Cx1DJs We Do Things Different Podcast "Interview with US Army Staff Sergeant Conn" hosted by DJButterrock

Cx1DJs We Do Things Different Podcast "Interview with US Army Staff Sergeant Conn" hosted by DJButterrock

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

We got a special guest tonight. Man, U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Khan. Hey, Khan, man. We want to thank you to the CX1 DJs. We do things in different podcasts. Real quickly, I want to thank you for your service. I want to do that right now. And I want to I want to tell everybody who are you and who are you?

SPEAKER_02 0:22

Who is Staff Sergeant Khan? Um, all right. So let's let's talk about. I've been in the Army for eight years, trying to get that 20-year plus, trying to retire. Um, got a wife, I got a beautiful daughter, you know.

SPEAKER_00 0:41

Okay. My daughter believed that's awesome. Yeah. But so Khan, all right. You and you and Army, you've been here eight years. Now we would everybody want to know, because this is our first time interviewing a US. We love everything you guys do. Uh, you would you know I'm gonna I'm gonna big up a shout out to your your your your um your your your unit for allowing you to be on here today because the it it takes support and they trusted the CX1 DJs and they trusted me to make sure this go the way it needed to go. So, what made you want to join the Army?

SPEAKER_02 1:19

All right. So I had two older brothers. Um, they both served. Uh my oldest brother was in the Marine Corps, you know, the Marine Corps, once a Marine, always a Marine. My middle brother, he was in the Army as well, but they only did one contract and everything. So, you know, growing up in Maryland, um, you know, going through that high school phase, you know, just didn't know what you're gonna do. It was something I always want to do, but I didn't join until I was 23. I started the process when I was 23 and left when I was 24 years old. Two days after I turned 24. So um, but I went through life, I didn't have a bad, you know, lifestyle. Like I was working hard, you know, and I just went through that phase where I just wanted to hit the reset button and start over. And so I joined the United States Army. Um and uh, you know, it was something that I always wanted to do, and I just wanted to get out of Maryland and see the world and just have more purpose in life.

unknown 2:43

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 2:43

So okay. All right, so living in Maryland, um, let's let's this we're gonna step back a little bit. Before you joined the army, living in Maryland, um, how was that how was that upbringing? How how how was that?

SPEAKER_02 3:00

How was it yes? Like how was living in Maryland?

SPEAKER_00 3:03

Yes, the DMB area.

SPEAKER_02 3:05

Yeah, Maryland was great, you know, you know, I had great friends, great, I had I was living in a great community and everything. And you know, I was just going through that life. And like college was never for me, and I didn't just didn't know what I was gonna do after high school. Um and I had to work my way and get a decent job. And then eventually, you know, I worked at two McDonald's before I had a decent job, and then I was working at this company called Pridchard Brown, and I was doing assembly lines, I was making commercial um industrial generators, I was working on them and building enclosures and everything. I did that for what probably five years, and eventually I worked my way into that company, and I had got an internship to do an apprenticeship program and become an electrician. Okay, and you know, I had great working family at that place, you know, I was a hard worker, and then just one day I was like, I wanted to get out of Maryland, and so I was like, talk to a recruiter.

SPEAKER_00 4:27

Oh shit. Oh, so so prior to get out of Maryland, you what made you want to get in the U.S. Army though? I mean, you always wanted to serve the country?

SPEAKER_02 4:38

Um, I always did. I always wanted to do something to make a difference. I wanted to, and having that military background, having my two older brothers join, I was like, I didn't want to do the Marine Corps, like no offense to the Marines, but but I knew it was the army. Um, and so I took the initiative and went there and talked to a recruiter.

SPEAKER_00 5:04

That's good. Now you've been at eight years, so we're gonna so the first when you joined, you aced the test because you're here. And um how was the first four years of your tour?

SPEAKER_02 5:17

Uh my first contract? Yes. So um so let's let's start back. Um yeah, you know, I took the ASV, you know, I barely, you know, I got the score that I needed, and I chose infantry. Um, I chose infantry because my oldest brother, you know, obviously he was a Marine, and so he did two tours of Afghanistan. Um I truly I wanted to deploy and serve my country and be front lines and everything. But within those four years, I never deployed. I did a rotation. I did a rotation to South Korea, and that was pretty fun. I got to live in that, and that was that was the first time out of the country that I'd been.

SPEAKER_00 6:04

Okay, but for those that don't know, Khan, what is infantry? What is that? I hope yeah, what is that? Explain that to everybody that don't know what that is.

SPEAKER_02 6:12

It's it's pretty much front lines, you know. You got two different types of infantrymen. You got 11 Bravos, or the grunts, you know, kicking down doors and everything. You got 11 Charlies, indirect fire infantrymen. You know, we have a mortar system and we hang rounds and blow some things up.

SPEAKER_00 6:34

There you go.

SPEAKER_02 6:35

So yeah.

SPEAKER_00 6:37

So you you never had to do that since you've been in in and sorry, like blowing anything blowing blowing things up.

SPEAKER_02 6:44

Well, you got that training, you get the training and everything, and every now and then you had to go in the field and get recertified, but other than that, no.

SPEAKER_00 6:52

Okay. All right. All right, so the the the so you explained the four years. What when you re re-sign a the new contract, what year was that and and you hear eight years. So how how did that go?

SPEAKER_02 7:05

So I was in what was it? I moved in 2021, and um, where was it? I re-enlisted. So I re-signed up a new contract, and I told my retention non-commissioned officer, I was like, hey, I want to stay in, but I want to do airborne. I want to jump out of planes, a perfectly good plane. Okay, and so I did that, um, got the training and everything, and then I got my orders to go to Fort Bragg, and I was stationed there for four years.

SPEAKER_00 7:44

Okay, so each contract is four years, right?

SPEAKER_02 7:47

No, it just depends on the job, the no, not the job, just whenever. So, like when I initially signed my contract, it was three years, 17 weeks.

SPEAKER_00 7:58

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 7:59

So, and then when I signed my second contract, because I re-enlisted, I did a five-year contract. Gotcha. So I chose, I chose the airborne school, and then I chose the five-year contract. Gotcha. It just depends on the person.

