Jinxed in time for the Holiday

Remember that post I did about the "greatest interview ever"? Remember how I said I probably just jinxed it? I was right.

This kid told me that he was pretty sure he was going to join, he just needed to talk to his real mom about it before he did it - which was good because I needed her to sign the PC anyway. So he goes down to see his mom for the weekend and calls me back. I ask him when he wants to go to MEPS and he tells me never. I ask why not and he replies, "Well..... I was talking with my step dad this weekend...... and he helped me realize that if I joined the military I'd be in Iraq in 6 months so I'd better not..."

"Um...... you understand that you can't deploy till you're fully trained right?"

"Yeah."

"And you understand that you can't become fully trained until you have your high school diploma right?"

"Yeah."

"And you understand that you're a high school junior right?"

"Yeah."

"So you understand that you won't graduate for almost 2 years, then you still have to finish your training, so you won't even be ELIGIBLE to deploy till 2 to 2 and a half years from now right?"

"Yep."

"So you ready to go to MEPS then?"

"Well...... my step dad helped me realize that I'd be in Iraq in 6 months so.... no."

"Did you not listen to what I just said?"

"Yeah, I was listening."

"So why are you concerned that you'll be in Iraq in 6 months if I just explained to you how that's impossible?"

"Because everybody gets sent to Iraq 6 months after they join."

"Hmm.... weird - ask the 27 people I enlisted last year if they've deployed. Every one of them will tell you they haven't deployed - actually 2 of them go to high school with you. So you understand that your fears of going to Iraq in 6 months don't really have any real basis right?"

"Yeah........ but I just don't want to go to Iraq in 6 months"

"Seriously, are you even listening to me?"

"Yeah."

"Are you calling me a lier then?"

"Well..... I... uh..."

"I assure you I told you the 100% truth about everything - I've never lied to an applicant and never will"

"But my step dad."

"Was your step dad in the military?"

"No"

"Does he know anybody that is in the military?"

"No"

"Don't you think that MAYBE I might know a little more about what we're talking about than your step dad? I mean I'm sure he's a smart guy and all but he's never served and he doesn't know anybody who's serving so I don't think we can consider him an expert or anything."

"I'm just not interested."

"OK, do you have any friends that you think might be interested?"

"You've enlisted them already."

"You only have 2 friends?"

"No, I have lots of friends."

"So do you have friends outside of your high school?"

"Not really...."

"So since all your friends go to your school, and I've only enlisted 2 people from your school, I'd say you have lots of other friends that would be interested."

"Um....... not really.... none of them would be interested."

"Did you ask them?"

"Well.... no."

"Well if you had to guess which one of your friends was interested, which 2 would you say would be?"

At this point I'm kind of messing with the kid - I'm actually surprised he didn't just hang up on me!

Surprisingly he gave me 2 names! He probably did it to get off the phone - but oh well, maybe something will come out of it...... In the end I thanked him for his time and told him to give me a call if he ever changes his mind. I was still really pissed off in the end though.

To make up for it I did have a guy go down to MEPS today. He ended up being color blind so I had to find him a new job but he enlisted today ending my 32 day nut! I've got another one lined up for Tuesday and hopefully a couple more next week too. This all doesn't stop my NCOIC from requiring me to work the day after Thanksgiving!!!! I tried to put in a leave slip and he told me no so I'm just going to work from the office near my parent's house - it'll work out because the girls will be shopping anyway.

The funny thing is that if 6-month guy would have enlisted I'd be spending time with my family on Friday, not working......

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving - for my friends that don't celebrate this American Holiday (I'm talking to you Mark and Denise), sit down and say a quick prayer thanking God for everything you're lucky enough to have, and realize that no matter how bad things seem to get, they could be worse. For my American friends - don't forget to think about those brave men and women serving all over the world in our defense. Pray that they come home safely to see their family that they missed this Thanksgiving. Finally, thank your creator that these brave men and women stand ready to do violence on our behalf so we may sleep peaceably in our beds at night.

-SGT Guardsman