DALLAS, May 10, 2005
Army Recruiters Play Hard Ball
One Threatens To Have Potential Recruit Arrested
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Play CBS Video Video Desperate Army Recruiters Bob McNamara reports on questionable techniques used by Army recruiters desperate to make enrollment quotas. A national retraining of recruiters is planned.
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Slow times at the Army recruiting table. (AP)
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Chris Monarch changed his mind about joining the Army. (CBS)
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"No comment," said Sgt. Thomas Kelt when asked about threatening potential applicants. (CBS)
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"It's really an insult to other Army recruiters who are handling themselves and conducting themselves in the proper way," he said.
In Colorado, 19-year-old Michael Flaherty's recruiter gave him a laxative to lose weight to pass a physical.
"They even told me not to tell my parents about it," Flaherty said.
A form certified Flaherty physically fit -- complete with scores.
"I never completed any of those tests and my recruiter faked the documents," he said.
From fake diploma's from phony schools, detox kits to beat drug tests, Denver's CBS station KCNC uncovered a number of recruiter fraud cases.
"It's very stressful," said former recruiter Jeffery Bacon.
Bacon says he's been busted from Sergeant to Specialist for not meeting his quota of 24 soldiers a year.
"I'm losing my house because I'm losing my job, you know. I'm in financial debt," Bacon said.
This year the Army needs over 101,000 new soldiers world-wide. But as the war continues and volunteers are harder to find military recruiters face the toughest sell -- ever.
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