wfn.org | National Call to Action -- Stand Up for Truth in Military

["Jenny Shields" <JShields@afsc.org>]

SOCIAL JUSTICE ORGANIZATION CITES EVIDENCE OF ABUSES AMONG ARMED FORCES

Contact: Janis D. Shields, Director Media and Public Relations
(215)  241-7060 AFTER HOURS: (302) 545-6596

The American Friends Service Committee Launches 'National Call to
Action,' May 20; Rallies, Demonstrations and Workshops Held Across the
United States

Philadelphia, PA - MAY 20 - The Army is now offering 15-month active
duty tours instead of the usual four-year enlistment.  What does it
mean?

Not much when you consider the numbers of soldiers affected by "stop
loss" - forced to stay in the military well past their initial volunteer
commitments. Often referred to as a "backdoor draft," stop loss does
away with the concept of a volunteer army forcing servicemen and women
to continue military service well past the time for which they
committed.

Soldiers who have their tours of duty involuntarily extended are forced
to stay overseas as long as their command units remain. After that they
are required to stay in active duty for up to 90 days.	What it means is
that the military gets to break the contracts entered into with soldiers
who have completed the tours of duty for which they agreed. They cannot
retire, go back to their jobs or college or continue on with their
lives.

"The use of stop loss is often an indication of a shortfall of available
personnel," says Loren Thompson, an analyst at the Lexington Institute,
a think tank based in Arlington, Va., recently quoted by USA Today.

Tour of duty cuts are only the latest ploy to get youths to enlist.

For the past 20 years, the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) has
worked to expose what we believe to be the systemic and widespread
problem of abusive and unethical recruitment practices.   It's an issue
that touches not only the Army, but also every branch of the Armed
Services.

For example, in the past decade, more than 400 Army, Navy, Air Force and
Marine Corps recruiters were relieved for misconduct.  In the Army and
Navy combined more than 1,290 were admonished or given punitive
discipline for misconduct or errors.  Between 7.1 and 9.8 percent of the
military recruiting force was disciplined for misconduct or errors.

In 2001 an investigation by a Dallas television station found that
recruiters supplied enlistees with hundreds of counterfeit high school
diplomas and instructed them to lie about their academic background.

In fact the problem is so entrenched, a former navy recruiter commented:
"It's done to trick and intimidate the person into (enlisting).  It's
told to somebody who doesn't have access to a lawyer, or a strong family
network.

"It's an intimidation and lying technique targeted to the most
vulnerable applicants," the recruiter continues.  "The corruption is so
thoroughly institutionalized in recruiting, it would take congressional
hearings just to make a dent in cleaning things up."

Nationally, AFSC leads counter-recruitment trainings and workshops,
conducts research, and offers experienced leadership to the growing
counter-recruitment movement. The Service Committee monitors the
influence of the military in vulnerable communities, gives young people
pertinent facts about enlistment practices and offers support to all
conscientious objectors - individuals who refuse to participate in
militarism and war.

Additional resources can be found at
afsc.org/youthmil/Military-Recruitment.

The American Friends Service Committee has offices in 22 countries of
the world, and regional offices in Washington, D.C.; California;
Georgia; Illinois; Iowa; Maryland; Massachusetts; New York and
Washington.

###

The American Friends Service Committee is a Quaker organization that
includes people of various faiths who are committed to social justice,
peace and humanitarian service. Its work is based on the belief in the
worth of every person and faith in the power of love to overcome
violence and injustice.

Do You Know Enough to Enlist?

The American Friends Service Committee wants young people approached by
a recruiter to understand their rights and know what to expect. Its
publication Do You Know Enough to Enlist, offers facts about recruiter
promises and the realities of military service. Here are a few things to
remember BEFORE you enlist:

Your decision about enlistment will affect your life and the lives of
others. Don't rush.

Military recruiters are salespeople: their job is to "sell" you on
enlistment. To keep their jobs and advance their careers, most
recruiters must sign up a specific number of people each month. They
stress the benefits of the military - not the problems.

Talk with recently discharged veterans - both those who had good
experiences and those who didn't - about the questions raised on the
AFSC website at afsc.org.

Talk with a civilian counselor who can help you think about the military
or suggest other options.

Take along a relative or friend. You have a lot to think about when you
talk with a recruiter. A family member or friend can take notes, ask
questions, and watch out for your best interests. Also take along a
relative or friend if you discuss job selection with a military
"guidance counselor" at a Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS).