you. Fuck, tell me you are a child molester, and I cannot call you again, so if anyone is still reading this and wants a factual answer on how to get Recruiters to stop calling and you can’t just say no, here is my suggestion. Simply state to the Recruiter: I am a registered child molester and must report in to my probation officer for every day of my natural life. SSG Schwartz ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2009, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-united-states-army-leave-me-alone/482776/149 "2009-01-31T04:46:31Z")
> [@pedescribe](#): > > The thing is, though, as evidenced in this thread, many people believe–a belief often based on anecdotes from close friends and family–that the recruiters will never stop calling until they are given a reason. So you’re punishing people because they’re misinformed and afraid of the military. According to **SSG Schwartz** in post 130 and 132 in this thread, they will keep calling even after being told you’re not interested. Then he insists he doesn’t have time to waste on people that aren’t interested. It’s rather a mixed message at this point. > [@SSG Schwartz](#): > > No, I am fighting ignorance. If you claim as disqualifying condition, I don’t have the time to waste with you. Fuck, tell me you are a child molester, and I cannot call you again, so if anyone is still reading this and wants a factual answer on how to get Recruiters to stop calling and you can’t just say no, here is my suggestion. > > Simply state to the Recruiter: I am a registered child molester and must report in to my probation officer for every day of my natural life. Is that something you’re going to talk about with everyone that might know them, or is that just if they say they’re gay? If not, why? I’m surprised you would encourage people to lie when you seemed so against lying earlier. ---
**Author:** ![Trepa\_Mayfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@Trepa\_Mayfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trepa_Mayfield)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2009, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-united-states-army-leave-me-alone/482776/150 "2009-01-31T04:50:38Z")
> [@SSG\_Schwartz](#): > > No, I am fighting ignorance. If you claim as disqualifying condition, I don’t have the time to waste with you. Fuck, tell me you are a child molester, and I cannot call you again, so if anyone is still reading this and wants a factual answer on how to get Recruiters to stop calling and you can’t just say no, here is my suggestion. > > Simply state to the Recruiter: I am a registered child molester and must report in to my probation officer for every day of my natural life. > > SSG Schwartz You say that you don’t have any time to waste with them. So why bring them up to other people? ---
**Author:** ![SSG\_Schwartz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SSG\_Schwartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSG_Schwartz)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2009, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-united-states-army-leave-me-alone/482776/151 "2009-01-31T05:01:04Z")
> [@Antinor01](#): > > According to **SSG Schwartz** in post 130 and 132 in this thread, they will keep calling even after being told you’re not interested. Then he insists he doesn’t have time to waste on people that aren’t interested. It’s rather a mixed message at this point. Look, I try to build a good relationship with most of my potential applicants. Those that tell me the Army is not for them and I have gotten to know through the phone calls I am forced to make, I usually have fun with those calls," Bob how you doing. I know your aren’t interested, but the boss makes me call you until you move out the area, been cow tipping lately?" Those that try to disqualify themselves before they even know me, kind of piss me off. I know that I should not get pissed off at anyone, I am a Soldier and better than that as some of you would believe, but it happens. It happens when I listen to a dozen people tell me that I will keep you in mind if all else fails. It pisses me off when a teacher fails a student because he is enlisted in the Army. It pisses me off when someone says that the Army could not handle me because… So if you want the Recruiter to stop calling, tell him or her, NOT INTERESTED. Many people won’t make the height/weight standards anyway, so your other option is to get fat. But no, you potential applicants gotta lie. You have to do it because you may get a couple phone calls a year. You may get someone who actually has something that you want. Or you may get outed to your friends. SSG Schwartz ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2009, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-united-states-army-leave-me-alone/482776/152 "2009-01-31T06:42:39Z")
> [@SSG\_Schwartz](#): > > Those that try to disqualify themselves before they even know me, kind of piss me off. > > SSG Schwartz Everything else aside for the moment, what does knowing you have to do with anything? It seems you take things way too personally. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2009, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-united-states-army-leave-me-alone/482776/153 "2009-01-31T06:56:16Z")
> [@SSG\_Schwartz](#): > > Finally, to those that have to make up a disease or an orientation to keep military Recruiters from calling you, what do you say when the aluminum siding guy calls, or the FOP. or the satellite company calls. Homosexuality won’t get them to stop calling. > > SSG Schwartz If every time direct tv called you told them in detail about your latest herpes outbreak I bet you’d make some kind of don’t call list. I think part of the problem though is people associate saying “not interested” with saying “I’m scared/unpatriotic/wussy”. So they make excuses. I know if you called me and I knew you were going to call me my answer would be “sorry not interested. I couldn’t in good conscience risk being involved in Bush’s military polices, the continuation of or similar”. However if you cold called me I’d be too surprised. Plus I have trouble telling people no so I’d just freak out and be like “uh gotta go”. Some people just don’t have assertive personality types. The next time you called I’d prolly be in a state to level with you, but out of the blue. No way. Quite frankly would you want indecisive types on the battlefield anyway? ---
**Author:** ![SSG\_Schwartz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SSG\_Schwartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSG_Schwartz)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2009, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-united-states-army-leave-me-alone/482776/154 "2009-02-01T07:25:26Z")
> [@Antinor01](#): > > Everything else aside for the moment, what does knowing you have to do with anything? It seems you take things way too personally. When I call someone and the conversation goes like this: “Hi, I am SSG Schwartz.” “Hi, I am Bob Jones and I am a fag.” (This is usually, at least IME how these people identify themselves.) “Well, Bob, have you ever thought about serving your country?” “No, but I have thought about sucking cock.” Call ends soon after. SSG Schwartz ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2009, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-united-states-army-leave-me-alone/482776/155 "2009-02-01T07:56:56Z")
Maybe I took it a way that you didn’t mean, that way of putting it just struck me oddly. ---
**Author:** ![Jolly\_Roger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/91b2a8/32.png) [@Jolly\_Roger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jolly_Roger)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2009, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-united-states-army-leave-me-alone/482776/156 "2009-02-01T12:48:30Z")
I think it can be simply put that Schwartz doesn’t like being lied to. Who does? When I was a recruiter people would lie to me to all of the time. It is frustrating, especially since they don’t have to tell me a fib. But thats just me. I didn’t bother with people once they said no. > [@](#): > > Some people just don’t have assertive personality types. The next time you called I’d prolly be in a state to level with you, but out of the blue. No way. Quite frankly would you want indecisive types on the battlefield anyway? Not to hijack, but thats what training is for. Believe me, I was scared-of-my-own-shadow-not-very-assertive when I first enlisted. A lot of people are. Part of BCT and AIT is to instill confidence and decision making. The military is made of all kinds of people and personalities, and very few joined being a “perfect” soldier at the initial entry. An Aside: During a ceremony the other day the Battalion Sergeant Major said to another sergeant that she had come down on recruiting orders but he had them deleted as her job was in critical need here right now, but since this NCO had been here for several years he was working on getting her a new assignment within a year. He suggested Drill Sergeant duty and I chuckled. When he looked at me I told her _“You’ll be happier as a Drill than a recruiter, SGT F, believe me.”_. The Sergeant Major, realizing that I had been a recruiter told her \*“Listen to **Jolly Roger** …I can still see the battle scars on his face from it.”. \* [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-united-states-army-leave-me-alone/482776.md?page=7)