Thread by @STEMthebleeding, So I've seen the report about supremacists in the military.And I've seen [...]

So I've seen the report about supremacists in the military.

And I've seen a lot of speculation about how to remove it, but very little on how to prevent it.

I think this is because most people don't understand the process for recruiting (aside from hanging up their phone)

So over the next several tweets, I'm going to use my knowledge as both a canvassing recruiter and a RSS NCOIC to document EXACTLY what mechanisms are in place for recruiters to screen applicants from the first time you contact them to the moment they leave for boot camp.

This way we as a group can identify the weakpoints and figure out effective ways of plugging the holes. First, we have to clear up some myths.

1) No recruiters do not get paid per contract. Recruiters get a special duty pay for every month they're on recruiting duty, but it is a flat pay. We also have a government credit card for full and auto expenses like wiper blades and tires.

2) Yes, we do have "quotas" but they don't work how you think. Our "recruiter ranking" is based off the percentage of kids we send to boot camp who graduate. The better qualified kids you recruit who can graduate - the less contracts you have to write per month.

3) Yes, unfortunately some recruiters treat recruiting duty like a 3 year party and end up ruining their careers and the lives of the people that they interact with. This is an unfortunate reality that is complicated by the reticence of commands to deny recruiting packages.

4) No, not all recruiters are honest, but they don't get rewarded for it either. Recruiters who lie to their applicants (to get them to join the DEP) often find themselves hammered because that applicant withdraws (yes you can leave the DEP) and they need two to make up for it

Now let's discuss the actual contracting process using Johnny and the most direct path - a PPC card because he said he was interested in joining. Johnny is 18 years old, male, and a high school graduate.

So Monday morning, you show up. Your cards are handed out for the day, including the school you're supposed to visit, the telephone card for the school you're visiting tomorrow, and any lead cards that you were assigned. Johnny's PPC is in that stack.

First thing you do is call Johnny. He answers.

"Hi Johnny this is Sgt S from the US … I understand you want to be a … , is that right? "

Great, well before we arrange to meet, let me ask you a few questions and confirm the info that you give me. "

Now screening starts.

(For sake of argument, I'm going to skip asking any of the medical or drug questions, but they would be asked at this time)

"Okay, Johnny - what about police involvement? Have you ever gotten in trouble with the cops? Parking ticket, speeding ticket, anything like that? "

"No, okay good. Have you ever spent time in a police car, or been in front of a judge for any reason? "

This is the first of several steps in screening, and it's based completely on their own integrity.

So Johnny answers "no" to all of your questions, and you arrange an appointment to talk with him about the military and what it can do for him at which point you check his social media.

Johnny likes what you have to say, and agrees that it's the right thing for him.

Okay Johnny, well now we need to do is fill out some forms so we can get your spot at MEPS confirmed.

-NAVMC 686 "Request for examination"
- DD1966 "Application for enlistment"
- 2807-2 "Physical Screening Questionnaire"
- DD369 "Police Record Check"
- Records Release

On top of that, I'm going to need your original high school diploma or official transcript, your birth certificate, and your social security card.

We're also going to need to start working on your EPSQ.

Now if you're prior military, that last one might catch you off guard, because only people getting clearances used to have to fill out SF86s (security background information) Now it's every applicant, in part to prevent extremists from infiltrating the military. Started in '04.

Okay, so this is where Johnny goes home and the recruiter's homework begins. We take that DD369 and signed release of information form, and go to both our local PD and the one where Johnny lives at now. Plus we fax them off to any PDs where Johnny lived in the past.

What the police departments do is take that form, and then run Johnny's name through their database and if he has any actions at all, closed, suspended, nolo, or even expunged - they give us the records. Sorry, but the federal government can access expunged records of minors.

Now normally if this turns up anything, it's usually a parking or speeding ticket that they got, immediately paid, and promptly forgot. No biggie, you'd have to have 5 or more in 3 years to even require a waiver.

The next thing that happens is we get Johnny's EPSQ. Now if you've never filled one of these out, consider yourself lucky. But they're the closest thing to a proctology exam via paper you can get to, especially for a PRP or Yankee Hotel level. I'll run through the highlights.

