The Bounty Hunter
You depend on our protection
Yet you feed us lies from the tablecloth
* * *
Why don't presidents fight the war?
Why do they always send the poor?
--BYOB lyrics, System of A Down
Yet you feed us lies from the tablecloth
* * *
Why don't presidents fight the war?
Why do they always send the poor?
--BYOB lyrics, System of A Down
It seems that Josh Randall, Steve McQueen's 1960's bounty hunter television character, is alive and well and working for the Army Recruiting Team. Randall always did get his man, "dead or alive".
That the Army is now soliciting for bounty hunters to ensnare recruits makes the entire war venture look like a very bad "B" Western gone awry, after the World's Sheriff kicked the bad guy out of town.
That the Army is now soliciting for bounty hunters to ensnare recruits makes the entire war venture look like a very bad "B" Western gone awry, after the World's Sheriff kicked the bad guy out of town.
In this program, Soldiers or retirees who convince someone to join the Army can mop up to the tune of $2,000 a head in the Referral Bonus Pilot Program. My January/February Purple Heart Magazine explains, "The bonus is not paid to Soldiers referring members of their immediate families, to include spouses, children, parents, step-parents and siblings." So don't try any funny business thinking you'll shed yourself of some troublesome relation. Just set up shop somewhere--a coffee shop or McDonald's will do--and try to reel 'em in.
But it's not a slam dunk--you don't get the whole enchilada just for having them sign the dotted line. You, as the one who scored the hit, get $1,000 when the individual finishes Basic Training; the other $1,000 comes when they finish AIT. So should there be a problem along the way, your efforts on behalf of Uncle George will not be remunerated. You function, in effect, as a contract recruiter.
One must see the desperation that is evident for the Army to start pimping out its recruiting functions. This program is designed to turn all Soldiers and retirees into Johns looking for help. If it's true the Bad Sleep Well, then this is your gig.
Personally, I'd rather sandpaper my butt and sit is salt than participate in this Judas goat project. How could any old soldier want to be responsible for leading a young one to slaughter? I personally don't want or need blood money.
To whom was sold, this bounty soul,
A gentile or a priest ?
Who victored over the seljuks,
When the holy land was taken
We will fight the heathens, we will fight the heathens
We will fight the heathens, we will fight the heathens
--WAR lyrics, S. O. A. D.
A gentile or a priest ?
Who victored over the seljuks,
When the holy land was taken
We will fight the heathens, we will fight the heathens
We will fight the heathens, we will fight the heathens
--WAR lyrics, S. O. A. D.
posted by rangeragainstwar at 9:30 PM
2 Comments:
I guess this is one of the costs of having an all-volunteer army.
By the way, have you seen the article over at Tomdispatch.com, which emphasizes the fact that most soldiers killed in Iraq come from rural or unknown areas, and (my inference) that this is a deliberate policy to obscure the carnage of the war?
glue m,
As we consistently say, it'a fine line between mercenary and professional. Nobody can question the concept of a professional (volunteer) army, but seems that we're crossing a divide here.
It's safe to say that no one will collect a bounty on any GHW Bush scions.
BTW: how old are you, and have you considered joining? I still have Christmas bills to pay off. And contrary to popular belief, I know that some of my readers are outisde of my immediate family (!)
Thank you,
Jim
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