gpatmac

iTrader: (3)

Nox, sent you a PM.

1reguL8NSTi

Well I didn't join for college money or to travel yet I have gotten both. I joined to be a soldier because it's something I always wanted to do practically since birth. The harder I'd try to do my best the more the Army would give me. You won't find any 15 month enlistment contracts in good units because good units are composed of committed soldiers who would stay longer and go back into combat if asked. I have guys beating down my door on occasion to re-up and they are the same guys who I never have problems with. I'd say 99.9% of the company is composed of grade A soldiers who could easily be left responsible for anything I assign them. Serving with the individuals I just described is all the reward I need to stay.

Chrisnonstop

I've always said that the only reason you should join the military is if you really want to serve your country. I honestly believe that it's something that comes from within you. I knew since the 5th grade I wanted earn the right to salute our flag while wearing a uniform. There are those that say things like Imprezafansti88 did earlier in this thread. That they have no incentive to join. That in itself is a beautiful thing. He doesn't have to join because there are countless others that have stepped forward over many generations that were willing to make the ultimate sacrafice to bring this country to where it is now. The last remaining superpower and perhaps the greatest symbol of freedom and liberty.

If you're not sure if you're cut out for it or you're joining for college money, you'll probably just crack under preasure when your fellow soldiers need you most. Being a soldier, in any capacity, is the ultimate test of courage. Even if you enlist to be a truck driver, you still could find yourself in a situation where the bullets are coming your way to end your life.

Unfortunately, not all soldiers realize this. Then, when the crap hits the fan, they're left injured or dead and they or their family members are left asking why. That pisses me off. Since when was soldiering a leisure sport? It's simple, don't join unless it's in your blood.

1reguL8NSTi

This is why I frankly wouldn't care if the military gave college benefits at all. I think it would leave only those completely committed and would then out the fair-weather soldiers.

gpatmac

iTrader: (3)

Chris, I didn't realize you were among the fold of the most honorable profession known to man.

I don't mind it a bit if someone joins for college, so long as they do their job; be it underfire or back at garrison.

Honestly, I feel like I was patriotic when I joined (of course, it's been so long ago, my memory is probably a little vague) but I got the ACF/MGIB. Essentially, I had no future when I was 18. I joined simply for a future. It never really joined to go to combat. Never even gave that a thought. BUT, when I went to combat back in 1989, I had no hickup in my thinking whatsover about doing my job. And the outcome was that going to combat actually made me a much better soldier, emotionally.

I don't know if any of that makes sense.

Magish

iTrader: (2)

I guess that is somewhere where I differ from you Chris:

*Disclaimer: I'm not trying to sound like a selfish *****, i'm just being honest about why I would never go into the miliatry.*

I myself have never thought of joining the military, or thought of it as something I wanted to do. To be honest, and take down my ego-front, I would probably crack under the pressure. I'd probably **** my pants when I saw bullets coming twards me.

I also do not have the reason that pat has to join: a future. I was lucky enough to be born into a family in which your future is pretty set. Though I am still in school, and am undecided on what I want to do with my life, it is pretty set that I will do one of four things, as that is what ALL of my family has done for the last lots-of-generations. I could do something else besides those, but I really don't know what other professions I would look at (including the military).

It also may be that the reason I have never thought of the military is growing up I only knew one soldier, and my great-grandfather who served in WWI. THe soldier I knew who lived down the street I always thought of as a *** hole (I KNOW not all soldiers are like this, or most. This just gave me a bad taste at a young age) and my great grandfather who was shot once in the leg and walked with a limp. I never knew him long enough to get to know him well however.

So, I guess for me the military has never been something that interested me, or something that I needed to do. I wholeheartedly respect all of you who have served, or are serving and mean no disrespect at all lf you take it that way.

*Disclaimer: I'm not trying to sound like a selfish *****, i'm just being honest about why I would never go into the miliatry.*

gpatmac

iTrader: (3)

Nothing wrong with that.

Also, nothing wrong with you being critical of anything that the administration does.

All I'd ask is that when you are critical, also be thoughtful towards the soldiers' situation and how precarious it is. We're only popular when there's a popular war occuring. We are 'downsized' when there isn't one, and we're frequently chastised when there's an unpopular one.

We're doing what we genuinely feel is right.