HOUSTON -- Irving Gonzalez wanted out of a non-binding agreement to join the U.S. Army. When the 18-year-old told that to his recruiter, Gonzalez said they told him he would be sent to jail.

In fact, Gonzalez recorded one of the conversations he had with Army recruiter Sgt. Glenn Marquette.

Gonzalez: What if I just don't show up?

Marquette: Then guess what? You are AWOL. Absent Without Leave. You want to go to school? You will not get no loans, (because) all college loans are federal and government loans. So, you'll be black barred from that. As soon as you get pulled over for a speeding ticket, they're going to see you're a deserter, they're going to apprehend you, take you to jail. So, guess what? All that lovey-dovey, I wanna go to college and all that. Guess what? You just threw it out the window (because) you just screwed up your life.

The 11 News Defenders tracked down Marquette to ask him about the conversation.

11 News Defenders: We'd just like to know why you're telling them that.

Marquette: I'm on vacation right now. I really don't want to be bothered.

The Greenspoint Mall recruiting station where Marquette works is in the district of Congressman Gene Green.

“That's not what our country's about,” said Green. “There's a problem with the system in the Army, and we can blame the sergeant or the corporal at the Greenspoint facility, but it sounds like they're also hearing it from nationally.”

How could that be?

The 11 News Defenders uncovered citations for recruiter wrongdoing and found that they have nearly doubled over the past several years. Complaints against recruiters are up too.

THE FEDERAL FIGHT TO REFORM MILITARY RECRUITING

For years, the investigative arm of Congress (the U.S. Government Accountability Office) told the U.S. Army what it needed to do to shape up its recruiting operation.  Today, many of those recommendations remain ignored and unimplemented.

• Army has history of ignoring Government Accountability Office

• 2006 GAO Report on military recruiting

• 1998 GAO report

• 1997 GAO report

Then, on Wednesday morning, Congressman Green appeared on the national syndicated show “Democracy Now!” to talk about it live on the air with the Army.

“This is, (as) a member of Congress, is something I don't want to hear about,” Green said on the show.

What concerns him more though is that three years ago, KHOU caught Sgt.Thomas Kelt – who was also a recruiter at the Greenspoint facility – threatening a different high schooler with arrest.

Kelt recording from 2005: By federal law, you got an appointment with me at two o'clock this afternoon at Greenspoint Mall. OK? You fail to appear and we'll have a warrant, OK? So, give me a call back.

The Army's response to his actions?

They promoted Sgt. Kelt to the role of station commander.

On “Democracy Now!,” an Army spokesman defended the promotion.

Douglas Smith spokesman U.S. Army recruiting headquarters: Just because someone has done something wrong, doesn't mean that they get the death penalty.

Amy Goodman, "Democracy Now!" host: Well there's a difference between the death penalty and a promotion. He was actually promoted after this and, uh, came to be the commander of another recruiting station.

Smith: Yes.

Goodman: (How) what was the negative penalty if he was promoted?

Smith: I'm not allowed to tell you. I'm sorry, that's covered under Army regulations and Department of Defense of regulations. I cannot discuss administration actions taken against a recruiter.

That fired up Congressman Green enough that he sent a letter to the Pentagon demanding to know “Why more was not done,” and “What steps the Army will take to ensure this will not happen again.”

Green said it wouldn't stop there.

11 News: Will you go to the House Armed Services Committee and ask them to investigate or hold hearings?

Green: Definitely.

The congressman said also that there are two committee members who are part of the Texas delegation to Congress. Green said he plans to contact them both and get them involved.