Do you encourage young people to go into the military?

[breakingcontact]

Dan did you read that Reddit AMA with the nuclear launch officer? http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/16jyia/iama_a_former_nuclear_missile_officer_i_spent/

 

[Saltyag2010]

I still believe serving in our military is one of the greatest things you can do. Of course I would push for more teenagers and twenty-somethings to join. If they want to go to college they can try the corps of cadets at A&M or West Point or whatever accredited college with a strong military background. Otherwise it's trade school and I'll try to get them to go into some branch.

ROTC and trades should be learned by more kids in high school. My high school didn't offer ROTC and neither did the 3A schools around it. Now I live in Flour Bluff and the NJROTC seems to be a great program. Let's get JROTC in more high schools.

 

[Saltyag2010]

For all veterans posting - THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE. YOU ARE GREAT PEOPLE.

 

[TheDan]

Dan did you read that Reddit AMA with the nuclear launch officer? IAmA a former nuclear missile officer. I spent years in an underground bunker. AMA : IAmA

Yeah I saw that awhile back. Good read.

 

[Bobk]

No.....

 

[Pilgrim]

I'd only recommend the military for young men and women who would benefit the most from the discipline the military teaches. I was a young hothead, know-it-all when I first joined the Army and my time in the service developed in me a sense of humility and taught me how to draw upon an inner reserve of drive that I never knew I had. I got to travel a bit and it helped me to fully understand the realities of just how special our way of life truly is in this world. It's not for everybody but it's a great tailwind for the rudderless few that can take the punishment.

 

[JohnnyLoco]

Yes, if it is their ticket out of the ghetto and prison.
Yes, if they have not gotten things together, college degree or skilled trade, by around age 24.
Yes, if they have a degree but no worthwhile career by age 27.

I don't know about those age 18-22. Those are formative years where you learn a lot if you have had to make it in the "real world." So much to experience, military will always be there.

 

[Willy]

My oldest was getting bored with junior college and couldn't decide what he wanted to study. I suggested USAF. It was good for me.

He leaves tomorrow.

He changed his job choice. He took an enlistment bonus and will be a linguist.

 

[Army 1911]

I would support a required national service for all teenagers. It could be military or civilian. Civilian would be like teacher's aides, working in hospitals, anywhere that would benefit the nation. Rules would be similar to military with similar pay, rank and discipline. Would have to be 500 miles or more from home of record. Barracks living.

People would know that when they turned 19, they had the next two years to serve the country. No exceptions except for true physically handicaps. This would increase the age of College freshmen and would increase their desire to do well in college. It would also expose the young adults to all classes and demographics in living in a barracks situation.

When I was in the service, I met and lived with all sorts of folks that I wouldn't have even met casually in my life. Blacks, Indians, Asians, Whites, po-white trash, rich trust fund types, middle class, lower class, no class, high class, you name it. That experience taught me a lot that can not be learned any other way. It made me a better but still not perfect person.

It taught me both leadership and followership skills as well as independence, responsibility, and general life and citizenship lessons. It was invaluable.

 

[Mikewood]

Conscription works very well in China and Russia so why not here? Why should young people have the right of liberty? We don't have to have a war on order to take people's rights away from them. It will be a great learning experience and really prepaid them for college.

Just think about it. You got all your college prep done, pre-calc, physics and AP. But let's put you in a "warehouse" for two years so you can do menial labor and learn life lessons?

 

[andre3k]

My dad was in Vietnam from 69 -70 and he never wanted me to join the military. Said all he got was a foot in the ass when he came back stateside. I guess it's evident he still harbors some resentment about how vets were viewed back then. I tried to go to OCS right after 9-11 but a non waiverable medical condition prevented me from serving. I wouldn't stop my kid if he wanted to join but uniformed service isn't for everybody.

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk

 

[jrbfishn]

My pop was a career soldier. He would be the first to tell you that for some , military is great. For others it is the worst possible choice.


Sent by a idjit coffeeholic

 

[majormadmax]

Most Western nations with conscription are greatly reducing or abandoning it altogether. For example, Germany got rid of theirs in 2011. The UK in 1960. In The Netherlands, while conscription still exists, compulsory attendance has been officially suspended since 1 May 1997. The suspension means that citizens are no longer forced to serve in the armed forces, as long as it is not required for the safety of the country.

