They still give this right? I asked about this at a thanksgiving dinner and everyone in the room had no idea what I was talking about. I took it as maybe a sophomore in high school, i think, and they were shocked, just shocked they’d give military tests and let the recruiters on campus. I informed them it was optional, and I chose to take it. They had two gentlemen arrive and talk to me and my sister about what my score offered me, seemed pretty good actually, and what military life was like. Ultimately I chose something else but it was very low pressure and the different portions of the tests, my scores on them and what that could mean in the military I thought was worthwhile. It was just another option.
I had a very similar experience. That was in the 80s, though. I don’t recall either of our sons taking it; however, they took a lot of standardized tests in school. Not sure they’d have thought to mention one more. ;)
My ASVAB score was high enough that in high school I had every branch constantly calling and trying to recruit me. I was going to go in, but my step-father talked me out of it.
Going to high school in the 90s, taking the test was actually mandatory unless you had a religious objection.
Didn’t think about enlisting until my life flamed out in the early 00s and 9/11 hit. I was so depressed at that point I just though if I was to die, at least fighting Al-Qaeda assholes would be the way to go so I went in- saved my life and gave me a second chance.
I might be one of the few in that time period where joining the military improved my mental health.
The Navy bugged me for several weeks after my ASVAB. That ended after I mentioned my reliance of Ritalin.
This is actually a pretty good example of what’s being discussed above.
I took the ASVAB back in high school along with all my buddies. My friend who is pretty much a brain immediately got calls from all branches extolling all the cool technological positions that [insert branch] could offer him; at no point did any of the phone calls mention a traditional “grunt” role for him. My pal who was… smart, but only in non-intellectual ways… also got calls, but only from the Army and Marines, and only about being a rifleman.
I reckon big-city police forces are much like that. There are “beat cop” positions, but there are also investigative, administrative and even intelligence positions that need filling. Beating the median scores might “disqualify” you for the former, but probably not from the Force in general.
In a long career of hiring and firing folks, there have been a number of occasions where I’ve turned someone down because they were overqualified for the position. In each such case I could tell that the guy was simply “settling” for the position in order to get a paycheck. While I was sympathetic to their situation, I didn’t want to fill the slot with someone who would be out the door the second something better came along – I needed someone who’d be in it for the long haul who would enjoy their job and find it challenging. In my defense, I typically handed their resume to someone else where I thought they’d be a better fit.
I understand this, but I just refuse to believe that a position like a police office can’t be filled by someone with passion for the work. I realize that most the articles we see are those in it for the power and thrill of dominating others sprinkled with a rare angel who will lie beside a child and try and make them feel better but I would think the bulk of our police forces are average men and women with a few exceptionally smart individuals who will work their way up the ranks.
I mean maybe it’s just corny feel good pieces too that make me also believe that some of them came from bad neighborhoods and some go back to be part of a community that needs them.
I don’t think all cops are bad. I am just sick of them building the blue wall around the bad ones. If someone just ups and shoots someone in the back and then tries to cover it up later; I have a hard time believing that’s the first offense. Something needs to change when that sort of things, the cover-up, keeps happening.
This exactly. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I have known a few cops, They were smart guys. But the job I think wears on every cop. And I am sure the ones who probably shouldn’t be there are in the end the trouble makers. Sadly, the system protects its own to the detriment of others.
https://twitter.com/NBCNews/status/803692531212914688
Speaking for the first time, Michael Slager told the court that he had been living a happy life before his encounter with Walter Scott, who he pulled over for a traffic stop in North Charleston that ended with Slager killing Scott as a bystander’s camera rolled.
Video of the deadly shooting stunned the nation. Slager has been charged with murder and faces 30 years to life in prison if convicted.
“It’s been a nightmare,” Slager, 35, told the defense, getting emotional. “My family’s been destroyed by this. Scott’s family has been destroyed by this.”
Not a nightmare for Walter Scott, though, on account of, you know, being dead.
Yeah Michael Slager’s family still has Michael Slager. It’s unfortunate for the families though, in general.
This asshole deserves to be hung up by his scrotum. But alas the Constitution forbids cruel and unusual punishment so he won’t get what he deserves.
Even if (as he claims) the now-dead man took his Taser (which I don’t believe for a second), there’s no cause for pumping 5 bullets into his back when he’s 50 feet away and running away from you.
You can see in the freaking video him trying to plant the taser near the guy’s body. He’s guilty. He should get the death penalty if it’s available.
First there has to be a conviction (for murder, if we lived in a just world). Since he’s an ex-cop and he’s white and the victim was black, I wouldn’t be surprised if he ended up getting convicted for some BS like negligent homicide.
Jury needed clarification on the difference between “fear” and “passion” with regards to the “scuffle” between Scott and Slager.
This. 100% This.
Re: my comments above on the Slager trial–I forgot to mention a mistrial as now seems inevitable.
Christ what a country we live in.
Things are messed up if you can murder someone on camera while they are running away from you, and still not even go to jail.
All it takes is one guy in twelve that’s racist enough.
So much this. Just one person who thinks non-whites aren’t entitled to human rights.
And thanks to Trump and his supporters, those of us who knew there were a lot of them still out there, still trying to spew their disgusting views subtly and of course continue it generation after generation… now the rest of the world knows they’re there too.