Why do people enlist?
- Thread starter Alon Doron
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As far as I'm aware it's because some people just don't have the grades to live a worthwhile career. I've only heard this from one of my teachers who told us about had a student who said that the infantry was his only option for a job.
Of course there'll always be some nutter who wants to shoot the crap out of everything, so I suppose it's better for them to be in the army.
Slightly off-topic: I had no idea that joining the army paid for college in America. Seems to me like a bit of a dirty method of getting more people to enlist. Please tell me if I'm wrong in thinking that, I don't mean to sound ignorant.
Of course there'll always be some nutter who wants to shoot the crap out of everything, so I suppose it's better for them to be in the army.
Slightly off-topic: I had no idea that joining the army paid for college in America. Seems to me like a bit of a dirty method of getting more people to enlist. Please tell me if I'm wrong in thinking that, I don't mean to sound ignorant.
I haven't enlisted personally so I can't speak for myself but I do know a fair few people who have and for them the main reason has been because there wasn't very many good alternatives. I mean it's not really a good time to be a young person without a degree, jobs are scarce and most of them don't want people with no degree or experience, I know one guy who signed up largely because it was a choice between that and working in Woolworths forever (which certainly wouldn't have worked out given that it shut down just after he joined). The Army not only gives you a job but it houses you, feeds you, trains you and makes you much more employable in the future. It also helps give you purpose and direction which they desperately needed, joining the army has improved their lives immeasurably.
So I think a lot of people join because its just a fairly good thing to do overall.
So I think a lot of people join because its just a fairly good thing to do overall.
I enlisted in the army after high school and as a result I learned Mandarin Chinese for free in a year and a half (granted, I didn't pick the language). I don't know any colleges who can offer that.
Why enlist? Well, it's a job. I'd imagine that's the #1 reason. You also get other perks but in the U.S. the biggest perk is the government will pay for your college if you serve for so many years. Plus you get to play with really cool equipment and if you're lucky enough, you get to see many different parts of the world.
Well the way I understand it, in the US, the most common reason is poverty. The Military usually offers a reasonably secure job with benefits that you don't have to go through an interview process for. I saw a video once that talked about the recruitment methods of the US Armed Forces and it featured recruitment officers going around to the most poverty stricken slums in the US and handing out brochures to any and all young people they could find.
To those folks saying the U.S. has never tried it. You are wrong. The U.S. had a conscription army until after Vietnam. It did not work out so well for either the Korean conflict nor the Vietnam conflict, hence why we switched to all volunteer army.
As for my reasons for joining? I was a directionless 18 year old, it gave me some stability, discipline, training in a career, and money for college. Also turned my pudgy ass into a better shape as well.
As for my reasons for joining? I was a directionless 18 year old, it gave me some stability, discipline, training in a career, and money for college. Also turned my pudgy ass into a better shape as well.
Do you think that for the US, or for every nation in every situation? Because I could very well see mandatory enlistment being important for some situations, especially back in the day when you couldn't partially substitute manpower with technology.Matthew94 said:
Sometimes you do learn jobs skills in military service, I sometimes wish I had enlisted to be a helicopter pilot, and after the military you can fly for EMT services and such. Some employers offer special considerations for former military members.
Some people are very into the military, they want the danger/adventure.
Also, for some it's the brotherhood that comes from being in a volunteer military. This may be diminished for mandatory service.
I think that mandatory military service is not a good thing. You'll get a lot of people that don't want to be there and they can end up dragging down the morale of the whole unit. Volunteer military soldiers asked for it. They are better motivated than draft troops. This is why the US military doesn't want draft troops. They'd have to mix them up with the better troops and would end up causing more harm than good.
Some people are very into the military, they want the danger/adventure.
Also, for some it's the brotherhood that comes from being in a volunteer military. This may be diminished for mandatory service.
I think that mandatory military service is not a good thing. You'll get a lot of people that don't want to be there and they can end up dragging down the morale of the whole unit. Volunteer military soldiers asked for it. They are better motivated than draft troops. This is why the US military doesn't want draft troops. They'd have to mix them up with the better troops and would end up causing more harm than good.
In the US, being in the military pays for college. There are also a lot of job benefits. Having been in the military looks fantastic on a resume and, in many cases, you can get a guaranteed interview. Also, you can learn trades in the military, such as automobile repair.
Well if you enlist as an officer then they pay your way through an actually pretty good school and only expect a few years of service in return. Other than that people can just enjoy the job, they might see it as a way to get their foot in the door (military service looks good on a resume), or they may just be patriotic. Lots of reasons, pick one.Alon Doron said:
In America its all for honor, feeling a certain need to (my case), or just because you need the money (Atm). Then there is of coarse the person who just wants to make it a career, but most don't considering they don't stay 15 or 25 years. That's what I am seeing anyways.Alon Doron said:
Honor because the Armed forces here are so hyped. They will call you a Warrior, a hero, no one will question you. It gives you a level of superiority in the American culture because of your "willingness" to serve. No one here bad mouths a solider because its beat into our heads that they are on some level of benevolent's that makes them a higher class in American culture. I don't really see why. Its a Career choice.
