Army Recruiter Used Scare Tactics

Teen Who Signed Non-Binding Contract Told He'd Be Jailed If He Didn't Join Army

(CBS)  From NASCAR to bull riding, Army recruiters are pulling out all the stops and have had remarkable success meeting their quotas despite two wars. But one recruiter was caught in a tape-recorded phone call doing it with threats, CBS News national security correspondent David Martin.

As CBS affiliate KHOU in Houston first reported, Irving Gonzalez signed a non-binding contract that left him free to change his mind about joining the Army up to the moment he reported for basic training - which is exactly what he did.

"I'd rather just stay here," he said. "Go to college."

But listen to what his recruiter, Sgt. Glenn Marquette, told him would happen.

"As soon as you get pulled over for a speeding ticket, they're gonna see you're a deserter. They're gonna apprehend you, take you to jail. So guess what, all that lovey-dovey 'I wanna go to college' and all that? Guess what? You just threw it out the window 'cause you just screwed your life," Marquette said on tape.

"Then guess what, you're AWOL. Absent without leave," Marquette said.

Not only is none of that true, but it also violates regulations that prohibit the threatening of potential recruits.

Seventeen-year-old Eric Martinez says he was told the same thing when he changed his mind.

"You can go to jail, put out a warrant for you and spend your time in jail instead of in the Army," he said they told him.

Marquette has been suspended from recruiting pending an investigation and both young men have been told they are free to get on with their lives. But this is not the first time this particular recruiting station has been caught using unethical tactics.

Three years ago, KHOU overheard Sgt. Thomas Kelt leaving a threatening voice mail for a young man who wanted to cancel an appointment he'd made to meet with him.

It said: "you fail to appear and we'll have a warrant."

Kelt did receive a reprimand, but he has since been promoted and put in charge of another Army recruiting station.

[tngreen]

I think that these recruiters should be sent to Afghanistan. Let them take out all of that hostility on a real enemy instead of some confused kid.

[missingamerica]

lolllll....that is a good video....

What is funny is how the bullying scare tactics the recruiters are caught using reminds me of the neocons who flock to comment on CBS so that they can tout the Republican line regardless of their lack of logic or any basis in fact...

I guess the theory is if they say it loud enough and sound scary enough, YOU WILL BELIEVE!

Perhaps being a neocon is actually a symptom of the pre-dementia that another CBS story covers today?

[gramto7]

***!?! He''s been PROMOTED??? After threatening these guys like that he gets prommoted and moved to another recruiting station? Typical goverment mentality!

[smirk5]

This really shows that the Army is committed to getting the smartest people that they can.

[nagognog]

A sorry state of affairs. But I wonder if this is really uncommon - or is this clown the first one to get caught? With this sort of mentality, it comes as no surprise the staggering suicide rates of vets coming out of the military at present.

[frigginnutz]

If it was me I probably would have went over to the recruiters office and flicked him in his nose and said, there now you have reason for a warrant.I mean seriosly recruiters are not phisically fit by no means if anyone should be scared its them.

[smirk5]

Remember, the Army took Lynndie England. They''ll take anyone they can trick into joining as well as semi-retarded volunteers.

[summarex]

That''s a very old and common practice. They sucker 19 year olds into thinking they have signed a real contract and remind them of it if they change their minds or are hesitant about wanting to go in. Once at the base most kids never figure out wht they are being required to sign twice! I know of young people who have gone off to basic reluctantly and over the objection of their entire family, under the belief that they were contractually obliged. I wonder what the graduation and retention rates are for these kids.

I think anyone who was pressured into joining should be given the option of an immediate honorable discharge with all the benefits.

Also, anyone recruited by a problem recruiter should be interviewed to see if they were presured and told beforehand what the circumstances are and that they have to tell the truth.

[barbaraf4]

"This really shows that the Army is committed to getting the smartest people that they can." Posted by Smirk5
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Not so. The Army will take anyone on whom they can detect a pulse.

[ramos937]

I am a service disabled vet; my brothers (now deceased from war causes) and my two sons are vets. We love this country.
----------------------------
Sgt Kelt and Sgt.Marquette are beneath contempt. But, while they do richly deserve jail time, they are not 100% responsible. They would not have been allowed to use such tactics if their superiors had not approved of using them. What really galls me is that they will soon go back to recruiting young men and women. I sincerely hope the families of these two sergeants read about what they are doing and are highly embrassed by their actions.

[cyberus-2009]

The recruiter in the first scandal was promoted and put in a supervisory position ... pretty much tells you what the army REALLY thinks about his *transgressions*

Kelt did receive a reprimand, but he has since been promoted and put in charge of another Army recruiting station
can you say he delievers...?

