Why Are Army Recruiters Committing Suicide?

[strollingbones]

When Army Staff Sergeant Amanda Henderson ran into Staff Sergeant Larry Flores in their Texas recruiting station last August, she was shocked by the dark circles under his eyes and his ragged appearance. "Are you O.K.?" she asked the normally squared-away soldier. "Sergeant Henderson, I am just really tired," he replied. "I had such a bad, long week, it was ridiculous." The previous Saturday, Flores' commanders had berated him for poor performance. He had worked every day since from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., trying to persuade the youth of Nacogdoches to wear Army green. "But I'm O.K.," he told her.

No, he wasn't. Later that night, Flores hanged himself in his garage with an extension cord. Henderson and her husband Patrick, both Army recruiters, were stunned. "I'll never forget sitting there at Sergeant Flores' memorial service with my husband and seeing his wife crying," Amanda recalls. "I remember looking over at Patrick and going, 'Why did he do this to her? Why did he do this to his children?' " Patrick didn't say anything, and Amanda now says Flores' suicide "triggered" something in her husband. Six weeks later, Patrick hanged himself with a dog chain in their backyard shed.

full 6 page article:


Why Are Army Recruiters Committing Suicide? - TIME

 

[editec]

Why Are Army Recruiters Committing Suicide?

Guilt?

 

[RetiredGySgt]

Why Are Army Recruiters Committing Suicide?

Guilt?

Not even. It is the pressure. Recruiting Duty can destroy careers and now a days you do not volunteer for the duty you get assigned. Even missing quote one month will result in a reprimand.

The hours are crazy, the work load unbelievable and the stress out of this world. If you are NOT a salesman type personality recruiting duty is the kiss of death for most.

 

[xotoxi]

Why Are Army Recruiters Committing Suicide?

Guilt?

Not even. It is the pressure. Recruiting Duty can destroy careers and now a days you do not volunteer for the duty you get assigned. Even missing quote one month will result in a reprimand.

The hours are crazy, the work load unbelievable and the stress out of this world. If you are NOT a salesman type personality recruiting duty is the kiss of death for most.

What is the penalty of not meeting your quota? Do you just get yelled at by a douchebag?

 

[xsited1]

 

[RetiredGySgt]

Guilt?

Not even. It is the pressure. Recruiting Duty can destroy careers and now a days you do not volunteer for the duty you get assigned. Even missing quote one month will result in a reprimand.

The hours are crazy, the work load unbelievable and the stress out of this world. If you are NOT a salesman type personality recruiting duty is the kiss of death for most.

What is the penalty of not meeting your quota? Do you just get yelled at by a douchebag?

Your career ends. You are not going to be able to reenlist or be promoted because you will have bad fitness reports. Those that can not meet quote over a period of time are "fired" as recruiters given very bad fitness reports and sent packing off to some new crappy job with all their military plans destroyed.

 

[Sarah G]

When Army Staff Sergeant Amanda Henderson ran into Staff Sergeant Larry Flores in their Texas recruiting station last August, she was shocked by the dark circles under his eyes and his ragged appearance. "Are you O.K.?" she asked the normally squared-away soldier. "Sergeant Henderson, I am just really tired," he replied. "I had such a bad, long week, it was ridiculous." The previous Saturday, Flores' commanders had berated him for poor performance. He had worked every day since from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., trying to persuade the youth of Nacogdoches to wear Army green. "But I'm O.K.," he told her.

No, he wasn't. Later that night, Flores hanged himself in his garage with an extension cord. Henderson and her husband Patrick, both Army recruiters, were stunned. "I'll never forget sitting there at Sergeant Flores' memorial service with my husband and seeing his wife crying," Amanda recalls. "I remember looking over at Patrick and going, 'Why did he do this to her? Why did he do this to his children?' " Patrick didn't say anything, and Amanda now says Flores' suicide "triggered" something in her husband. Six weeks later, Patrick hanged himself with a dog chain in their backyard shed.

full 6 page article:


Why Are Army Recruiters Committing Suicide? - TIME

Working those kind of hours will break you down.

During our busiest and most stressful times of the year, it affects me and I don't even work as much as this guy was. People begin asking me what's wrong and if I'm ok so I know that it shows.

16 hour days and having to produce quota is ridiculous. His job would have gotten easier once we are out of Iraq and Afghanistan. I believe that is the main reason people didn't want to join the military over the past few years. Too risky.

I'm not sure about the pay, it can't be good enough to risk life and limb in the Middle East.