SPEAKER_00 8:17

So altogether, four years and five years. So you you've been in eight years, right? Mm-hmm. So you still you still and the the the new position. How long you've been um staff sergeant?

SPEAKER_02 8:30

So I've been a staff sergeant for almost a year. So um, I picked up staff sergeant when I graduated the arc army retention course.

SPEAKER_00 8:41

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 8:42

Um, that's when I became a recruiter, and you know, big army was like, hey, you're gonna be a recruiter now. I was like, All right, let's go.

SPEAKER_00 8:51

That's something you wanted to do, or the the the was that that they offer you that position, you took it, uh how did that how did that?

SPEAKER_02 8:59

So I just I was at work one day and I checked my military email, and then they're like, I got like a course selection, and I was like, hmm, what's this for? So I read the email and everything, and it's like you're going to become a recruiter. I was like, Okay, cool. So so I just checked my email and I just came down with orders and everything. Okay, so I'm emailing the control. Okay, now you're good.

SPEAKER_00 9:25

Um, so when you got the email to be a crew, because we we when we break things down over here, whatever you ain't want to take that job.

SPEAKER_02 9:33

Uh it's either you take it or you get out of the army.

SPEAKER_00 9:39

You better take it.

SPEAKER_02 9:41

Yeah. Um, so and I wanted to be in, you know. Gotcha. And um, I was kind of like mad at first, because you know, you know, when you hear recruiter, you gotta talk to people and everything, and then you're on, you know, you're talking to people and trying to get them to join the army, but it's like based on numbers as well, too. So I was kind of mad about it at first, but after going through the course of trying to be a recruiter and getting to my first station for recruiting, it's been amazing. I love it.

SPEAKER_00 10:17

Beautiful, brother. And you do a good job, man. I was I was blessed to meet you at one of my locations. We have a store, and actually, he the army is actually in the same location. We in a mall, and they upstairs, I'm downstairs, and I was blessed to meet a lot of these soldiers, man. So we uh we got you here. So let's break down the recruiting day. Because a lot of people, a lot of people get it mixed up, how this worked to get in the army, and and so break it down what you guys looking for and what you're not looking for, and how to how to be a part of the U.S. Army.

SPEAKER_02 10:51

Well, so usually we're just trying to talk to people, see if they're interested, or find a way how they can use the army to better their life and get to where their future goals are. Um and then you good. Nah, not bad.

SPEAKER_00 11:10

Yeah, you you we'll let you fix that. So we have we got U.S. Army staff sergeant con and um he's he's letting everybody know, you're trying to be a part of this. He's a recruiter, and he can recruit in all every state, right? I'm saying that right.

SPEAKER_02 11:26

So I can recruit out anywhere I want to. But here's the thing when it comes to when young adults, when, and I mean like kids meeting in high school, they have to go to the local recruiting station that's assigned to them. So it's a little bit different. So once they're 18, once they graduate high school, I can talk to them if they're in a different state. But be prior to that, they had to talk to their local recruiting station because they're there.

SPEAKER_00 11:54

And that's only people under 18, right? Correct. Okay, anybody 18 and up, you could talk, you can pretty much get them in.

SPEAKER_01 12:01

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_00 12:02

All right. Well, now now I've been watching I'm gonna tell you I did my research before we did this. So you know, DJ Butter Rock. I'm a journalist slash DJ slash DJ Purden company. So I do my research. So now the army is taking. Now you you are a recruiter, so you should know this. If you have a weed charge, you get you get enlisted now. That's what I looked up. Is that true? If you have a uh a class A misdemeanor with the weed.

SPEAKER_02 12:28

Hey. I haven't read into that, so not yet. Oh, thank god. Not yet. I gotta read into that and everything.

SPEAKER_00 12:35

But yeah, I looked into it. They say they I don't know if that's something they just started now, but uh what I saw that that they um if you have like a little small weed charge, they did nothing that nothing too crazy.

SPEAKER_02 12:47

Yeah. I don't know. But you gotta have to look into it. I have never I didn't read that article just yet, so I had to take a look into that.

SPEAKER_00 12:54

So gotcha. So so on on the straight narrow part, no, no open charges, no felonies, no misdemeanors, no nothing.

SPEAKER_02 13:04

Yeah, so when it comes to law violations, you know, if it's open or their own probation, yeah, we can there's nothing that we can really do about it. But if it's closed, and depending on what it is, it gets a little bit tricky. So, and how many cases they have, like charges they have, so it depends. Um nowadays it's more in-depth than it was years ago. Years ago, you could just be quiet about it and be able to join, probably. But nowadays it's very thorough, including the medical process, the medical screening. Um, yeah, it's it's a lot.

SPEAKER_00 13:47

So you so you pretty much gotta be healthy.

SPEAKER_02 13:49

Well, pretty much. Yeah, you want to, but yeah, a case by case scenario.

SPEAKER_00 13:57

Let me ask another question because I'm um I got my iPad here and I gotta ask all the questions. I got people ask me questions to ask, you're not gonna answer it. And the ones I don't think is appropriate, I won't answer you. So I got my homegirl Jill. She she wanna know how many people you recruited that decided they want to do that.

SPEAKER_02 14:20

So I've put in since what's it, since I've been here and I've been recruiting since June of last year. Um I put seven people in. So um mainly those ages were 21 and above.

SPEAKER_00 14:41

So all right, so is that so the army they look at how many, so how many as a recruiter, if anybody featuring them be looking at to be a recruiter, this interview is for you. So it really is. So do the do they give you a certain amount of stacks you gotta you gotta you gotta full, like you gotta have a certain amount recruited for the year? How how did this work?

SPEAKER_02 15:06

So when someone you have an overall mission, each mission, like each station has its own mission to put in, okay? Um, but like us recruiters, our idea is to put at least one person in a month.

SPEAKER_00 15:24

Gotcha.

SPEAKER_02 15:25

Usually. But um it just depends on the station, really, and how many recruiters they have. But that's uh more of like a bigger leadership question, if that makes sense.

