Does this irk you about some people wanting to join the military?

Ok so this is inspired by another question on this forum where this chick was asking which branch her husband should join but less likely to be deployed or if deployed not very long nor in combat. This really irritated me because I see this a lot. You're supposed to join the military because you WANT to defend your nation. Which means being deployed and being put in harms way so the civilians don't have to. It truly irks me that so many people (esp men) want to join the military but aren't willing to go into combat. It's like joining the school band but not wanting to play an instrument.

Ok granted the military has GREAT benefits but that's supposed to be a BONUS not the reason for joining
Am I the only one who feels this way?
Additional Details
To Summer:
First off why did your man have two children with someone he wasn't married to? (I know I'm old school) And second, the military made sure he had food and shelter and health insurance. If he was looking to make a lot of money then the military is not for him. That simple...

I â™¥ my Irishman!

I agree with you that this is ridiculous. Like you said medical benefits, money for college and bonus money are bonuses for your service to your country.

No matter what your MOS is goig into the military you should understand your number one job is to protect and Serve the United States of America.

In the Marine Corps, every Marine is a basic rifleman first. Meaning no matter what the job you do on a day to day basis, you can and will be fit to defend this nation if need be.

Just like in the Army, Soldier first. I don't really know any of the rest of the other branches, but the point is, your job first and foremost is to defend this Country.

ReX

No, you are definitely not the only person who feels this way.

I can't think of anything more selfish than saying, in effect, "i want to serve my country in a way that does not inconvenience me."

ArmyChemo

From your question I assume you didn't grow up in the USA.

That's the American way friend...

"I want the most...for the least amount of work/effort...preferably with someone else providing the work/effort...and I want it NOW!"

lemontreesg

I agree
1. i have been seeing some people (it was a PBS doc on the Navy)
that said "oh my God i would never have thought i would go to war this is wrong"

my response to TV -WhyTF did you join the military for then!

2. The people that join sign for 8 years and the 5th year in the contract where they are released from active duty they get stop lossed and are like thats unfair!

-its part of the contract READ IT!

3.the ones that complain that their job is to scrub floors and paint walls

well maybe you should have done better in school, be glad you got a steady job fool!

pH-ilosopher

Don't worry, you are not alone. Joining the military is for people who want to fight for their country. You should want to join the military without benefits before you decide you want to join with benefits.

CeciliaM

LOL...you must be young. I'm old and this behavior had existed for quite a while at least in my lifetime. I've been coming to this message board for a couple of years now and see these types of questions all of the time. It's the "entitlement" mentality that is so prevalent especially nowadays.

I've been in the Army (AD, reserves and deployed) since 1994 and sadly there are way too many folks who join for the wrong reasons, like they just want a job with great benefits and have no idea of the commitment that the military expects. They are the biggest complainers, and the worst soldiers.

cordeliabrainiac

Yes, its really annoying.

Note to Summer: somebody who has been in the military for 3 years probably shouldn't have 3 dependents. Even though you only had one car, one of you could have dropped the other person off at their job, taken the bus, done daycare in the home, etc.

75thRangers

This irritates me too. Back in the day, every American male was proud to serve and die for their country. As one of the veterans of E. Co, 2/506 PIR said: "3 of the 4 in my town who were 4F committed suicide because they couldn't go."

When I get out of high school I want to do my part to protect our country. My dad was in the Army for 24 years and I hope to carry on the tradition, either in the 75th Ranger Regiment or the 82nd Airborne.

SuMmEr

The benefits aren't that great... Sure you get insurance and housing or a housing allowance but that doesn't compare to the horrible pay...You don't even actually make any money until you have been in for years. My ex and I lived on base and he was in for 3 years at that time, getting his usually rankings and still only made 1,600.00 dollars a month, he had 2 children from a previous relationship that he had to pay child support on, they didn't live with us so he didn't get extra money for that so after that being deducted he would bring home about 600 dollars every 2 weeks, that's not enough money for other bills and groceries for 2 people to live off of. We could only afford one car therefore I didn't work.
With that said I think it's horrible that people would join thinking that it's going to make life easier, it should be to fight for your country, not for money.

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