Women will now be in combat.....

No evidence of that.

I never made any effort to avoid military service whatsoever.

 

Did you ever make an effort to join military service?

I mean, I've never made an effort to avoid military service either. Of course, there hasn't been a draft during my lifetime.

 

Only a few months after 9-11. I recall mentioning it in the My Diary thread when it was at the TrekBBS and it was discussed at the TrekBBS at some length IIRC.

 

Yes, I remember that.

I also you remember saying that one reason you decided against joining the military was because it would impact your life to much, while also supporting the idea of a draft for younger people you saw as not worth giving the same choice.

 

Typically incorrect.

 

at the "big paycheck" part. As for the rest, well, usually there's less yelling, standing at attention, marching, and usually the living accommodations and work hours are better. Well, those are the things I don't miss anymore, anyway.

 

It's just one example, but you're right. Everything in seventh fleet is kneejerk, kneejerk, kneejerk and run down the one or two ships that are capable of getting the job done. Since the most recent rape incident this past October, there's been a curfew in place and we've had two incidents. And yet our CO (albeit one who has been in command for six weeks now) acts like we've become shitbags when every other ship sees at least twice as many incidents on any give weekend.

I can understand why people have taken this "fuck Japan, they bombed us first!" attitude...especially when the Japanese government and most of the locals near bases alike are scratching their heads at the strict rules in place.

 

Really. So you didn't say that one of the reasons you never joined the military was because you could support your family better in your opinion if you didn't? And you don't defend using the draft?

 

How long were you in and what branch? After a few years (for me at least) the pay went way up, the marching was kept to a bare minimum (but I still hated any form of it) and if I lived off post versus on post the living conditions were great.

Pay might not be much at first, but it's not what you make, it's what you spend. When food, medical and housing are free, all your money is disposable income. And the work is steady - no layoffs or firings.

I can't think of a occupation where a kid with limited education and job skills can make enough money to live very comfortably. Hell, you'd be amazed how many people with college degrees in highly skilled jobs come into the military because they can't find steady employment in their chosen field.

 

I didn't join the military when I got out of high school because I wanted to take advantage of my scholarship and go to college immediately. That is also what my parents both wanted and as a 17 year old who closely followed what his parents wanted, I did not object.

In early 2002 (after 9-11 and losing the job in management I had held for four years) I was rejected when making an inquiry because though I was not quite "too old" I had no skills that they thought would be useful.

They later raised the age considerably and took a broader range of volunteers (after the invasion of Iraq IIRC) but by then I was employed again and wasn't interested any longer.

 

AFROTC for 3 years. Part of my training was what the pay was at the various pay grades, so I'm not just going off of what they paid me for being contracted. Some of it seemed like a lot, but starting out for an engineer is like $50-$60k. My interest was mainly in the idea that I'd pay for my education, have a job waiting for me, and have 4 years of experience under my belt when I got into the civilian market again, at least had everything worked out. Cutbacks and a rather zealous training officer at Field Training combined to result in a "thanks, but no thanks" from the Air Force. I ended up not graduating when I was supposed to anyway, so it's probably for the best.

 

So, as we've established many times before, you had multiple opportunities to join the military that you extol to your students and that you're so eager to see go off to fight on your behalf, and didn't.

 

Apparently, by having "no skills" this means that Dayton lacks trigger fingers.

 

I do not see your point. I volunteered. Was rejected.

And just because I see military service as a good thing for the majority of my students does not in any way infer cowardice (a patently ridiculous claim by any standard) or lack of willingness to serve on my part.

Most of the American people will never serve in the military. That does not make them obligated to not voice their beliefs regarding the U.S. military affairs or foreign policy.

Nor does someone who advocates military action have any moral or legal obligation to go begging the U.S. armed forces to take him (or her).

 

If you had any knowledge at all of the U.S. military you would know that the vast, vast majority of positions in the military do not involve combat.

 

I bet he would make for good cannon fodder, though. That's a skill, isn't it?

 

If you knew anything about the modern U.S. military you would know that the concept of "cannon fodder" is basically completely repulsive. That the U.S. values each of its soldiers highly and tries to avoid using them carelessly both for moral and practical reasons.

 

I think he was implying that the only skills needed are pulling a trigger, which would be even further off the mark.

The average grunt after a couple of years has a skill set (in many areas, not just military) that would put the average civilian to shame.

 

Then he is an idiot.

 

Why blow him up with a cannon when you can set him on fire and launch him towards the enemy from a cannon?

 

I'm just surprised how little skills you have is all. What with working at Walmart, being fired from waffle house, and failing at teaching, I can't understand why the military wouldn't want you?

 

Considering that I've been working as an educator for nearly a decade I don't see how you can say with a straight face that I'm "failing at teaching".

And there is nothing wrong with retail management.

 

I'm just saying, you're the idiot who couldn't even sign up for the Army.

 

IIRC, the recruiter's exact words were "we don't need a 35 year old infantryman".

 

you know its a good idea for women to serve on the front lines the towel heads will look at the women and say

" fuck those american women are crazy mother fuckers we go back to shooting donkeys no?"

my hat gose off to those who can do the military thing. i cant for one reason.


I'm a lazy fucker

though sometimes i wish the goverments would treat thier services people better when they leave

 

Kind of makes me think of Kantorek, who was a teacher or principal, IIRC.

 

Bump