WHY ARE KIDS JOINING THE MILITARY AT SUCH A YOUNG AGE?

atrak

I can give a honest answer about my self, I join to army was too young (18) and I serve my country 18year long until I leave it because medical reasons ( R ) .. O.K .. why I join the army when I was so young?

Well my parents was sux, alcoholic father and confused mother. If I choice stay at home with my family ; probably I'll going to jail or grave for something .. army was a good option for me .. a new and safe home and I learn be a man, act like a man and work like a man at there.

My officers definitely better than my biological parents :) .. that's why I prefer stay there when my national service ends .. because my connections was broken with civilian world when I serve my country , no one doesn't wants me or wait me out there.

As u see I wasn't have better options .. for me

Bryan

This is the common age group for joining the military, I joined the United States Navy at seventeen. I was fully aware of the consequences of my action including the possibility of dying in war. We were fighting the "Cold War" in those days and my job classification put me on the front lines in that battle. We understood to a man the importance of our duty and what was at stake. You should not under-estimate the fine young men and women who serve the interests of freedom with their sacrifice because they are much more aware of the consequences than you could ever imagine.

Mar

At what age do most kids come out of high school? Somewhere in the vicinity of 17 - 19 for most. Many come out with no desire to go to college, no money to go to college, no job prospects, not academically ready for college, etc.

Many join the military as a solution to many of these problems. Some do, but not all - some join because of family tradition, a sense of duty, a longing for adventure ("Join the Navy...See the World..."), or a whole host of other reasons (as other posters above stated).

If you are in the service yourself, why not ask your fellow solider/sailor/airman or marine why they joined so young, rather than ask a bunch of yahoos on Yahoo?

Gotta have more explosions!

I joined when I was 18, and I sometimes wish I waited until I was a bit older. Teenage recruits often show up with less life experience and maturity, and are forced to learn basic life skills at the detriment of their platoon.

In some ways, maybe it's a good thing though - more potential years of service.

dude.

I joined the army at 17. But I grew up in the military, so for me I was just going into the family business, no different than many other teens.

barbamatt

I think the military is attractive to younger people. Younger people can take the physical endurance better than older people. (I know that there are 50 y/o that can out run some 20 y/o but most 20 y/o can run faster than older adults.)

I joined when I was 24. I had trouble with the PT part of the military. I finally got out in my late 30's. I wish that I had joined when I was younger and it was esier to do the physical part and keep the weight off. I used to could eat like nobody's busines and never gain weight, now all I have to do is read the menu and put on 5 pounds.

Besides one good point of joining young. If you join at 17 or 18 and do 20 years of service you retire at 37-38 and are still young enough to have a second career and still get the retirement benifits. Most other jobs you have to wait until you are 62...or older.

Bethany

Possibly because they graduate high school or get their GED and go join the military because they don't want to go to college and they don't want to get a crappy job that pays $7.50/hour. The other idea is that they graduate & want to serve their country so they join.

cmrsjl16

Some people see it as a better opportunity when they really don't have any good opportunities in life. Like my husband...he was out on his own since he was 15 and he's had it rough ever since. When he turned 18 he got a good job as a welder, but that's not what he really wanted to do. In his heart he knew that he needed self discipline and stability...and to make a good future for us.

He had a very bad anger problem going into the army, and he had a very big problem with authority. Now, whenever I talk to him on the phone it's like a totally diff person.

Good can come out of very bad situations.

Myaa

For me it is to serve my country, along side all the other men and women that have decided to. I want to challenge myself, and have the ultimate experience; I'm fully aware that it could result in me making the ultimate sacrifice but death doesn't scare everybody.

EDIT: Another reason is to disprove some of my family and friends and show them that I am perfectly capable. And to get away from home; joining the army does guarantee one thing-independance! And I sure can't wait for that. 09L or 88M US Army Hoo-ah!

lisab

18-25 isn't a kid anymore.

