U. S. Army Recruiting Station, Mount Vernon, IL

I was on leave for about 40-some days because of my Dad's death. I reported to the St. Louis Recruiting Battalion's headquarters building located in downtown St. Louis, Missouri. I had just walked in the front door when I heard someone call my name. I looked up and saw one of my old Battalion Commanders from Fort Benning, Georgia. Colonel Sharpe had just been promoted to full colonel and was getting ready to leave the battalion. I saw him just that one day as I left for Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana that same afternoon.

I had been watching the promotion cut-off scores for recruiters and every fourth month the cut-off scores for a recruiter dropped to 550 points. I just knew that I could get promoted to Staff Sergeant (SSG E-6) as a recruiter. However, the month after I received my new assignment the recruiting command was flooded with new drafted recruiters and the cut-off score jumped to over 900 points. I didn't get promoted, but I did enjoy meeting the people in and around Mount Vernon, Illinois. They were some really nice people, and I hope to get back there someday.

I not only wanted to be a recruiter because I felt that I could do a very good job, but also because I could and would be honest with the people I talked to about joining the Army. And that is what I did. I never lied to anyone that I talked to about the Army. When I was getting ready to leave recruiting, my Captain told me that I was too honest to be a recruiter. Thanks, Captain!!!

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