[BlkConserv]

Blame the recruiters, who sell a cheerful vision of the military to high-schoolers who haven't made up their minds on what they really want to do with their lives when they graduate and rarely discuss the issue of enlistment with their parents or relatives. Instead of acting like used car salesmen, recruiters need to blunt and sober on what kids should expect when they join up, and give them some time to talk it over with their folks.

[ServesURight]

Give me a break. The recruiters had nothing to do with this. This Hughey character enlisted, completed basic training, and learned to drive a tank. He knew the risks.

[Welsh Rabbit]

Blame the recruiters, who sell a cheerful vision of the military to high-schoolers...

I somewhat agree. In HS, I once got cornered by a recruiter and politely listened to some of his pitch. When he asked me if I ever used drugs, I truthfully told him I sometime smoked marijuana. He then told me I wouldn't necessarily have to give up weed if I joined the military, and explained how the drug testing system worked and how it could be beat. Quite irresponsible imo; I work on an Army post and have seen a few soldiers kicked out of the military for drug abuse, thus receiving a terrible black mark on their permanant record that will haunt them the rest of their lives. In the end though, they have only themseleves to blame and it's up to those considering enlisting to investigate for themselves what the military will expect of them and not just go by what the recruiters tell them.

[hellinahandcart]

Instead of acting like used car salesmen, recruiters need to blunt and sober on what kids should expect when they join up, and give them some time to talk it over with their folks.

This kid HAD to talk it over with his folks first, because he was a minor when he signed up.

So at what point do you think we can blame the kid for his own actions, rather than everyone else?

[boxerblues]

Blame the recruiters, who sell a cheerful vision of the military to high-schoolers who haven't made up their minds on what they really want to do with their lives when they graduate and rarely discuss the issue of enlistment with their parents or relatives

Don't blame the recruiters, both of my sons recruiters were more than willing to spend as much time with us as we wanted. They were very blunt and to the point when it came to my youngest son who joined up as we were already at war in Afghanistan. There was no sugar coating of the truth for him. He signed on as a tank crew member with a 99.9% chance of being deployed right out AIT. This kid and possibly his parents had an agenda from the very beginning. He had the option of walking without consequences before bootcamp was over.