Given the downsizing of the current voluntary military in the US, conscription is not needed or wanted. I don't think civil service is a bad idea, but uniformed service would only cause more problems than it would fix...

 

[karlac]

I would support a required national service for all teenagers. It could be military or civilian. Civilian would be like teacher's aides, working in hospitals, anywhere that would benefit the nation. Rules would be similar to military with similar pay, rank and discipline. Would have to be 500 miles or more from home of record. Barracks living.

People would know that when they turned 19, they had the next two years to serve the country. No exceptions except for true physically handicaps. This would increase the age of College freshmen and would increase their desire to do well in college. It would also expose the young adults to all classes and demographics in living in a barracks situation.

When I was in the service, I met and lived with all sorts of folks that I wouldn't have even met casually in my life. Blacks, Indians, Asians, Whites, po-white trash, rich trust fund types, middle class, lower class, no class, high class, you name it. That experience taught me a lot that can not be learned any other way. It made me a better but still not perfect person.

It taught me both leadership and followership skills as well as independence, responsibility, and general life and citizenship lessons. It was invaluable.

Although I was raised with a strong work ethic, and had two years in the Corps at A&M (when it was mandatory) before being drafted, I got the same thing out of the service you did.

If I thought it would work, I would not mind at all seeing some type of compulsory service, like the CCC to take up the slack in the obvious lack of parenting these days. Problem is, and with the way political power perverts our government and the legal, and legislative systems at all levels, we better be careful what we wish for. If this administration had anything to do with it, it would be Hitler Youth all over again.

 

[London]

A good argument can be made that it would do this country a world of good to reinstate a draft with no deferments that could be subject to politics or to who you know. A "citizen" army in this country has historically had benefits for the generation that serves, the one after, and most of all, for the country.

China, in this recent incident with our Navy, just basically told Obama and Kerry to piss off. It may become necessary sooner than you think.

Freedom be damned. If you think forced military conscription is a good idea wait until you see a 5'0", 300lb female member of Security Forces. I have.

I can't believe anyone on this board would look at Communist China's de-facto military slavery and think, "Hey, that would be a good idea here!"

This country already has a true citizen Army- it's called the militia and you are probably already a member like most of us here.

http://www.military.com/video/guns/gunfire/target-scoring-at-chinese-firing-range/1337973865001/

 

[London]

I served in the Air Force for four years (3E751); my sister is well into her second enlistment. For probably at least a dozen reasons neither of us recommend anyone join the military unless they absolutely have to. My main concern is how since at least WWI that I am aware of military members have been nothing but pawns for power grabs and profiteering rather than their proper role as a defensive force.

 

[karlac]

I can't believe anyone on this board would look at Communist China's de-facto military slavery and think, "Hey, that would be a good idea here!"

WTF? And what I can't believe is that anyone on this board would (mis)construe what I said as "Hey, that would be a good idea here!"??

Might want to go read that again, with some thought behind it this time.

 

[London]

WTF? And what I can't believe is that anyone on this board would (mis)construe what I said as "Hey, that would be a good idea here!"??

Might want to go read that again, with some thought behind it this time.

You are correct; I misread that part. The rest is still a slap in the face to the concept of freedom.

 

[karlac]

You are correct; I misread that part. The rest is still a slap in the face to the concept of freedom.

We disagree.

Having been drafted myself, then going to OCS, and later assuming a combat command where I served and fought with other drafted, citizen soldiers, I became of the opinion that, just as rank has its responsibilities, so does serving the concept of "freedom".

Arguably, and beyond a shadow of a doubt, "freedom", as we know it in this country, needs to be served in an urgent manner in order to survive. At no time has this been more evident since it's inception.

Who better than its citizens?

 

[London]

I have no doubt that military values and standards would do much to improve our increasingly worthless younger generations. I just can't get behind the idea of the government forcing people to die in what will most likely be unnecessary, highly questionable wars.

I apologize if I offended you with that post, BTW. While I myself am very hard to offend I would not appreciate being associated with Communist China and its policies.