Now to my story is I felt a certain need to. My family all were in some sort of armed forces branch. Grandfather the Army, Uncle the Air Force, and my Father the Navy. They all saw the world, but never saw action. Now as you know America is still in a stagnant war in Iraq. Were still having issues with Iran, N.Korea with a new dictator and still doing the same shit as his dad. So I looked at enlisting in the Marines, even though I am a high school student I was still allowed to look at it for a career. I was going to, but through some unfortunate events that is no longer a reality. Which is a good thing. My views in the past couple of months have changed dramatically.
For the whole money aspect it's simple, you go into the armed forces you get housing, insurance, and a decent pay. Our economic troubles led more to enlist because of the fact they will still have pay. Its a terrible reason, but most have to in order to make a decent living in the still recovering economy.
Then of coarse a military career, but i'm sure you can figure that one out. You get to travel and get paid for it, along with the whole honor aspect above.
I am pretty much 100% certain that I'm going to join the British Army. I'd like to join as an Officer in the Parachute Regiment, and I'll be taking a scholarship next year for entry to Sandhurst, where they train officers.
For me, I seek something that I can completely dedicate my life to, while doing something good, all while experiencing a level of risk and adventure that most people never do. I'm certain I'll see some shit that won't be pleasant, I'll probably have to shoot at and kill other people, and I'll run the risk of being shot/stabbed/blown up/beheaded on the internet. But for me, it doesn't matter, because I sure as hell don't want to look back on my life in 30 years and have regrets. I want to live as much as I can, and what better way to do that than by leading men into combat?
Sure, I may die in the process, but better to die living tommorrow than to die in 70 years never having lived.
That's my reasoning, feel free to take issue with it, it doesn't matter to me what people think, I'm not joining to impress anyone or earn respect; I couldn't care less to be honest.
For me, I seek something that I can completely dedicate my life to, while doing something good, all while experiencing a level of risk and adventure that most people never do. I'm certain I'll see some shit that won't be pleasant, I'll probably have to shoot at and kill other people, and I'll run the risk of being shot/stabbed/blown up/beheaded on the internet. But for me, it doesn't matter, because I sure as hell don't want to look back on my life in 30 years and have regrets. I want to live as much as I can, and what better way to do that than by leading men into combat?
Sure, I may die in the process, but better to die living tommorrow than to die in 70 years never having lived.
That's my reasoning, feel free to take issue with it, it doesn't matter to me what people think, I'm not joining to impress anyone or earn respect; I couldn't care less to be honest.
Well, the ads around here talk about learning a trade (for the support roles), learning leadership and all (for officers) and seeing the world (for the navy).
But, well...it's something that appeals to young people, particularly men.
I remember on another forum a deeply disturbing comment by a Thai military officer on why the minimum age for soldiers had to be so young (it came up in a discussion about US soldiers being able to die for their country before being old enough to drink).
It went along the lines of "Sometimes we need young men to run into machine gun fire, and people past their teens won't want to do that".
But, well...it's something that appeals to young people, particularly men.
I remember on another forum a deeply disturbing comment by a Thai military officer on why the minimum age for soldiers had to be so young (it came up in a discussion about US soldiers being able to die for their country before being old enough to drink).
It went along the lines of "Sometimes we need young men to run into machine gun fire, and people past their teens won't want to do that".
My brother has just become an enlisted man in the US Air Force. He and I have been against almost all of our country's military campaigns since W. Bush became President and we've never liked patriotic idiots. We know that the US hasn't fought a war in which it actually defended itself from an invading army since the Mexican war (1840s) and that the odds of the States being invaded in this day and age are practically zero. Suffice it to say I was surprised when he decided to sign on.
But the reason he did so is because he's 27 and isn't sure what he wants to do with his life. That and the schooling we received didn't prepare us for squat for adulthood. The armed forces is the only employer where you just take some tests and you have a job without the hassle of resumés, cover letters, and interviews, and my brother has always been good at tests. Yes, there's other bureaucracy, but it's much more resemblant of what he dealt with in school.
But the reason he did so is because he's 27 and isn't sure what he wants to do with his life. That and the schooling we received didn't prepare us for squat for adulthood. The armed forces is the only employer where you just take some tests and you have a job without the hassle of resumés, cover letters, and interviews, and my brother has always been good at tests. Yes, there's other bureaucracy, but it's much more resemblant of what he dealt with in school.
There are tons of opportunities in the US Army. I got explosives cert and EMT license all for free. I get to go to college for free, get VA benefits for the rest of my life due to my Iraq deployment (and people who keep bitching about the Iraq war, the Iraqi people that I met were very thankful for our presence). I've gotten to do things that regular civilians will never experience. That's off the top of my head and all I've got for now