[smirk5]

The best, the brightest, the most easily fooled.

demslie2u:
give Anti-American Democrats another reason to Hate the entire Military
i''m one of those hated libs and i served in the Navy for 4 years and there dems in the military now, so where do you get your info again? curious

demslie2u:
and tell me why there more dems than rebup in the congress who served?

[smirk5]

demslie2u,

There were plenty of cameras back in the 60s and 70s. Give us one documented and independently verified account of Democrats or War Protesters spitting on returning vets. You can''t.

Very disappointing, this is an example of the military mind%u2014pushing, shoving, using violence to force people into the military...what a bunch of rednecks. I had a brother who served in Vietnam. He wasn''t that kind of soldier. Who cares about America?? Really, look around you, who%u2014in this day and age%u2014can say that they are proud to be American? Only the least informed, only those who have no morals...like Bush, launching an attack against Iraq, and killing thousands of innocents, and then proclaiming he is a Christian! If being pro America means being a scumbag, then I''m not joining that crowd...

[vnveteran72]

"Then guess what, you''re AWOL. Absent without leave," Marquette said.

The kid should be Proud. This would put him in the same category as our Fearless Little Drunken Decider,
a KNOWN AWOL/Deserter. He could become the next Neocon Presidential Candidate.....LMMFAO

[smirk5]

I wonder how many thousands of soldiers are sitting over in Iraq or Afghanistan because they were hoodwinked into joining up.

[patriot12436]

ramos937
I too am 100% disabled Viet vet, my oldest son is 100% disabled army ranger, my daughter is being evaluated and will be 100% disabled from Iraq, now my youngest son enlisted yesterday. I feel my family has given its share and more for our country. Still i thank you and your family for your service. Those who have not served will not understand why we do it. I think recruiters like these are not fit for military duty and at the leasst should be deplopyed to Iraw or Afghanastan.

[idnnsg]

demslie2u says, "This story has one purpose..."

The ONE purpose of this story is to reveal to the public what is going on. If you truly loved your country, you would be GLAD to have this kind of illegal, reprehensible behavior exposed so it can be stopped.

An "all volunteer" military that consists of ignorant people who were lied to and bullied into joining is NOT going to be the "best and the brightest", which is what our military truly needs.

However, people with tiny little minds, like demslie2u DON''T CARE about what would be good for the military or for the country. They ONLY want to stir up hatred and fear by accusing "liberals" of anything and everything bad they can think of.

[patriot12436]

sincityq
It is nice to think of poetic justice, like taking your recruiter out for a walk in his wheelchair, down a long flight of stairs.

patriot12436
sir thank you for your service and your family''s as well. from one vet to another, i salute you

[lil_willie61]

Who cares about America?? Really, look around you, who%u2014in this day and age%u2014can say that they are proud to be American?
Posted by Rangdrol at 08:31 PM : Jul 28, 2008

I CAN! I am *** proud to be from a country that provides more money for HIV/AIDS research than any other; that gives more relief funds to African nations than any other; gives more to the World Food Bank than any other; defeated the Nazis and saved Europe from even more hell than they got; saved the Chinese and Koreans from the Japanese (Yes, WE did those things, no one else could have, and we could have done it without the little help we got from our allies); then rebuilt the very countries we had just defeated. Not raping and pillaging- rebuilding. A country where neighbors help one another, and almost everyone gives to charities. Where kids can get a decent education for free, and those too poor to pay for health care or food get help from all of us. I could go on, but most reasonable people will get my point. What say you, *******?

[patriot12436]

lil willie
I agree. I am not always proud of the actions our govt takes, but have been and always will be proud and loyal to my country, and to al our vets.

[patriot12436]

jeriemc23
Thank you

[lil_willie61]

Posted by dartngriss at 09:04 PM : Jul 28, 2008

Do you just type so you can hear the neat clicking noises?

[haoli25]

This just in from the Institute of the Blindingly Obvious: THE ARMY WILL LIE TO YOU!

Soldiers have known this fact for over 200 years. lol

[cbsblogger]

The downfall of the USA began with the unnecessary and very costly Vietnam War. That''s when our outsourcing and deficit spending and trade imbalances all began. The Iraq War will cost more the Vietnam in 2008 dollars and has been much more than a straw that broke the camel''s back but the outcome will be the same.

Lyndon Johnson should have been tried for crimes against America just as should Bush, and both needed to spend time behind bars for their misleading actions that cost many lives and many hundreds of billions of dollars.

[cbsblogger]

A very rational and accurate point could be made that the mission of our military has become more about implementing pet policies of our capitalist elite worldwide than defending the USA against aggressors. That makes the USA an imperialist.

