Why would anyone join the military these days?

mustagme

For some, it can be a life long profession. For others, they can get needed money. For the majority, it's about national pride and a sense of duty. The bigger question is why wouldn't anyone join the military?

SFC_Ollie

It's still called Patriotism. Same reason I joined during Vietnam. Which was much worse than today.

And if you call the Freedom of 50 million people nothing then you need an attitude adjustment.
Also you want to forgive the Taliban for harboring the people responsible for attacking the USA? I would hang my head in shame.

Sergeant First Class
U S Army
Retired

You know you hate me

Commit suicide? You know NOTHING about the military. I have been in the USMC for over 8 years and have not considered my job as willing suicide. So let me get this straight, you support us doing the job of ensuring your freedom, but god forbid anyone in your family does? The USMC gave me a future, purpose and an opportunity to make a life for myself and wife.

Also, in my experience, people who try to talk others out of enlistment, usually have a piss poor life themselves and are insecure and do not want to see another family members branch out and find success and future else where. I suggest you improve your own life before you try to control another persons future. He seems to have character, you on the other hand are a coward who wants to hinder the future/opportunities of others.

PS: More people die in car crashes each year in the US than in combat. I suggest you stop driving your car. That is willing suicide in your twisted mind.

EssieLou

Erm,
Maybe because he has a depth of character that you're not capable of comprehending?

Leave him alone, he sounds like a fabulous human--- you however......

Fortis*

Your a moron, saying our soldiers are committing suicide is disrespectful to our Armed Forces. Many many Brave men have died for you freedoma nd many are protecting your freedom right now ( ill be one soon )

Grow up and learn to have some respect. Let your relative do what he wants, its his choice not yours, belive me the military is a great expieriance, instead of trying to talk him out of it be proud of him and support his decision.

Chuck

Right On Essielou!!!

Yeah, it's about honor and integrity. He loves and respects his country and what it stands for. He is being unselfish and willing to sacrifice his time and energy, and if necessary (but hopefully not) his life to preserve our way of life.

He is a hero and deserves support, not critique.

Tyler

Is this a question or just blatant ignorance? I was in Iraq last November. Fact: we sufffered more injuries playing football than from combat. With the medical care the military provides he's got a better life expentancy than you do right now.

gman

"Why would ANYONE j-o-i-n the military willingly, especially these
days?"

To serve their country and protect people like you from terrorist attacks. They do it to get because they're patriotic, they need a paycheck, benefits like food, housing, money for college, training that will get them a job when they get out. Did I mention patriotism? What have you done for this country?

Unless your family member is your child and they're under the age of 18, then you have no frickin' say so about they're decision. Get over it!

Billy bob jr.

Money for college or supporting this nation.

silentmayhem2004

so that you are able to create such a topic like this and enjoy the freedoms you currently have.

D Lee

I'm joining because they're offering my dream job as a traveling musician, with great pay and benefits. I wouldn't be able to find that anywhere else. And I'm not getting shipped off to the desert... well not yet anyway. And the vast majority of soldiers that go to Iraq and Afghanistan come back just fine, you only hear about the ones with PTSD or that have died/been injured. I know a lot of soldiers personally that have come back just like they were when they left.

*flymetothemoon*

You have no clue what goes on in the world today, much less the military.
I'm really just shocked at the lack of respect you have. So the past Veterans who gave thier life for us (this country) they committed suicide? They died in vain?

And you think that is what are Soliders are doing? Commiting suicide? Who do you think defends this country?
I suggest you gain some respect and knowledge that you are sorely lacking.

Laird C

Well, first of all, your perceptions of both deployments and of casualty rates are completely out-of-whack, and second, it's HIS life to live; not yours!

If you want to know why anyone would join, why don't you simply ASK him, instead of leaping to false conclusions and applying ill-informed judgments?

The reasons that people join are as individual as the individuals themselves. Some want variety, some want to prove themselves, some want to impress someone, some want to serve their country, some are using it as a stepping stone, some are escaping intolerable local or family conditions, and some frankly enjoy serving. All those reasons, and more beyond...

So, may I suggest you take your preconceived notions, put them in a box, and sit on them whilst you ask your relative open-ended, nonjudgmental questions? Maybe you'll actually learn what makes him tick, and grow to understand him a bit better.