SPEAKER_00 15:40

Oh, that makes a lot of sense. You could we can move from move from there. All right, so what this with me and you talked about behind the scenes. I I definitely gotta say this now. So those that want to join the army, because I know a lot of people that want to join, even the times we are now, they gotta really pick in this this question. I gotta have you ask. They really gotta know what job they want to do and pick the right job, right? Because once you in it, that contract, you in that contract. Is that correct?

SPEAKER_02 16:12

Yes. So once they, you know, they do the ASVAB, which is the Armed Service Vocational Aptitude Battery, that's like the test to get in, all right? For the army, you have to have a 31 overall score. The average American scores a 31. But don't think of like a pass-of-fail kind of thing. Think of it the higher your score, the more jobs you qualify for. But then with the army, they have their line scores, and then certain jobs in the army might have a certain line score that they have to score to be able to qualify for that job. Um, but after that, once they take the test and everything, we go in our system and we see what the jobs are available because it's a live system. So you're not talking about just us in Athens, Georgia, the only ones looking in these jobs. It's everyone in the United States and overseas as well. So you're thinking like these jobs are constantly changing. So every minute of every day, like it's it's changing. So one job might be available like right now, and then maybe later in this afternoon, that job might not be available. So when it comes to picking jobs, the person whoever's joining will know everything in their contract, like how long basic training is, where it's at, how long AIT is, um, your advanced individual training, and where it's at. Now, whatever job you choose in the army, that's the job that you're gonna be doing. Now, everyone has to do basic training because it's basic training. You need to know the basics. But then once you go to your advanced individual training, you learn your specific job, that's what you're gonna be doing once you've once you finish.

unknown 18:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 18:11

And then you get to your first duty station. But as far as contracts, um before going down the MEPS, they will know everything in their contract, meaning military entrance processing station. That's where they go to do the physical, they might do the armed service vocational aptitude battery test, or that's where they go swear in to the depth, which is a delayed entry program, and that's when they become a feature soldier. Um, but and then they might know as well as like if they're getting a bonus, whatnot, and other incentives with their contract.

SPEAKER_00 18:54

Beautiful. So joining, joining uh uh the US Army. So do it. I guess they gotta look at the promotions or whatever. So being you're a recruiter, you so each job do they do they're not, or do they do have a promotion, like a sign-on bonus? Like, you know, some crazy things I used to see on the new on the TV. Um sign up for$5,000. Is that true? Because I got you on here. You got you can tell me.

SPEAKER_02 19:20

So, yes, some jobs do come for a bonus. Like, it's just what's it depends, like, at that time. And it also depends on what you score on the you know, the ASVAB. So you might get a bonus, you might not. But like, if you're joining the United States Army, you don't want to pick that job for the signing bonus. That's like it's just an incentive, you know.

SPEAKER_00 19:47

I ain't gonna lie, Greg. I used to see them commercials. I said, man, I need some money. I'm gonna sign up. But I failed the test. I ain't gonna lie, that's a true story. All right, so um that's a true story. Um, yeah, all right, so we we got to that part. So what if they pick a job and then like you just said, it ain't available, but they already in. They are they're they're you get they already in. They signed a contract, they there, but the job is no longer for them no more. Did that ever happen?

SPEAKER_02 20:19

Uh so what you're saying is like they're looking for a certain job, like let's let's go for um let's go for a typical easy job, um, truck driver, which is 88 Mike. What you're saying is if that job's not available, what do they do? Is that what you're asking?

SPEAKER_00 20:36

Yeah, yes, sir.

SPEAKER_02 20:38

So we don't tell people when I'm when I'm talking to someone that wants to join the United States Army, I don't tell them to be dead set on one job, have a variety of jobs, you know, because it really depends on what's available at that time. And, you know, you might like that job, but then if that job's not there, you might be waiting for a while. So I tell people be open, have more, have at least three jobs in mind, if that makes sense.

SPEAKER_00 21:13

Makes sense, make a lot of sense. All right, no, no, no, we here are an hour, so I got a whole bunch of questions to ask. And I'm also gonna want you to open up and I want you to to join and like jump in while I'm thinking what I'm you know, I got what I'm asking, but some of these questions I'm not asking. That is I'm gonna ask you this because I got a lot of questions that for me talking to my you, you, your people, my people. I a lot of these questions I'm not gonna ask you because it gets crazy. Um, but I'm gonna ask you this. What make people once they do the first you gotta answer this question? Once they do the first tour, what make them want to do another tour when all the things is going on the world? What would you recruiting them? What I guess it's their own experience, they gotta see it, but what make a person like yourself? Because this is Your this is your second tour?

SPEAKER_02 22:01

The second so you mean my second contract? Second contract, yes. No, so what you're asking is I'm actually in my third contract.

SPEAKER_00 22:09

Okay, third contract.

SPEAKER_02 22:10

Yeah.

unknown 22:11

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 22:11

So um so we'll make a person keep want to sign up. That's what I'm saying. Please tell me you understand what I just said.

SPEAKER_02 22:19

Yeah, I know what you're saying. What made me, you know.

SPEAKER_00 22:23

Because you still here. And what uh I know the money is good, but you know, you married, you got a beautiful kid, you got a wife, and so so I know the wife, I could tell she stands behind you, but you've been you've been overseas how many times how how long you been away from home? Because you you hear a station, but how long you been away from the wife and kids? What's what's what's the longest?

SPEAKER_02 22:44

What's the longest? Well, so like you gotta think. When I met my wife, I met my wife after I got back from South Korea, and that was right before COVID popped off. So and then I was stationed in Texas, which was Fort Hood. Um, and when we met, we met through a um, what was it? We were doing like a community service thing, and then we hit it off, and then um we started talking, and then we started dating. But and then that's when I got my orders to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and then we were like, we didn't know how this was going to go. She still stayed in Texas. I went to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and we kind of did the whole long-distance relationship for two and a half years before she even moved to Fort Bragg. So, um, but the longest that I've been away from her I would say a month, month and a half. Because I had to do some annual training.

SPEAKER_00 23:54

You you you've been blessed, because I know I know some soldiers to be gone years.

SPEAKER_02 23:59

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 23:59

You've been blessed, my brother. So we we definitely we definitely gotta thank God for that. So you you so the month a month and a half ain't too much of a test on a relationship. So I can't even ask you that question.

