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I received this U.S. Army recruitment brochure today in the mail. Probably it is an indication of the Army not able to meet its recruitment goals that they are going the Bed, Bath, and Beyond way by junk-mailing people. At least I am more likely to shop at BB&B than join the U.S. Army. Of course, they may have obtained my address from either the Social Security Administration or my University records.
If it is the former, I have never understood the disconnect between the immigration department i.e. the BCIS (formerly INS) and the other federal departments that directly impact the immigrants i.e. IRS and SSA. Why would the Army send out a recruitment brochure to a non-citizen unless of course, they want to entice me with an offer for citizenship by first serving in the Army. I’m told that many immigrant in fact do choose to take up on that option. In times of unpopular and clearly mismanaged wars, I don’t necessarily see that as a good thing.
Anyway, that brochure promptly landed in my trash although on the backside, they offered to send me a free backpack if I filled out a card asking for more information. Yeah , right!
by Patrix | on Saturday, December 1st, 2007 at 9:00 am | 
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December 1st, 2007 at 2:28 pm reply
Hey Patrix: Do the right thing: Recycle!
December 1st, 2007 at 2:52 pm reply
Anup, oops! That’s what I meant *sneaking away to put it in the recycle pile*
December 2nd, 2007 at 3:39 pm reply
Many years ago, much before the war had started we got the same stuff. I (or perhaps my wife) actually did send in the card and got a free mug :P We figured it was our taxes paying for it anyway.
btw, afaik, you dont have to be citizens or even perm residents to be in the US Army. I could be wrong. In fact being in the army is one of the methods to speed up perm res. process. If you survive to get one that is.
December 2nd, 2007 at 4:45 pm reply
And why exactly would you not want a free backpack hehe? :)
December 2nd, 2007 at 6:18 pm reply
Bongo, perhaps in a time of occasional conflicts, perhaps that was an offer worth considering; not anymore.
Supremus, a flimsy backback in exchange for all my personal info..no thanks!
December 3rd, 2007 at 12:07 pm reply
hmmm…why these brochures or TV ads always show African-Americans?
December 3rd, 2007 at 1:45 pm reply
So are you enrolling or not? :-)
December 3rd, 2007 at 2:20 pm reply
Stone, to be fair, it had a white soldier on the front. But African-Americans are disproportionately higher in the Armed Forces. After service was made voluntary, it is mostly driven by economic incentives.
Santosh, heh. I guess Bush will have to win the war with what he has got.
December 3rd, 2007 at 2:28 pm reply
that brochure promptly landed in my trash
Hey, what happened to the shredder? :P
No, I’m keeping track of usage of my presents, so don’t freak out…
December 3rd, 2007 at 2:33 pm reply
Sampada, as Anup reprimanded me, I recycled it instead. And the shredder gave me a scare when it stopped working when I tried to cram in a thick envelope. So now only essential items will be shredded. Well, you asked for an update.
December 27th, 2007 at 10:53 pm reply
Dear Patrix,
Apart from considering yourself smart (or otherwise), if you really think, most of the mail is junk-mailed. If you realize that, as you may, then some one in the US Army considered you none different from a “permanent resident” of the Union since you have an address here in the States. If that’s your point, why do you crib about the rest of your point?
God blesss…
Anon..