It''s been the trade policies of our own government and the US multi-national corporations that have resulted in the build up of the Communist Chinese to the point that they have huge control our economy, and compete for energy and soon much more. These so-called US capitalists have no allegiance except to make more profits at long term US expense.

[bigmojobone]

Typical Nancy naive remark. I served 22 yeras in the Air Force, I went to the 1st Desert Storm & I am proud to say I am an American.. good on you lil willie61

[mcvet-1]

Typical Nancy naive remark. I served 22 yeras in the Air Force, I went to the 1st Desert Storm & I am proud to say I am an American.. good on you lil willie61

Posted by bigmojobone at 09:39 PM : Jul 28, 200

I served 4 years active in the USMC and 1 year and 26 days in Vietnam. Nancy is much more of an American than you One Party Rule freaks who defend LIARS like George W. Bush and John McCain. LYING to kill our people is NEVER acceptable and THAT is what both the Fuhrer and McSame are doing... LYING!! SIEG HIEL GRAND WIZARD!!

[mcvet-1]

This just in from the Institute of the Blindingly Obvious: THE ARMY WILL LIE TO YOU!

Soldiers have known this fact for over 200 years. lol

Posted by haoli25 at 09:23 PM : Jul 28, 2008

This isn''t LYING Sparky! This is a violation of LAW. It''s called FRAUD in the real world. Sieg Heil Bush

[heero2020]

There''s stupid. And then there''s Army stupid. Do you have what it takes?

Kid made the right choice... be an Army of One.

Look out for you and yours. No one else will.

Regards,

Posted by Nancy_Naive
--------------------
OUTSTANDING!!

[georgew1956]

the recruter should go to trial and let the men he screwed over be the jury. then lets hear him cry foul.
fraud is illegal in these states and he should be arrested and tried.

[vnveteran72]

The Fact the Scumbag was Promoted and sent to Lie and Deceive other poor Teenagers into Dying for the Criminal Money-Making Schemes and War-Profiteering of the Ruling Elite Traitors, says it all.
Until such time as our Government is back in Control of the American People, I''d advise anyone to stay far away from the Military. You''ll be Wadded Up and Tossed Aside like a Used Kleenex by these Scumbags.

[spadeisspade]

I''ve been saying this for years, and I will say it again-JUST TELL THEM YOU ARE GAY. Granted nowadays once you are already in, it doesn''t really matter that much anymore. But they can''t very well recruit you knowing. Saves a LOT of ***

[jimesmith2]

Nancy_Naive: do u have family fighting for us? Maybe you should take your arse over there to fight or maybe we should label you as a good-for-nothing, fat, lazy arse.

[patriot12436]

georgew1956
What makes it worse he is protected by federal law friom being sued in civil court by those that he did this too.

[patriot12436]

One bad apple and now the rest will be looked at as dishonorable like him. I have met many fine recruiters that do their job with honor and respect.

[patriot12436]

jimesmith2
I think we have enough problems already with out doing that.

[jimesmith2]

Patriot -- you don''t all look like a bad apple. It''s indicative of our leaders at the top. No one should have to force someone into combat. That''s called a draft. Lies NEVER work. When your government or agents of government deceit, it only makes us all look bad -- not just army recruiters, but the society as a whole.

[jimesmith2]

patriot: you should have used your vet $$ to go to school: "with out" = without

[cyinzl8r]

Posted by lil_willie61 at 08:52 PM : Jul 28, 2008
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You ''ds man lil willie!!!!

[milesbrown49]

This recruiter should be sent to Iraq now. Send him where he would send other peoples children.

[patriot12436]

jimesmith2
I did go to school and have a degree in criminal justice. That is why i cannot vote for obama. I do not believe he is the right choice for America. My keyboard is skipping and i need to repace it. I had to make five corrections on this comment alone.

[patriot12436]

jimesmith2
I may not agree with your political choice but i will defend your right to have it and i do agree with most of what you are saying.

[timdgrim]

I spent 4 years active and 2 reserve in the Air Force right after Vietnam to shortly after Reagan took over. I trained on a base with Iranians in those days. The Soviets fought the Afgan Rebels for a decade in the 80''s and got their a** kicked. Of course, we supported the Rebels, which some say became the Taliban. We supported Saddam Hussein against the Iranians. Saddam kicked the American Oil Companies out shortly after he took over. That''s what this is all about, oil and money. So, no matter how patriotic you think you are, don''t be blinded by what your government tells you. In a lot of ways, we''re just as bad as the people we''re fighting against. They have their way and we have ours, but sometimes they are very similar.

[nojoy01]

W-H-O-O-E-E. I am just sitting here wondering if or how many people fell for that line of horse manure. And if anyone did, there is gonna be
L-A-W-S-U-U-I-T-S all over the place.