I agree padraic 100 percent. Army life is like living in a different world, on a different planet in fact. The military motto should be changed for all branches to "Just shut up and do as you're told"! They have a similar saying that is used for those soldiers who have the audacity to ask why we do this or that. "That is above your pay grade." In other words shut the fuck up lol.

Must the commanding officers offer explanations for every order given?

Padraic did it right. When you're in you "Hup-Ho" until you get out.

Can't do it, don't join. Or in Pad's case conscripted and you can't do it, go to jail fer two years.

I am 100% against the draft.
I am 100% for a 100% volunteer military.

(November 17, 2009 at 9:26 pm)Dotard Wrote: I am 100% against the draft.
I am 100% for a 100% volunteer military.

I agree. And by volunteering you are assured of militaty personal that has the right mindset and that improves the quality of the military as a whole for that country.

I was in the last shifts of the draft before the Netherlands went to a volunteer army.

I had no interest in going but went to my physical test under the impression that there was no way out of it (legally) so I might as well make the best of it and apply for marksman training. When I got my physical test the doctor looked at the symptoms of my allergic reaction on my body and it was decided I didn't have to join for medical reasons. That was the only time my allergy did something positive for me.

I enlisted voluntarily and was inducted into the U.S. Marine Corp. straight out of high school. At the time I was young and impressionable and fell for all the ads that stated "If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere..........The few, the proud, the Marines". I remember I was gung ho about enlisting and fell for all the propaganda and lies that the recruiter fed me about military service. I was not too informed at the time about politics nor about military service, I just wanted to prove I could hang with the best. I was patriotic until I began my service for this country and began to see things around me and the way we were treated that disappointed me greatly.

After reading and researching the Vietnam war and other military conflicts and their aftermaths I decided that I would never fight for this country nor any other country. This country pays alot of lip service about how it cares for its vets but the medical care is minimal and obtaining benefits is a pain in the ass. Most of the homeless population in my city (New York) are former military veterans. Not to mention the way vietnam vets in particular were treated upon return from the war by the country and people whose rights and freedoms they were fighting to protect. The military for me was a great disappointment but everyone has their own unique stories and experiences some good and some bad.

I don't want to join just to fight and be bossed around. I think it's a good start out on my own and they pay for most of your needs. Other than that, nothing. I think it opens opportunities and would just be a good place to go after high school. I am considering enlisting into the army branch of military.

I am kinda against war, but if an enemy country starts acting a fool towards us, they should be dealt with.

Before you go to war you have to know what it is you are fighting for. Not the bullshit version that the military feeds you. Remember lg we are currently in several military conflicts around the world the two most prominent Iraq, and Afghanistan and chances are that if you join the military you might be deployed to either one of those conflicts.

(November 18, 2009 at 11:36 am)littlegrimlin1 Wrote: I don't want to join just to fight and be bossed around. I think it's a good start out on my own and they pay for most of your needs. Other than that, nothing. I think it opens opportunities and would just be a good place to go after high school. I am considering enlisting into the army branch of military.

I am kinda against war, but if an enemy country starts acting a fool towards us, they should be dealt with.

If you want to join an army, come over to Australia and join ours... Our guys are based in Afghanistan, but they're only really there to make up some numbers. Deaths in our army are very rare, and in the case of one, it's televised all over the news.
Our guys are also highly skilled, because we don't have the numbers... We have to make up for it in training.

But, in the end, you're still a pawn.

I think my decision is justified based on the financial part. It also offers some discipline for meh.

And if I die, I won't even care! lol (b/c I'll be dead) haha

(November 18, 2009 at 12:12 pm)littlegrimlin1 Wrote: I think my decision is justified based on the financial part. It also offers some discipline for meh.

And if I die, I won't even care! lol (b/c I'll be dead) haha

You won't make any money if you're dead littlegrimlin. Decipline you can learn in many other ways. I urge you to rethink your decision:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnsjJTigtsU

Two words that can solve this problem, Coast Guard. My father was drafted during the Vietnam war and avoided the draft by going to college, YAY! Then he flunked out of college and was the draft caught up with him, boo. Then he figured out he could get all the benefits of the military without any of the risk by signing up for the Coast Guard. He worked as an electronic tech. maintaining Loran stations in Thailand, ya know, 'cause they didn't have GPS back then. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LORAN

He went on to college using money from the military and became an electronic engineer. There are other paths forward that don't involve risking life and limb. There are the trades such as pipe fitters union, electrician's union, mason's, and whatever else I am missing. You start out making a bit over minimum wage and move on to higher pay grades based on time in the union. I had a friend in the pipe fitters union who was making $28 an hour!

Another way forward would be to sign up with temporary agents (Kelly, Express, whatever is in your area). You will perform a wide variety of jobs and will get a good idea about what type of job you like. I got training through a temp agency that allowed me to work in electronics as an assembler and moved on to things within that field. I recently had my schooling paid for, in full, by Intel and there are many other companies that offer tuition payment if you find the right company.

Right out of high school I went into the CCC's (California Conservation Corps) because I needed to get out of my parent house. That was a quick way out with no risk because the C's take care of all practical expenses (Food and housing).

It just depends what your goal is.

Rhizo