SPEAKER_02 24:11

But it's all about communication and everything. It is, and you know, me and my wife, when we were doing the whole long-distance relationship, it got tough. But you know, we we worked through it and we love each other, and we made it work, but you know, going through being away from people that you love and care about, you know, it I'm gonna be honest, it sucks, but you know, that's the sacrifices that we make, and everything that we get through the army, it is worth it in so many ways. And that's why I stayed with it. Like, what is it? Now, since I'm in my eight years, my wife is using my GI Bill so she can get her master's degree in um to become a social worker.

SPEAKER_00 25:05

So that's great. That's great. Um let let's I'm glad you hit that because that was the next question.

SPEAKER_02 25:10

So let's Okay, what's the next question?

SPEAKER_00 25:11

All right, no, no, no, I like that. Finish that. Well, we go to it. Go.

SPEAKER_02 25:16

How do you transfer transfer your benefits, like my GI bill, to like your dependent, meaning like your your wife, um, your significant other, or maybe even your children, you have to at least do six years. But here's the kick, here's the kicker. Once you do six years at a minimum, you have to do an additional four. So that's the thing. That's where the the army gets you. And but what? Once my wife gets her master's degree, she'll be making six figures, and then my daughter gets older. Well, my daughter's like what nine and a half years old. And um, you know, once she turns 18 and it's time for her to go to college, you know, we'll be able to pay for college, like so.

SPEAKER_00 26:02

That's awesome. So the the army don't pay for that. Yeah, y'all get like certain bills that like certain certain things to pay for that stuff, right? The government for your kid to go to college, right?

SPEAKER_02 26:12

Well, so like my what once my wife used my GI bill, that's it. That's it.

unknown 26:17

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_02 26:18

Yeah. But I, if I wanted to go to college, I have my TA, which is my tuition assistants, and the army gives me what$4,500 every year to go do online classes and everything. And actually, that's actually something that I'm working on trying to do here soon, is get enrolled in college and try to get a degree. Beautiful.

SPEAKER_00 26:37

All right, so so moving on. Next the question I was gonna ask you. So the benefits, I want you to explain to everybody that's wanting to a future soldier all the benefits the army got. I don't know, I know you, I don't know if you know each job, every every job have I guess it's the same benefits being you in a U.S. Army, right? Everybody get the same benefits? I know.

SPEAKER_02 26:57

Well, so okay, when it comes to jobs, when I talk to someone, I want let me push this out for you now. I don't tell people to choose infantry or a combat job, and and this is the reason. Unless if you're dead set and you're one of those type of people that were like, hey, I want to serve my country, I am dead set. That's cool. Hey, but if you do your contract, I want you to get something out of the army because you might not like the army, you might do one contract and you're like, man, this was nice, but I don't think it's for me. And the army, it's not for everyone, and they use the benefit just to get their it, they use the army as a stepping stool. So each job, like, you got 68 whiskey, which is a combat medic, or you got your 88 mic, which is a truck driver. Um, you get certifications. So if you're gonna choose a job, like I try to tell people, hey, get something out of the army. So that's one of the things. Like, depending on what job you choose, you might get some good certifications and that can you can use in the civilian life. Um yeah, it did.

SPEAKER_00 28:12

So which which one do you think that would it would it would do better in a civilian life, like being like cop or you know, you know what?

SPEAKER_02 28:20

It really just depends on the person.

SPEAKER_00 28:22

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 28:23

Like you when you're talking to someone, you know, there's a lot of people they like to do medical, and medical is great, but in order to qualify for that job, it's just gotta do really well in the the ASVAB. So it just really depends on the person who you're talking to. Um, some people would kind of know what jobs they already want to do, and they're like, hey, I want this. We're like, all right, cool. But then you talk to other people and they're like, uh, they don't know. They just want to join and kind of like take it one step at a time.

SPEAKER_00 28:54

Yeah, okay. All right, so real quickly, being you've been there eight years, you've been you you've been in the army eight years, let everybody know what's the best thing you saw and you witnessed being in the army now. The best thing that you get.

SPEAKER_02 29:11

What's the best thing? Yeah, it's it's everything. And I I'm gonna tell you this, and you're gonna be like, what do you mean by everything? When I joined the army, looking back from when I was like 18 years old to where I am now, I've learned so much about myself. I am much more confident, much more I have more purpose, more drive. I found me in the army. And like I'm an infantry guy, so man, going in the field, training with my brothers, um, not just my brothers, because infantry, you got um males and females now, so my brothers, my sisters, um going through that whole experience has been amazing, and especially I met my wife during my army career, and but yeah. Hey, hey, hey, you mean? Also, too, like I got to travel, I got to live in South Korea, and living in South Korea, that was uh that was an interesting experience.

SPEAKER_00 30:31

But tell us, tell us about that. When you got to you got to South Korea, what I know it was definitely culture changes. Let us know. But people that I never been, so people never been there. How was it there?

SPEAKER_02 30:45

So in South Korea, we were doing I was doing rotation, so it was eight months long. Um and we were there because you know, it's like the army, like they have like each unit like takes over each time. So some people are like stationed there permanently, and then there's other units that just do rotation, so it's like going off like rotation for each base and everything. Does that make sense?

SPEAKER_00 31:16

Yeah, it makes sense.

SPEAKER_02 31:17

So okay.

SPEAKER_00 31:18

Rotation mean the other the other staff they go home to see their family. I'm am I saying it right? And you come in to believe them, then they come back, and another unit comes. Is that yeah?

SPEAKER_02 31:28

So one unit will go in there, they will be doing training for eight months, and then once it's almost time to leave, that unit will leave, and then another unit will come take over, and then it's just now who's on the next cycle on the rotation, I have no idea. But living in South Korea, what'd you guys think? I was in Camp Casey and I was 25 miles from the border of North and South Korea.

SPEAKER_00 31:55

Sound that sounds dangerous.