Adam V

I joined for Discipline, for a challenge, because it's been my dream forever, for education, for travel, for a career, and because it's American and I have the freedom to do so.

gugliamo00

"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." (George Orwell)

â€œWar is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing that is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself.â€ (John Stewart Mill)

â€œThese are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly.â€ (Thomas Paine)

"to die for nothing"? People say freedom isn't free. Do you know what the price of freedom is? You've probably seen it and didn't realize it. It's in the last few words of the United States Declaration of Independence. "... we pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor." And every generation who enjoys that freedom has to pay their installment on the price... and the bill will never be paid in full. Now, sometimes other people's freedoms are abridged... or are nonexistent. Doesn't it seem a little selfish to think that only the people in the US should enjoy freedom?

"to die"? Hardly. Yeah, some do, but most come home. The problem is that the media is so wrapped up in the negative... reporting the casualties, that they never cover the tens of thousands who walk off the plane into the arms of their waiting loved ones.

Here's the deal. He looked in the mirror. He saw a young man looking back at him. Now parents, spouses, children, family, friends, and kibitzers like those of us on YA... we come and go in his life. But the guy in the mirror's going to be there for the duration. He has to do what makes that guy happy.

Suppose he listened to you and didn't join... something he thinks he needs to do. Suppose a few years down the road he looks back and says, "Why didn't I join when I could. I'm too old now." Maybe he'd be miserable... feeling that maybe he'd let an opportunity pass him by. And who would he be able to blame?

A lot of guys with whom I went to Boot Camp got out after three or four years. They got "good" jobs in the civilian world. After a few years they probably made it into a supervisory position in the mail room. Maybe eventually some of them made it into the junior executive pool. Today a few of them are probably occupying some of those 500 square foot, glassed in, corner offices way up in those tall office buildings. They're working 50-60 hours a week just to make ends meet. In their rare free moments they dream about doing some of the neat things in life... "I've always wanted to try sky-diving," or, "Sure would be neat to be SCUBA diving off Hawaii... or Tahiti," or, "I'd sure like to get some traveling done before I'm too old..."

Me? Well I did all those things... and more for about 12 years. Then the Navy weaned me away from the action and moved me around from training to policy to planning. I retired at 45 after 25 years. I got a couple mor degrees -- mostly on the GI Bill. Then I landed another job (civilian job this time) and for 12 more years I managed government projects on the West Coast for a management consulting firm. I retired again at age 60. Now my days are entirely my own. I have two retirement incomes... my Navy pension, and my retirement annuity from the econd career. Make that three... I purchased a house (on a VA-insured loan) and paid it off in 10 years (the civilian job payed well). Last year I rented my home to an officer stationed at a nearby Air Force base, and moved into a Veterans Home. The rent more than pays my bills here at the Home. That leaves the other two incomes as almost "net spendable." Just about everything here's free (or covered by the fee I pay). Being retired, I can travel just about anywhere in the world I want... for free. I have access to just about any military base. I'll spend much of the summer swimming and lying around the pool... or in the gym.

I still look at that guy in my mirror on occasion... just to see how I'm doing. I figure if he's smiling, most of the time... I'm doing ok. I've noticed in the last few years he doesn't smile much anymore. He's got this big, stupid grin... ;-D

As far as safety, he's probably as safe as you. You could be hit by a drunk driver. You could be shot in your house by a drive-by, or by an armed neighbor. You could be one of the 20,000 who die each year in hospitals under the care of careless, inept, or incompetent doctors.

Maybe he's safer. He'll know somebody is looking for him. He'll have a bunch of of the best-trained soldiers on the face of the earth watching his back. And, if anything bad should happen, one or more of those watching his back will have medical training. And he'll have a helicopter just a phone call away to deliver him to a hospital. Next time your family goes to the park, think about that.

In life there are no guarantees. But those who dwell on the negative... who prefer to think about the worst case scenario... who look for trouble... shouldn't be too surprised if they get what they're looking for.

RWLake

There are many reasons. For many it is hard ( impossible?) to understand that a good many people want to serve something higher than them self. In this "I want what I want" world you have to understand many are not like that. Thank goodness we have people who understand and appreciate what we take for granted in this country. My son is currently in the Army and is very content. He has been deployed twice to IRAQ and he has seen the good we have done there. Pls don't only believe what you hear in the media. It is so slanted that it isn't worth much. Others like the sense of organization, camaraderie, dedication, and discipline. It gives a structure to many that they may not find in the outside world. Also, don't rule out the benefits. For a career person they look very good. I'm not saying you will be rich but you certainly have the opportunity to save a large portion of your salary, free health care, and a reasonable retirement. All and all, if the military fits a personal life style it can be very rewarding.

