[SimpleLife]

Out or not?

As a student you have the right to request that your private information is not released to military recruiters and others. Complete this Opt-Out form and give it to your Principal or School Administration

So?

Will you?

And why?

[SimeyTheLimey]

Just be careful not to try to "opt out" of your obligation to sign up with the selective service system. If you are male and you don't, it can have very ugly consequences.

[Krusty]

Given the recruiting environment today (shortfalls for ground-force branches and stepped up recruiting efforts), I would probably opt-out these days. When I was in high school (late 80's), I was contacted persistently after our entire 11th grade class took the ASVAB. I don't remember any ability to opt-out nor do I recall how it happened that our entire class took the ASVAB (though, being a semi-white trash, lower middle & middle class public high school in NC, I suppose we were a prime breeding ground for military recruitment). The contact I got from recruiters was almost exclusively by mail at that time .. maybe one phone call each from 2 or 3 branches and I politely informed the recruiter that I was college bound.

IIRC, they percentile scores on the ASVAB were broken down in two scales, one for your age group and one for all applicants. I remember in the "all applicants" scale I scored a 91st percentile in "mechanical aptitude" and 98 or higher in every single other category. The recruiter told me that my scores qualified me to literally write my own ticket as far as what type of program I would like to enter. Unfortunately, 11th grade was exactly when my liberal tendency first started rearing its ugly, America-hating, agnostic, hippie-loving head

[JohnSmithXTREME]

Originally posted by SimeyTheLimey:
Just be careful not to try to "opt out" of your obligation to sign up with the selective service system. If you are male and you don't, it can have very ugly consequences.

A bunch of right old gits and whingers, I tell thee.

[AKcrab]

Originally posted by Krusty:
When I was in high school (late 80's), I was contacted persistently after our entire 11th grade class took the ASVAB. I don't remember any ability to opt-out nor do I recall how it happened that our entire class took the ASVAB

...

The recruiter told me that my scores qualified me to literally write my own ticket as far as what type of program I would like to enter.

My experience (graduated in 1988) was nearly identical. The whole class didn't take the ASVAB, but most did. Nobody told me it was a test geared toward military recruitment.

I did so well, that I ended up being recruited by and accepted to the Coast Guard Academy. (Not an easy feat. No appointments, it's based solely on test scores.) Cool huh? Read on..

I flew to the nearest CG doctor for my physical, which I passed easily. The recruiting officer came to my graduation ceremony and presented me with a nice certificate and welcomed me to the CG. I was valedictorian of my class, but lucky for my classmates, I was able to pass on all the scholarship offers as my ticket was paid for - my course laid out.

About 4 weeks after graduation, I received a letter from the final review board in Colorado Springs. Apparently my eyesight is not "acceptable". Why I passed the initial screening, I'll never know. In the end, it cost my family a large sum of money to send me to a college I hadn't really planned on attending.

The fact that I was still eligible for the draft burns me to this very day.

FU Coast Guard!! FU Military Service!

I would opt out.

[Krusty]

Originally posted by AKcrab:
My experience (graduated in 1988) was nearly identical..

Weird. I was 1988 and Valedictorian as well (actually co-Valedictorian with a gal I ended up dating for years). No academy recruitment for me though ... I was way too bashful to to ever even THINK about asking my local congressman to sponsor me (for some reason, I seem to recall that this was either required or "heavily recommended" for a military academy).
Sounds like you got really screwed .... like a GI Bill in reverse

[AKcrab]

Originally posted by Krusty:
I was way too bashful to to ever even THINK about asking my local congressman to sponsor me (for some reason, I seem to recall that this was either required or "heavily recommended" for a military academy).
Sounds like you got really screwed .... like a GI Bill in reverse

Coast Guard Academy is the only one that is "merit" based instead of an "appointment".

GI Bill in reverse! I love it.

[dcmacdaddy]

No need to opt out.

Do away with the Selective Service system for men and require two years of military service for ALL citizens, male and female, between the age of 18 and 26. I would think we could get enough soldier's to sign on for the long haul if the pool of potential candidates is all the 18-26 year-olds. For those who are physically incapable or reject military service on religious or moral grounds, have them serve two years in a community service organization like AmeriCorps.

<edited to fix many typo's.>

[budster101]

Originally posted by dcmacdaddy:
No need to opt out.

Do away with the Selective Service system for men and require two years of military service for ALL citizens, male and female, between the age of 18 and 26. I would think we could get enough solider's to sign on for the long hall if the pool of potential candidates is all the 18-26 year-olds.For those who are physically uncapable or reject military service on religious or moral grounds, have them serve two years in a community service organzation like AmeriCorps.