Guard recruit from South St. Paul has second thoughts about joining

Minneapolis StarTribune (aka The Red Star_ ^ | 7/10/06 | Randy Furst - Staff Reporter

[MplsSteve]

At 17, Leo Valle was dazzled by the money and other perks that came with service in the National Guard. So in March, the South St. Paul resident signed up to join.

He soon had second thoughts.

Valle's parents, who had given their written consent, didn't want him to go. His girlfriend was against it, too. When Valle saw a video about the rigors of basic training, he decided he had made the wrong decision. "I didn't want to do it anymore," he said recently. "They yell in your face and you take orders."

[GovernmentShrinker]

A contract signed by someone under 18 is unenforceable, unless the signer has clearly affirmed it after his/her 18th birthday. This kid STILL isn't 18. He doesn't have to go. I really don't think our military should be signing up anyone under 18 in the first place. Give them pitches, encourage participation in ROTC and similar programs, but don't have them sign any contracts about what they'll do after they become adults. This kid still can't buy a pack of cigarettes legally.

[MrEdd]

stop. Stop. STOP!

You're not going to do a song while I'm here!

[postalx]

My first post, and I go down in flames!

[angelsonmyside]

"They were in boot camp together? Co-ed boot camp?"

No, not hardly, lol. They met on a deployment in Qatar.

[gridlock]

If the kid is not ready, it will be revealed in Basic Training. The Guard has the option of washing him out if they don't like the package they are getting. Attitude enters into that decision.

I say send him to Basic and let them sweat a few pounds off the kid. It would probably do him good.

[JavaTheHutt]

our recruit company lived in mortal fear of our Company Commander

My company commander had a real human skull sitting on his desk. He used it as a hat rack for his Ranger beret. I got a good look at it after my senior drill instructor brought me to his office so he could explain that my mom had just called to read him the riot act about us not having phone priveldges while we were in basic.

LOL, I felt about 3 inches tall as I followed my commanders orders to use the phone on his desk to call my mom and tell her she shouldn't call their anymore.

[JavaTheHutt]

Wait 'til he gets married. /sarc

HAHAHAHAHAHA That's the best response posted so far! My first really good laugh today. Thanks.

[rodeocowboy]

I agree, I don't think I would want this man, I mean boy, in our military. He is the hip-hop cultured little wussy that seems to be half of the generation coming up in America. "I don't like to take too many orders...." Call a whaaaaaanbulance! His father should be ashamed and is another reason we need strong immigration policies including, but not limited to, the requirement to speak and read English.

[Just another Joe]

You can step back from military duty until you sign the contract and swear the oath.
After that you go where they tell you, you do what they tell you, and you don't say, "Hell no, I won't go."

This kid wanted to be a soldier, now he doesn't want to be a soldier.
Maybe next week he'll want to be a ballerina.

[JavaTheHutt]

They met on a deployment in Qatar.

How did they manage that one? I've never figured out what I had to do in order to get a cushy deployment like that.

Grab your gear Sarge, you're heading to the middle east.
Qatar?
Not hardly, try Baghdad.

Repeat as necessary.

[Kaylee Frye]

This is exactly what I was thinking. At first, I thought, fine let the idiot out. But then, I remembered my husband talking about how much growing up he did in basic. And then I thought of all his soldiers and how most of them are so young, but so mature already. On reconsideration, the military is just what this kid needs to whip himself into a real man.

[Old Professer]

They tried whispering in your ear and asking "pretty please" but found they had to yell to wake the recruits.

[angelsonmyside]

Probably becausing he was begging to go "see some action" as he called it. You know they never give you want you want, lol.

[kcvl]

The anti-war group Women Against Military Madness enlisted the help of a counselor and an attorney who have helped soldiers try to get out of enlistment. Sen. Dayton's office was asked to help; his staffers declined to comment.

[NaughtiusMaximus]

I hope all that criticize this guy have already been to boot camp...

I went to Catholic school in the 1950's, does that count?

[GunnyHartman]

"NG recruits go through basic at Army bases, the same as reg Army"

Snicker, snicker. Army basic. Snicker, snicker.

[rlmorel]

My Company Commander in Boot Camp was TM1 Mackelprang (Torpedoman's Mate First Class). He was a salty guy, to be sure. He had LOVE tatooed on the knuckles of one hand, and HATE tattooed on the knuckles of the other. One time, when he was tying his shoe, we saw a naked woman tatooed on his calf...old stuff now, but back then, a tattoo actually MEANT something. EVERYONE didn't look like the Starbucks guy (or girl) back then.

I also remember he was scrupulously fair, didn't want to be our buddy but wanted us to be good sailors, and was completely unapproachable on a personal level.

I remember him with nothing but respect, even though he DID kick me in the ass with the toe of his foot hard enough to hurt for several days, and at the same time hit my weapon while I had it at shoulder arms to make it whack the side of my head hard enough to see stars, just because the tip of my piece was moving a bit and must have stood out from all the rest. Ouch.

[newcthem]

"Not that any of that matters, troll-boy. This is a non-story at best. I've known numerous people to change their minds about joining at the last minute. They just didn't offer up such panty-waste type reasons."

Hey.......... not fair calling him a troll unless you have been one yourself!!!/s

[L98Fiero]

" But father, I don't want to join the Guard; I just want to siiiiing!!

LOL! "I gotta...DANCE!!'

[TC Rider]

I'm assuming that this was the ASVAB test, though it seemed to be a lot longer than 40 questions when I took it. My question is, how could anyone actually fail that test? The average idiot can pass that test with ease.

I did a little recruiting for the PA NG back in the 70s. My recollection is that the test was longer then.

The test was a challenge for an 'average' idiot, complete idiots were lost.

We tried to coach one brain dead recruit to pass the test. On our third trip downtown, he started asking where we kept the boats. As we were an artillery outfit, we were puzzled by his question.

It turned out he though he joined the Coast Guard. We did a 'catch and release' on that one.