The US military isn't about revenge. We defend.

I find it hard to believe you are in the service or been deployed.

Well lets change the recruiting age to 30+ and watch how many more injuries happen.

I'm pretty sure anyone who is alive knows what is going on in Iraq. There is a chance to die everyday.

Heather H

My husband joined back up after we got married
1. because he wanted to
2. because living in CA, with the low paying jobs we had, we were barley making it. The military provides us housing, a steady job, medical, dental, etc...

Being in the military isn't a bad life. There are just really difficult times. You know that when you join you will be deployed, separated from friends and family, and there is always a chance that you may not come home. It isn't always easy, but you have to except it as part of the military life when you join. However, we also have the support of other military families and other resources provided by the military ho help us get through the tough times.

Add:
My mom joined the Navy out of high school to get away from home. Her mom was abusive at times and she wasn't allowed to do after school sports/activites.

Beastie

That's because most people joining the military do so straight out of school. It's a reasonably well paid job, it gets you out of whichever backwater you grew up in, and shows you the world. These are all facts of military life, and it's the same the world over.

The down side is you might arrive home in a coffin. But the odds on that are actually pretty long.

I've been in the military too, and most of the lads I worked with joined because they wanted a long term, reasonably paid, decent job. I only met one lad who claimed he joined to serve the nation, and several who joined because 'Dad, Grandad and Great Grandad were all in the Navy.' In the UK if you serve your full engagement you get a good sized pension too, which is more than most civilian companies can guarantee.
Sure, there are a lot of risks, but most of them are minimal when you consider how many troops actually deploy compared to how many don't come home.

godofwar2masterR

What do you mean so young? Since the begining of the US military this is the age group that joined the military. Most HS grads go into the military because they feel its an easy way to get college paid for.

ET1 (SS) USN retired

You can enlist at 17 1/2.

The have had this enlistment age for over a century.

Most servicemembers serve one enlistment and decide that they do not want to continue, so they get out.

The military as a whole is primarily between 18 and 25 years old.

On one sub that I served onboard, I was 30 and I was the second oldest man onboard.

The military is a young persons job.

I was forced to leave the military, due to "High-year-tenure". I had became too old to continue serving. I was pensioned out when I was 42.

AFwife

well they are considered adults, they don't have to join, and if they don't like it get out, my husband joined the AF when he was 19, he had all of these misconseptions about it before he joined, it was totally different then what he thought, he loves being in the AF and wants to retire in it (he's 24 now) and just signed up for another 5 years, he's been deployed a lot, he's had different schedules but to him it's way better then sitting in a cubicle all day, some people like it and some don't just like any job

candy cane

It is the best thing for anyone who wants to go to college and cant afford or isn't ready to just jump back into schooling. Gives them money a job and they aren't sitting at home on mommies couch smoking dope or something. I respect them the younger the more respect they deserve. When i joined i was older and it was hard i didn't fit in with the people my rank so i hung out with higher ranking people and let to many troubles. I never got in real trouble got an honorable discharge the whole thing but the appearance of trouble was always there. They want to do something with their lives and be someone I don't think there is an american anywhere that don't know going into the military could get you killed.

robert r

its called voluntary controll of the breeding population, kill off the healthier specimens and all that is left is the cowards who ask dumb questions as to why they are still asking questions and complaining about what was going on, yet reaping the benefits of the fallen soldiers in the first place. go see about the why`s and where fores in person then you`ll understand

NFLBucsfan

some people cant pay for college...so the military flashes the benefits out thier.....it is a good path tho

Julia

cuz they think they will pay for college for them

deerhunter

they just want to serve there country make there parents proud
or they just enjoy killing people who no's

Joan S

In many cases they come from economically depressed areas and lack education. They don't have many other options.

X - Ten

THE GOVERNMENT IS BRAINWASHING THEM!!

answer mine if you want:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080926035718AADJhgM

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