SPEAKER_02 31:57

Nah, it wasn't that bad. It wasn't that bad. Okay, but like it was just a neat experience, and you have different bases in South Korea. I will say that. Um Luckily, I was just one of those people 25 miles from the border, but um, it was amazing. I got to travel. Um, so when we weren't like sometimes you might have a weekend pass, and me and my buddies would just go travel, and one of the popular places was like Seoul and everything, and but yeah, it was fun. So you so so what year was this? So that was now you point me on the spot. I would say I left Texas in 2019 of the summer, and then I got back 2020, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 32:52

Okay, right before COVID.

SPEAKER_02 32:54

Yeah, right before COVID. So it was in like February time frame of 2020. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 32:59

So that that time, you know, it was no tension nowhere. So you guys it was it was straight love. You had no problem with the the locals and no, no, no, like that was I even got to train with the uh Korean army.

SPEAKER_02 33:17

Like there was uh two times that we went out on the field and we got to train with the the Korean army, and it was it was fun.

SPEAKER_00 33:25

That's sound that sound all that sounds beautiful. So did you learn different languages? I know you had to, right? Living over there, uh you had interpreter with you? How that works.

SPEAKER_02 33:36

Uh good thing we had technology, so I kind of just used like our cell phones, and we just use a Google translator.

SPEAKER_00 33:42

That's what I use for real.

SPEAKER_02 33:45

Or um, so each you like each platoon had like a katusa. So a katusa was a person that was in the Korean army and he would work and train with that platoon. So each so we kind of like used him, we kind of used him as our translator.

SPEAKER_00 34:04

Yeah, I'm about to say I uh I was watching CNN, they had a translator with them everywhere they went, they had a translator. Like, what the hell are they talking about? It sounded like you had a good time over there. So that's the only one the only that's the only place you went out overseas?

SPEAKER_02 34:19

That's the only career was that no, I did an activation back in 2021 for the activation of Kabul, where we helped get the Afghans out of Afghanistan. I was there, and that was like a week long, and then the rest of the time I've been.

SPEAKER_00 34:41

What what what'd you do again?

SPEAKER_02 34:43

So back in 2021, um they wanted the 82nd Airborne Division to come help the Afghans get out of Afghanistan, and that's what we did. So I'm gonna remember that whole um there's a documentary on that and everything. So I was part of that medication. And I was there for a week.

SPEAKER_00 35:02

That wasn't dangerous.

SPEAKER_02 35:04

Uh it was dangerous.

SPEAKER_00 35:08

Um I get shot. Oh, you can't you can't spell him, you can't talk about that. I tried it. I tried it. Somebody said, Ask when they might get shot. I tried. Can't talk about that.

SPEAKER_02 35:17

No, we we uh did what we had to do, okay, and you know, we were in and out, and then I was there for a week, and then the rest of the time I was in Kuwait just waiting to come back home, and that took like a month and a half. Wow.

SPEAKER_00 35:32

So we I'm I'm I'm hey, I'm thanking God that you you that I met you and you get you got back to the states safe because you was you was you was in the mix of things. I I'm familiar with that with what you just said. I'm familiar with that. All right, so you you you know, let me see. Well, a question where I can ask without we can't, you know see, did you do because I can't ask that question. Can't ask that one. Yeah, so um recruiting, let's go back to that because we're here. Okay, and I'll be I'm gonna be bouncing back and forth, and calling you've got to be with me because I'm gonna go back to some other stuff. You answer it right now.

SPEAKER_02 36:05

No, you you're good. You're good. I'm I'm actually getting a little bit more comfortable with this now. You're good.

SPEAKER_00 36:11

Because I know it's some stuff you cannot answer. I'm gonna try it, but I know you, I know you I I won't be a good journalist if I ain't I ain't try it.

SPEAKER_02 36:18

All right, so you're good, you're good people, man. DJ Butter Rock.

SPEAKER_00 36:22

Hey man, I love you, man. Hey, so recruiting. Now we're gonna get it, we're gonna we're gonna get into it. We have to uh this part. Going is going to the high schools. How hard is it to get the kids that want to do it and then the parents don't want them to do it? How do you get over that hurdle?

SPEAKER_02 36:44

All right, let's talk about the the high schools. Yeah, that is one of the things I love about recruiting, I'm telling you. That is one of the things I really enjoy. Going to the my two high schools, which is Monroe, Monroe Area High School and Washington Wilkes High School, you know, being part of those schools is amazing. Um, I love doing the the table setups and everything. Um now, as far as like talking to students, you know, it's kind of hard because you're doing it at lunchtime. And then me putting back, like me thinking about when I was in high school, the last thing you want to do is talk to a recruiter during your lunch period when you're like taking tests and everything.

SPEAKER_00 37:31

Hold on, come on. You know I love you, but I you know, I might have to pause you real quick. So who set it up for y'all to go there at lunchtime? Is your station or the school saying you guys gotta come here lunchtime?

SPEAKER_02 37:43

No, it's just something that I normally do. You know, what we try to do when we go to our schools, we try to do presentations, um, or you do those table setups at lunchtime, or maybe you try to do some table setups at probably like some sporting events. It really just depends on the the recruiter and um how well they know their schools and everything. But um, me, I haven't been able to do some presentations with my schools. Um, it's just a little bit I want to say hard, it's just you have to you gotta know the school and you gotta get in with the teachers and everything. That's really and talking to the guy downstairs.

SPEAKER_00 38:26

That's true. Yeah, yeah, but lunchtime, they used to do that. They used to do that. I'm gonna tell you something. What if you say Eugene, you know, DJ, whatever, what would you do different? Khan, you my brother, you know you're my brother. So back in New Jersey, where I'm from, they used to they used to pull, I guess it's something. I don't know. They used to do that lunchtime. And then it didn't work because people eating their lunch, they talking to girls. We in we we we in high school, all right? So lunchtime won't work. Most time people go is like more PE time. Then they trend the army there changed it and they start coming PE time because most of the people they like PE. Most of the guys like myself, I ain't like PE. So I'd rather go listen to the recruiters and all that. Yeah. So that's something that I'm just gonna throw that out there to you.