jon r

I think you need to put your head in a different setting, we all join for our own reasons, weather it be for bettering our self's, building self-confidence, changing ours self or what have you. some people join for the enlistment bonus alone. some others join for the college money, we all have our reasons in the end though. let me give you an example, i joined the army as of Jan 30th for infantry i did this to change myself as a person, my een ire life i had been some what of a couch potato. never got out much, never played sports,was a big geek. i got a dose of reality about a year ago and found out this life style would not be able to continue in the real world. so i thought about where i was going to go from there. Ididn't't want to fall back to the old me again, playinVideoeo games for days on end, eating pizza for dinner every night then go out drinking and doing noting. i wanted to do something that i could be proud of a few years down the line, something that i could possibly make a career of. so i considered my options and in the end the army looked best for me and i went for it. we know the risks but more of all we know what we will get out of it. i'm sure you brother knows these as well and if hes been smart about it done his research. maybe you should see his side of something before you go out and start dissing why some people would want to join the military.

Lewis C

Personally i joined the military because i was so bored with being a civvy. I got 8 a stars in GCSE's and 3A's in a levels studied at uni and got a job, however i was so bored. So i signed up for the royal marines and passed selection after 2 years qualified as an ML and have just applied for SF.

Not once have i been truly bored (apart from when the convoy broke down and we were stuck for a few hours)

As for being suicidal there is more chance being run over crossing the road in London or New York than there is being KIA.

Blame the Media

kerfitz

Commit suicide? Do you realize that there are over 20,000 men and women serving in Iraq at any given time, the casualty rate in this conflict is so low that if we had the same rate in Vietnam we would have never left. There are so many reasons to join the military. A stable job with great advancement opportunities, a tuition assistance program unmatched by any civilians employer, not to mention the GI bill allowing college after service. The Military is a great place to start for most people.

60 min man

you say die for no reason yet in the service of your country is the most honorable thing a person can do. every freedom you and i enjoy are at the expense of those willing to serve and die for this country. he would more likely be killed in detroit than in iraq or afghanistan. i joined as it was something the men in my family have done for over 100 years, in one of the military branches. and is it air force, navy, maries or army? it does make a difference as to the type of service you do and where. it sounds as if you may want to get more info about the armed services. US Navy 1985-89

one more month

Probably because he wants to do something for his country. He wants to defend the freedom of the United States of America. Don't try to talk him out of it. If anything, support him. This is his decision and it's frustrating not to have support from those around you, especially family members. Be proud that you know someone who is willing to put their life on the line just so you have the freedoms of this country.
Besides, it's statistically more likely for someone to die in a plane crash than in the military now a day.

K. B

The HONORABLE men and women who join willingly fight to protect sniveling little wimps like you. And those REAL AMERICANS who you say are dying for "nothing" are actually dying for you and every other citizen in America! Learn to have a sense of gratitude and humility when you see a solder. Next time you want to criticize American Solders for fighting and dying go stand out side and admire the FREE NATION you live in and the peace and prosperity you so readily enjoy!

angelosdad

Nice attitude. My question is, why would someone talk bad about someone else who wanted to join the military right now? You are certainly entitled to your opinion, but maybe you should think about supporting your family members decision.

akbutner2

well lets go ahead and skip the serving your country reason..I don't think you much care about that. However for the record there are still people who serve because they believe it is important to serve their country...including my husband.

Beyond that..job security, in case you didn't know unemployment is extremely high and the economy is extremely poor right now. He may feel this will give him training that will be useful in the civilian world. (2) he will get the GI Bill which will allow him to attend college and only improving his chances of getting a good job when he gets out. (3) maybe he needs structure in his life..he wouldn't be the first. Not everyone goes to war...and even if they do their chances of coming back in one piece are much better than wars in the past. I would also add he could end up with a desk job. Not all jobs in the Army are combat related.

I would throw it out there that maybe rather than making the decision hard for him you trust in his decision for himself. I am sure he is smart enough to make the decision that is best for him.

jonn449

Because some of us that have joined believe in something more important and bigger than ourselves.

mycutierebel

Because they want to make there family proud and help there country it may be sad but if hes over 18 you cant really stop him but i hope you do as i hope you dont lose a family member

Brooklyn Guy

I agree with Essie lou

ff1054

"He has no greater love than him that will lay down his life for his friends" or words to that effect...
Remember who said that?

Pizza Box

ARMY STRONG!
BEST BRANCH IN THE U.S

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