 

[Epsilon Delta]

Why Are Army Recruiters Committing Suicide?

Guilt?

Haha, that was the first thing I thought too.

EDIT: Not like it's laughing matter, of course.

 

[Mr. President]

Why are we taking a single MOS and saying its the reason. Most soldiers on recruiting detail in the Army just got back from Iraq or Afghanistan and chose recruiting because it makes them non deployable. But what people are missing is that they just got back from war. That is where the burden is. The long hours driving and extra stress are things that compile on top of PTSD.

 

[elvis]

Not even. It is the pressure. Recruiting Duty can destroy careers and now a days you do not volunteer for the duty you get assigned. Even missing quote one month will result in a reprimand.

The hours are crazy, the work load unbelievable and the stress out of this world. If you are NOT a salesman type personality recruiting duty is the kiss of death for most.

What is the penalty of not meeting your quota? Do you just get yelled at by a douchebag?

Your career ends. You are not going to be able to reenlist or be promoted because you will have bad fitness reports. Those that can not meet quote over a period of time are "fired" as recruiters given very bad fitness reports and sent packing off to some new crappy job with all their military plans destroyed.

ouch. is that the case in all branches? coast guard and natl guard, too?

 

[Care4all]

I think it does take a "salesman personality" as ret gy sgt mentioned and these young lads or damsels should not be put in to this job unless they have the aptitude and fortitude to do the job.

This is probably the hardest stateside job out there, especially during an unpopular war.

These are not the only service men committing suicide either from what i have been reading.

 

[strollingbones]

so two of you read the entire article..or sgt just knows from experience..they are not choosing this mos..and yes its like that in all mos'..get passed over a couple of times for promotion and your career is over...i am appalled that decorated enlisted are being dressed down in such a fashion that it basically causes them to doubt their own abiilities

 

[xotoxi]

Not even. It is the pressure. Recruiting Duty can destroy careers and now a days you do not volunteer for the duty you get assigned. Even missing quote one month will result in a reprimand.

The hours are crazy, the work load unbelievable and the stress out of this world. If you are NOT a salesman type personality recruiting duty is the kiss of death for most.

What is the penalty of not meeting your quota? Do you just get yelled at by a douchebag?

Your career ends. You are not going to be able to reenlist or be promoted because you will have bad fitness reports. Those that can not meet quote over a period of time are "fired" as recruiters given very bad fitness reports and sent packing off to some new crappy job with all their military plans destroyed.

What crap! And you are saying that people are given this job regardless of whether they are a good salesman or not?

If you think of the military as a large corporation, wouldn't you want to put the aggressive fearless person that is accurate with firearms on the front line, while putting the nerdly weak smooth-talker behind the desk? To do it the opposite way would make no sense!

 

[GHook93]

Right from the article "This is the longest all voluntary."

The stress of job could be the killer.

Not even. It is the pressure. Recruiting Duty can destroy careers and now a days you do not volunteer for the duty you get assigned. Even missing quote one month will result in a reprimand.

The hours are crazy, the work load unbelievable and the stress out of this world. If you are NOT a salesman type personality recruiting duty is the kiss of death for most.

What is the penalty of not meeting your quota? Do you just get yelled at by a douchebag?

Your career ends. You are not going to be able to reenlist or be promoted because you will have bad fitness reports. Those that can not meet quote over a period of time are "fired" as recruiters given very bad fitness reports and sent packing off to some new crappy job with all their military plans destroyed.

Why Are Army Recruiters Committing Suicide?

Guilt?

Not even. It is the pressure. Recruiting Duty can destroy careers and now a days you do not volunteer for the duty you get assigned. Even missing quote one month will result in a reprimand.

The hours are crazy, the work load unbelievable and the stress out of this world. If you are NOT a salesman type personality recruiting duty is the kiss of death for most.

 

[WorldAHope]

Not even. It is the pressure. Recruiting Duty can destroy careers and now a days you do not volunteer for the duty you get assigned. Even missing quote one month will result in a reprimand.

The hours are crazy, the work load unbelievable and the stress out of this world. If you are NOT a salesman type personality recruiting duty is the kiss of death for most.

What is the penalty of not meeting your quota? Do you just get yelled at by a douchebag?

Your career ends. You are not going to be able to reenlist or be promoted because you will have bad fitness reports. Those that can not meet quote over a period of time are "fired" as recruiters given very bad fitness reports and sent packing off to some new crappy job with all their military plans destroyed.