SPEAKER_02 39:12

Yeah. It really just depends on the recruiter and who's and like how well they know their schools and how like how the school is fine with with the recruiter. Like it just really depends on both parties, you know? Um, but mainly for my schools, I've just been doing table setups, um, or doing try to do local community events. Like for Monroe, what was it? Last weekend, um, we did a table setup at the car show downtown, and that was that was amazing. That was uh there was 20,000 people at that car show, and me, my uh my other recruiter, Staff Sergeant Hansen, you know, we had a great time out there.

SPEAKER_00 39:56

Um you know your camera went out, Khan. I think we lost U.S. Army staff, Sergeant Khan. CX1 DJs, we do things different podcasts. I think we lost them. And uh we're gonna don't worry. Yeah, there we go. Your internet went out. What was that?

SPEAKER_02 40:19

Wait, is it mine? Because I still have Wi-Fi and everything.

SPEAKER_00 40:23

So no, no, that was you. That was on your hand. But we back. It don't matter. We back. You here. Um CX1 DJs, we do things different podcasts. US Army Staff Sergeant Conn. We lost internet connection. It might have been on my part. You know, things happen. And I'm trying not to curse because I'll I'm like a seller. Well, then they say you curse like a seller. All right, but but I ain't cursing today. All right, back to you, Conn. So we you know what you were saying before you went out.

SPEAKER_02 40:49

Uh, we were talking about the car show and everything.

SPEAKER_00 40:51

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 40:52

You know, you know, me, I'm trying not just be in the high schools, I'm trying to be in the community as well. So I'm trying to find different ways to be part, and that way they can meet me. Um but as far as like talking to parents, you know, each parent has their own opinion, you know. They it just really depends. Some parents, you know, some parents are cool with it, you know, they're like, hey, I want my son to do this. I think, or my son or daughter, they're really active about it. They're they like like, yeah, we support that. But then you got other parents are like, I don't want my baby to leave and everything. And I get that. Like, I get that. I don't when I'm talking to high school kids and everything, and talking to their parents, you know, I give them the information, and then, you know, I'll let them make the decision.

SPEAKER_00 41:55

Exactly. You know, I'm pushing on them whenever they're ready. Yeah. Let me ask you another question because I know another cruiter of mine back in New Jersey. And actually gave him the idea and he actually used it. You never know about Job Core? Because every kid in Job Corps, you know, it, you know, they go there to get certain traits and stuff like that. But most of them kids in Job Core don't have criminal records. They just try and to do, you know, get out of the environment. You guys never thought about hooking up a job core and and and trying to recoup it from there, and you never thought about that?

SPEAKER_02 42:25

I don't know much about that. Um, I have to take a look into that. You my guy. Hey. You my guy. Hey, that's it.

SPEAKER_00 42:33

I'm though, I'm throwing a bone at you.

SPEAKER_02 42:36

Hey, I need to look into that.

SPEAKER_00 42:38

Please. Please do. Because um, being you cover the whole Georgia as long as they're 18 and up, that's something. And the the job core I'm connected to is in via Austin. Okay, Georgia, South Georgia. And they have a lot of wonderful people in there that's trying to do better. The kids, too, like like 18 and up. Like you, you gotta be 18 and up to be in there anyway. Um, some some go there just to, you know, get a trade. And most of the kids I know there don't have felonies, no misdemeanors. They straight out of high school or they didn't want to do high school, they went there to get a trade. So that's something you you know might want to do. Look into.

SPEAKER_02 43:17

I gotta look into that. I appreciate that.

SPEAKER_00 43:19

Yeah, no problem. You might have it. I'm gonna remind you again on Monday. Yeah, so so the recruiting part. Give out you know, we still got a lot more to go. Give out your information again so everybody when they watch this video, they could they they could contact you. Get all your contact information if anybody wants to join the U.S. Army.

SPEAKER_02 43:39

Okay, you know, so you got my cell phone six seven eight four eight one zero five eight four. And then you can also follow me on Instagram at SSG Con C O N N Army. And it has a picture of me and my uh my uh what's it, my dress blues and everything.

SPEAKER_00 44:00

You have an email address? This this link to you?

SPEAKER_02 44:03

Oh yeah, you got my uh email address, which is Garrett G-A-R-R-E-T dot M as in Michael dot conc-o-n dot mil at army.mil.

SPEAKER_00 44:21

You got it. And that that that's what we saved in all these videos that we're gonna be distributing. And my producers, they would, they they didn't have room to put it on there. They said we just have you shot it out. This is what they should tell you. Anyway, we we would put it up there once the video over and we'd be gone. Long as you target it, he's there for that.

SPEAKER_02 44:38

Well, and then you know, the people that live in Georgia and that's near Athens, you know, it's the Georgia Square mall. Like that closed mall.

SPEAKER_00 44:47

Hey, hey, if you in, hey, because we got stalls all over. If you're in a Georgia Square mall in Athens, Georgia, just go go come, hey, come to the Georgia Square mall. They the station is upstairs on the second floor. You can't miss it. Jones Graphics is on the first floor, I'm the first floor, they on the second floor. You can't miss it.

SPEAKER_01 45:03

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 45:04

Or you can call me DJ Butterock 44552-8731. If you're trying to join the U.S. Army staff sergeant, I will put you in contact with him. He's my he's my brother from another mother, and I will definitely if you're trying to join the U.S. Army, you can contact me and I'll put you in contact with him for real. And y'all know I ain't playing. Y'all know I I'll get you in. I get you in. Long, but you gotta you got some tests to pass. I got you gotta go through all of the qualifications.

SPEAKER_02 45:30

Hey, I can give him, I'll give them all uh the sources to help him study for the Azab and everything. Yeah, yeah. Uh, but I'll get him there.

SPEAKER_00 45:38

Now, so so now we're gonna get to that part, the test part.

SPEAKER_02 45:41

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 45:42

Because I've I ain't gonna lie, I went and tried to do the test. Uh I don't know what happened. But let everybody know that failed that test. Don't be as scourge because people fail once and think it's over. Explain that to them, sir.