- Personal information: The usual
- Have you used any other names? Why?
- Contact information
- Passport information
- Citizenship information
- Dual Passport information
- Residence information for the last 10 years
- contact info for someone who knew you at that address

- School info for last 10 years
- Employer info for last 10 years including why you quit your job, were you reprimanded, and why?
- Selective Service/military service
- list of 3 people who know you well including their contact information and how you know them
- Marriage

- Relative information (mother, father, stepmother, stepfather, child, stepchild, brother, sister, step/half brother, step/half sister)
- All of their contact information (this gets awkward sometimes)
- Foreign Contacts
- Foreign investments and Businesses
- Foreign Travel

- Psychological or emotional health (have you ever been declared mentally unstable or incompetent by the state?)
- Have you ever been ordered to see a therapist by a court and why (note: not disqualifying, but they need to know)

- Police record (over 7 years)
If so, then list every detail about it , including whether it resulted in parole or probation

- Is there a DV protective order against you?
- Illegal drug/alcohol use (I'm guessing this gets interesting for states with legal THC )
- previous clearances
- Finances (Uh oh Jason Kushner!)
- use of IT systems (hacking)
- non criminal court actions (sued?)
- Associations

"Have you ever knowingly engaged in any acts of terrorism?" (as opposed to accidentally?)
There are a lot of Trump supporters that are going to have problems with this next one:

And this one

This one too.

Welp...

And that completes the SF86. These are the things the Federal government will investigate you for to determine whether or not you're eligible for the military. So Johnny finishes telling the recruiter the info, it's typed in, his signature page is printed off, he goes to MEPS.

So fast forward, Johnny goes to MEPS. His upper and lower body is checked, his vision, hearing and sight are checked as well. He's also given a VERY routine psych exam and a drug exam. (PULHESX) He passes the MEPS liason screening and gets into the DEP. He leaves in 7-8 months.

He also got an ASVAB score of 65, which makes him a Tier 1 Alpha candidate which makes you and your NCOIC happy. One other thing he did while he was there: he gave his fingerprints. Now the NACLC begins (National Agency Check Local Agency & Credit Check)

While Johnny is getting ready to leave (DEP training) and you're on your phones looking for more Johnny's to join - OPM has received Johnny's prints and his clearance. First thing they'll do is run his SSN through the national agencies. (FBI usually) and verify his info.

If anything comes back, then it's compared against his EPSQ. Did he lie? Just forget? It matters what it was. I've had kids get flagged for stealing a candy bar when they were 10. I got mine flagged for getting suspended in the 7th grade for a fight. They look at EVERYTHING.

In those cases, the RS NCOIC gets a call, and they're instructed to have the applicant come in to meet the NACLC liason (usually a local FBI agent) to be interviewed over it, and sign a statement explaining it. If its' minor, no big deal. Nothing happens and they move forward.

However, sometimes BIG things get caught too. I had a kid go from joining the Marine Corps to being in custody on a murder warrant because he fled from TX and didn't tell anyone (dumbass). But as long as the rudimentary check clears, off they go to boot camp.

So what are the weak points here?

- If the kid never got in trouble for it, there is absolutely NO way for a recruiter to find it or the military to keep it out

This is the biggest hole in the system. It's based off of "trust but verify" and there's simply nothing to verify.

If a kid only opts for jobs without clearances, then much of his information won't ever be run down by an actual human beyond running it through the database.

When you have a TS clearance or higher - they'll call EVERYONE.

(They called my 1st grade teacher.)

otherwise , if the computer doesn't spit out any flags, then it must be okay.

This can be solved by increasing manpower in the departments responsible for screening clearances, but it's a tough ask when people want to cut defense spending. It's not cheap to do this work.

So as long as Johnny doesn't get cited for any acts of terrorism, hate crimes, or other things like that - there is no concrete tool in a recruiter's arsenal to know whether or not he's a supremacist.

But there's a lot we do to TRY to keep them out too, including tattoo checks.

I forgot to mention that part: we take pictures of every tattoo in the non boyfriend/girlfriend zones (shorts and t-shirt visible) and send them to the local PD gang unit to see if they match any gangs in the region. If they're in foreign languages, we have them deciphered.

Alright, that was a lot longer than I thought it would be, but I think it's good information to have out there.

Disclaimer

I recruited for the Marine Corps, about 10 years ago. So the EXACT process may have changed slightly, but that's the general way things go

So that's the process from beginning to end.

What weakpoints do you see?

How would you recommend they be addressed?

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