best way to work with army recruiter

so basically im currently working a job as a seasonal oncall firefighter with the forest service, the problem with it is that its oncall, my plan is to work with the apprenticeship program with the forest service and use the army as my back up if i dont get in it. i went and met with the recruiter today and told him that and all he is concerned about it making the army my number one, i kept reiterating that its my backup but he wouldnt get the point, i plan to start the paper work and everything with the army so that if i dont get in the US forest service full time i can ship. But does anyone have any advice on working with the recruiters, i know that i need to make the army work for me, have everything set in writing and go from there, any other advice???