SPEAKER_02 45:55

Yeah. So when you're talking to a recruiter, we have these practice tests that we put you on to see like where you might score on the ASVAB. You know, um, the armed service vocational aptitude battery. Um, depending on what you score, usually you will do better when you actually take the ASVAB. So let's just say I take a practice test um and I score maybe like a 40. Well, I'm gonna schedule that person a test to take that test. All right. Usually they will probably do four or five point, like I won't say four. I would say five to ten points higher on that normally, on case by case. But as far as people, like if you don't pass it the first time, you still got two other times. So you have a total of three times to take that ASVAB, and if not, you gotta wait six months.

SPEAKER_00 46:51

Okay, so you can take it again in six months, so it's not over.

SPEAKER_02 46:55

Yeah, it's not over. But I've seen it, I've seen it where people they get the uh overall score and they're just like they feel bad and they they just don't quit. Like, if you have a great recruiter, he will give you the resources and study material. And this is why I tell people there's two things in life that I can't do for people, okay? And this I'm gonna I'm gonna lay this out. I can't take the ASVAB for anyone. I can't. I did it twice, I ain't doing it again. But if someone needs help, I'm gonna give them all the the resources and study material they need to help them pass the ASVAP. Not even pass it, but just to do well on it. Um but here's the thing it's on that person to do their own studying. Because like I can't force them to study, it's on them. And how bad do they want to join the United States Army, you know? Um, but when I when I tell people when studying, don't study no more than one to two hours a day. Because after two hours, you just your brain, it's on overload. Like you're not gonna retain it, you know. Now, my other thing about something I can't do is when people have to lose weight, I don't care if you are overweight, I'll still help you. Okay. I'll work out with you maybe once a week, but on your own time, you gotta do you gotta watch your probably your eating and you gotta exercise, you know? So I can't force you to lose the weight, it's on that person. Does that make sense?

SPEAKER_00 48:33

Yeah, it makes a lot of sense. So let me get this straight. So they passed the test, but they overweight. And they got so they gotta lose that weight, basically.

SPEAKER_02 48:43

So that is a little bit different, okay? You know, the army has its height and weight standards, okay? So let's just say it also goes off of your your height and your age, okay? And they get your your overall weight, all right. If you're over that weight, then we go off your BMI, your body fat. Okay, so I would tape someone and I would do like a tape measure and measure his waist and everything. And it goes like around the belly button and everything, and whatever inches he pulls, that helps me determine his body fat. So I have like a little website that I go to, I enter his age, his gender, um what's it? Age, gender, height, and then his weight, and then his waist, what I got him at. And then there's some sort of calculator that calculates his um body fat. Now, each person, depending on the age and what gender he is, he's in a different category for BMI for his body fat. So there's programs for people that have over the body fat, and you can be, it's like arms, it's like pretty much fat camp in a way. Sorry to say. Um 2.0, then you could be up to 2% over your body fat, but then you have 2.1 and you're up to 6% over your body fat. So yeah.

SPEAKER_00 50:22

That's crazy. But I guess it's I guess if you had a shape, you had to you better get in shape. But come on, Kyle. Hey, hey, I I I know some people to me that's in the U.S. Army that I know personally. I'm like, man, he got he kind of big, but maybe not to you guys. I mean, big don't mean big, right?

SPEAKER_02 50:45

Hey, yeah, like nowadays, like just because you're big doesn't mean you're not you're not uh healthy, doesn't mean you you're not as fit. Like everyone's body body type is different. Me, I'm built skinny, I'm just tall and skinny. Like my wife tells me I'm like a gazelle.

SPEAKER_00 51:02

I hear you, man.

SPEAKER_02 51:04

But like I just have a high metabolism, and I'm like, I'm trying to gain weight, but I had to eat so much. And it's but yeah.

SPEAKER_00 51:12

All right, I gotta I gotta touch I got something for you, Khan. Can you be over skinny? And they they they they then you can't get in like you anorexic?

SPEAKER_02 51:21

I mean you uh so if for people that there is a minimum weight that you have to require for some people, and it all goes off in your height and your uh your age and everything.

SPEAKER_00 51:35

Okay. Um you you actually you you just you just answer that question real quick, on because I want to run out of time. Without I got a couple more questions. All right, yeah, we had 48 after. All right, so this this is the biggest question I get. I got a couple of questions I gotta ask you. All right. This is a hard question. Now you could say pass. This is a pass or go question. All right. What's the sense of passing detects and all that if you gotta go to compat and you might not make it out? So ain't that a waste education? Pass are you gonna one person? I won't say his name. He he he he's watching on Roku. He's at he asked me to ask you, what's the sense of going to all the education part of this if you eventually might have to go to compat? Shouldn't you just shouldn't the army just accept the ones that's ready to go? Or yeah, I just want the people that's educated. You gotta answer that, call. You got what I'm saying? You get the question.

SPEAKER_02 52:36

Ah, you got no, I really don't understand that question.

SPEAKER_00 52:40

The guy off of Roku, because you can watch us on Roku as well. He's asking me to ask you, why should they have to take the testing to get in the U.S. Army if they are redish that they're trying to uh list? Oh, I see what you're saying. And they might not make it home. Like that's a waste of education. I don't know this guy's trolling, but he he asked me after that.

SPEAKER_02 53:01

Nah, nah, I just passed. Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 53:03

He said passed. Sorry, sir, you didn't get that question. Like, we're gonna pass on that.

SPEAKER_02 53:08

All right, the next question we like we just have standards. Like Exactly.

SPEAKER_00 53:12

You don't know what stupid you don't want a stupid person here fighting for the cunning. Well, I guess everybody's not stupid. All right, so next question. All right, what is the you being a recruiter? Her name is Tracy, and she's on YouTube watching. Okay, you being a recruiter and she's sending her daughter or son to school, and I mean, I mean on on um to register with you, whatever, what are what are you gonna make what are you offering to make sure her son or daughter get the best care with the U.S. Army on the way in? What are you offering? What am I offering? Yeah, like like far as in a recruiter, making sure that they get the best care.

