this post was submitted on 20 Feb 2024
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A Boring Dystopia

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[–] [email protected] 121 points 6 months ago (6 children)

It's creepy that they're allowed to text children without their express consent. Assuming that this is a real text exchange and that OOP didn't wilfully give the recruiter their number earlier.

[–] [email protected] 57 points 6 months ago (1 children)

When I was a senior in high school back in the 2000's I got multiple cold calls from Army recruiters. I have no doubt that they've moved on to texting, and that this is legitimate.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

Yep. Cold calls, emails, texts, whatever they could get their hands on all through my senior year in high school and at least my first two years of college. Not to mention their tables in the high school cafeteria, at robotics competitions, my engineering university's job fairs. Don't remember how I got them off my back, I might have just aged out of their main target cohort, but my mom likes to talk about how she told them she was pregnant (because she was lol) and they never contacted her again. Do with that information what you will.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 6 months ago (4 children)

So they’re old enough to decide to join the military but not old enough to handle receiving an unsolicited message on social media?

[–] thecrotch 72 points 6 months ago (3 children)

Recruiters start working you long before you're old enough to join.

[–] [email protected] 59 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

We usually call that grooming.

Recruiters groom children to kill.

[–] [email protected] 22 points 6 months ago (2 children)

Yup. I graduated high school at 17 and they were after me those last two years, at least. I was told I could have any job I wanted in the Navy due to my test scores. It was flattering and tempting.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 6 months ago

Why didn't you pick like Fleet Admiral and then decommissioned all the ships before promptly quitting?

[–] [email protected] 7 points 6 months ago

We were all told we could have any job because our test scores were high. Come to find out that was a lie and while they might look at what you want to do, they'll put you where they need you.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 6 months ago (3 children)

I guess they probably do now because like 90% of high school grads have or did something that makes them ineligible to join and if they want more recruits they need to get students to not do things that make them ineligible and that might mean reaching out more than six months before they’re old enough to join.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 6 months ago (1 children)

90% would be ineligible? how come?

[–] thecrotch 4 points 6 months ago

They did when I was in school and that was like 25 years ago

[–] [email protected] 25 points 6 months ago (2 children)

You can join the military before you can drink. This country doesn't make sense.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 6 months ago

At least you can’t get drafted before you’re old enough to vote anymore.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 6 months ago

It makes perfect sense when you remember that the worth of human life and ethics aren't factored in when people decide how the country works.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 6 months ago (1 children)

It's not about "handling" anything. Not sure how you inferred that from my post.

Are you okay with army recruiters having your child's cell phone number without their express consent?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago

When I was in high school our home phone number was published in the phone book and military recruiters called it a few times when I was getting close to finishing high school.

I’m not giving my kid a cell phone if I think them having it would endanger them. If unsolicited phone calls endanger them they shouldn’t have a cell phone. They should know what information shouldn’t be given out to strangers over the phone, on a call or via message. They should know how to block numbers and recognize calls that are best left to voicemail, &c.

[–] [email protected] -4 points 6 months ago

Sounds like you support actual grooming.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 6 months ago

I'm going to college right now and I've been getting messages from recruiters lately. They literally text me from their work numbers now.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 6 months ago

Not that it matters too much but it looks like Instagram or Facebook direct message

[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 months ago

Back in the early 2000's I had a recruiter call my house asking for me, creepy AF.