To improve the important Recruiting function, couldn't the branches of the armed forces Select candidates based upon their aptitude and ability, more carefully, and also not make it such a do-or-die
hopeless suicide mission ? I don't know how much support Recruiters get.
PTSD is a possible contributing factor to Recruiters' depression and suicide, and their performance as Recruiters.
Is the MOS "Recruiting" a trained specialty ? I know the military tests and filters to select who will attend technical schools and tactical schools.
Does the military actually seek out and recruit those young Americans who would be better Recruiters ?
I had read that military recruiting was doing okay, getting more enlistees due to the recession.

Military Recruiting Numbers Climb in Weak Economy

Military recruitment up in Wash. | Local News | KING5.com | News for Seattle, Washington
Tough economic times boost military recruitment | National & World News | eastvalleytribune.com

I urge all young people to serve in the military, preferably at least 4 years Active duty. The experience does improve a young person, teaches them teamwork, valuable skills and self disicpline, it makes them mature and take on responsibility. And it should be fun, too, depending on your assignement. And you get a lot of food and exercise.

 

[WorldAHope]

Not even. It is the pressure. Recruiting Duty can destroy careers and now a days you do not volunteer for the duty you get assigned. Even missing quote one month will result in a reprimand.

The hours are crazy, the work load unbelievable and the stress out of this world. If you are NOT a salesman type personality recruiting duty is the kiss of death for most.

What is the penalty of not meeting your quota? Do you just get yelled at by a douchebag?

Your career ends. You are not going to be able to reenlist or be promoted because you will have bad fitness reports. Those that can not meet quote over a period of time are "fired" as recruiters given very bad fitness reports and sent packing off to some new crappy job with all their military plans destroyed.

To improve the important Recruiting function, couldn't the branches of the armed forces Select candidates based upon their aptitude and ability, more carefully, and also not make it such a do-or-die
hopeless suicide mission ? I don't know how much support Recruiters get.
PTSD is a possible contributing factor to Recruiters' depression and suicide, and their performance as Recruiters.
Is the MOS "Recruiting" a trained specialty ? I know the military tests and filters to select who will attend technical schools and tactical schools.
Does the military actually seek out and recruit those young Americans who would be better Recruiters ?
I had read that military recruiting was doing okay, getting more enlistees due to the recession.

Military Recruiting Numbers Climb in Weak Economy

Military recruitment up in Wash. | Local News | KING5.com | News for Seattle, Washington
Tough economic times boost military recruitment | National & World News | eastvalleytribune.com

I urge all young people to serve in the military, preferably at least 4 years Active duty. The experience does improve a young person, teaches them teamwork, valuable skills and self disicpline, it makes them mature and take on responsibility. And it should be fun, too, depending on your assignement. And you get a lot of food and exercise.

 

[Gunny]

What is the penalty of not meeting your quota? Do you just get yelled at by a douchebag?

Your career ends. You are not going to be able to reenlist or be promoted because you will have bad fitness reports. Those that can not meet quote over a period of time are "fired" as recruiters given very bad fitness reports and sent packing off to some new crappy job with all their military plans destroyed.

ouch. is that the case in all branches? coast guard and natl guard, too?

Don't meet your quota, you make your SNCOIC look bad, who in turn makes the OIC look bad who in turn makes the recruiting district look bad which in turn makes CO of the region look bad. A couple of bad fitness reports and you won't get promoted. If you aren't promoted, service limitations will preclude you from reenlisting.

Anyone going on recruiting duty during a war to get away from a war doesn't know what they're letting themselves in for.

 

[Article 15]

Why Are Army Recruiters Committing Suicide?

Guilt?

Not even. It is the pressure. Recruiting Duty can destroy careers and now a days you do not volunteer for the duty you get assigned. Even missing quote one month will result in a reprimand.

The hours are crazy, the work load unbelievable and the stress out of this world. If you are NOT a salesman type personality recruiting duty is the kiss of death for most.

RGS is right. One of my childhood friends is stationed here in MA as a Marine recruiter. He's putting in 14 hour days most of the time.

 

[ItsFairmont]

Not a problem with the Coast Guard, I imagine. They are actually picky about who gets in.


When I was going through recruitment (Navy, 1987), they were very selective. No criminal records allowed/dropouts, etc.

They wanted smart and physically fit people.

 

[del]

Not a problem with the Coast Guard, I imagine. They are actually picky about who gets in.


When I was going through recruitment (Navy, 1987), they were very selective. No criminal records allowed/dropouts, etc.

They wanted smart and physically fit people.

so what did you do instead?
j/k