SPEAKER_02 53:57

Because some people get recruited, uh they don't got the best care, sir. Like, I ain't gonna lie. When you're talking to a recruiter, it's like you you gotta get that vibe. Like, you know, when you're talking to someone, you're right, you gotta get that good vibe from someone. And if you don't get that good vibe, walk away. That's all I'm gonna say. Now, me, I I talk to everyone. I treat them like they're a human being. Like, I don't look at them as a contract. Yeah, my job is to put people in the army, but what motivates me every day to wake up and do my job is trying to make a difference. And what I mean like make a difference, how can I get someone to join the army and whether they reach their goal or maybe they're just having a struggle and uh they need that extra stepping stone. Um, and so the army is a great way to use it. And like I'm talking to like I'm talking to a human being, and when you talk to when someone talks to me, like they're a person too.

SPEAKER_00 55:08

Well, I got a question to ask you, and this this is a DJ Butterot question.

SPEAKER_01 55:13

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 55:14

I think you are I'm I'm gonna curse a little bit. Yeah, I think you're a damn good recruiter. If if I was young enough, I think you would I will I would come to you and have you recruit me to go. I would try my best because I I think you you're a people person, you know people, you love people, and uh you don't see race. So anybody willing to join the U.S. Army and you are over 18 and up, please call me. I can pitch in contact with him. It don't matter where you live at in Georgia, it don't matter where you live at in the U.S. If you want a good person that will make sure you are you you you at least set up. No one could guarantee you're gonna pass the test or none of that physical. No one's saying he's a super recruiter. We just saying you want to be around beautiful people that you feel comfortable with. And uh Khan is the best, man. I'm gonna tell you the best in the U.S. Army. I'm in a lot of soldiers, I'm gonna be honest. We because we print for some some of the bases. So my number is 44-552-8731, DJ Butterock, CX1 DJs. We do things different podcasts, and I'm gonna definitely vouch for him. I can't vouch for nobody else. I don't know. That's a recruiter, but I can vouch for U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Conn. Khan, man, I mean, I'm gonna tell you something, man, before we get out of here. I appreciate you, my brother. I appreciate everything you do for the U.S. Army, and they should be proud to have you as one of the soldiers and the recruiters a part of the organization. Now, I have to ask this another question because another person that I got a bunch of questions that I actually I respect you so much I turned down 60% of the questions I suppose I had to ask you.

SPEAKER_01 56:53

I appreciate it, right?

SPEAKER_00 56:54

That came off the line, and I figured this was gonna happen. Your people figured it was gonna happen, and I respect you, so we're not even gonna slip in for views and ask dumb questions that that don't make any sense. I I I I once again I want to tell you I appreciate your service. We thank you for your service. And we know how one minute everything's fine and dandy. You you know, you're home with your wife and kids, and you're living a beautiful life, and then you deployed. That are you ever scared about that happening, sir? Like tomorrow you could be like, gotta go somewhere you don't want to go. But somewhere you gotta go because you signed up for this. You gotta answer that question.

SPEAKER_02 57:35

Like, I when I joined, I joined to deploy. That's what I wanted to. I wanted to serve my country. Like how my oldest brother served his countr his country when he did two tours of Afghanistan, I wanted to be like him. But you know it we make sacrifices, and I would do anything for to protect love and people I care about, especially this country.

SPEAKER_00 58:10

That is awesome. Sergeant Khan. Hey man, stab Sergeant Khan. I love you, brother. And before we let you go, oh, one second.

SPEAKER_02 58:20

Allison, come here. Like I'm gonna bring my daughter.

SPEAKER_00 58:28

Yeah, please bring your daughter.

SPEAKER_02 58:30

Look at this. Look at this shirt on. The shirt that you made, look at that.

SPEAKER_00 58:35

Jones Graphics made that shirt, and and she's wearing it, and I appreciate that.

SPEAKER_02 58:39

Hey, what's her turn? Turn around. Turn around. Show the back. Oh.

SPEAKER_00 58:44

There you go.

SPEAKER_01 58:48

All right.

SPEAKER_00 58:48

Thank you. That's shirt made by Jones Graphics. And that's his beautiful daughter, man. And she she's with him all the time. And she this is what he lives for. This is this is what it's all about. Family. And um U.S. Army, Stab Sergeant Conn. Hey, one more time, my brother, for the before we get out of here. Give out all your information. If anybody wants to join the Army, U.S. Army, you you're the best recruiter out there. Give out your information one more time.

SPEAKER_02 59:19

All right, so you can uh call me, text me. Our number is 678-481-0584. You can email me, Garrett G A R R E T T dot M as in Michael dot con C O N N dot Mil M-I-L at Army dot mil. Or you can also follow me on uh Instagram at S S G con Army. And look, follow me. You got questions, like if if you're too far from me, call me, text me. If you got questions, hey, I'll be more than happy to answer your question. But here's the thing I'm new to recruiting, like I'm in my first year and everything. If I don't know the answer to your question, I'm gonna tell you, like, hey, I don't know, but I'll get back at to you. And that's I'm not gonna give you false information.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:22

So CX1 DJs, we do things different podcasts. U.S. Army stab sergeant gone. And listen to me, before I let you go, if anybody trying to join the army and you you if you ain't get his information and he talked too fast or whatever, you can contact DJ Butterock. My number is 44-552-8731. Make sure you have you ready to go. Make sure you're serious, make sure you ain't scared. You scared, say you're scared. If you ain't scared, you don't need to be scared. Because hey, serve our country, our beautiful company, U.S. Army. Make sure you call me. My number is again 44-552-8731. If anybody watched this video from around the world on all our 800 digital platforms, I want to say shout out to all our sponsors, Jones Graphics T-shirt printing. If you need any t-shirts printed, make sure you contact Jones Graphics by going to the website 404. It's JonesGraphics44.com. The website is JonesGraphics44.com. Or email us, JonesGraphics44 at gmail.com. I want to thank X, Spotify, YouTube, CX1DJs247 Radio on the TuneIn app, iHeartMedia, Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, and all and I can't forget Amazon Music and Facebook Live, because we live on Facebook and also Instagram and YouTube. Peace and love and everybody hug your kids and tell everybody you love them. And um, and uh salute and respect our military, U.S. military, the army, baby. Be all you can be in the army, be all you can be in the army. We out of here, peace and love.

SPEAKER_02 1:02:04

All right, man. Take care. Thanks for having me.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:07

Thanks for being here.