<p>Although I want to go to USMA, it is a completely voluntary decision. If I was being forced to go, I'd say screw that and move to Canada. I do not think that my friends should be forced to join me, because they are different and have different aspirations and perspiration ("what did he just say?"). libertarian much? :)</p>
<p>Border patrol... ughhhh. what a great use of our resources...</p>
<p>theyre running military-like advertisements on tv now...</p>
<p>yeah well (i've heard) the Mexican Mafia is offering $5000 for cops, 10,000 for border patrol, and 15000 for minute men.</p>
<p>There are intelligents parents on the Parents Forum. You may want to discuss there, too.</p>
<p>usna09mom, our parents would sue (have sued) in a heartbeat. So sad! Glad it still works the way it should where you are.</p>
<p>Rockymnt - Thanks for what you do! I saw on the news recently where watching the borders had paid off in coughing up about a ton of drugs & a great big underground tunnel. Pretty sweet that watchful eyes got some bad guys. I am so concerned about our ports as well. Creeps me out at the very thought of what comes into our ports when you see so many container ships with tons & tons or cargo. At USMMA, we sat in on a class during parent's week-end where they talked about a new system coming into play next year. Its almost what like UPS uses. Scanning barcodes on each container to track it & indicate it's contents from beginning travel to end. Technology plays a vital role here and hopefully some of our kids will be getting the education to implement some of these awesome new safety features. Borders and ports. Dangerous business.</p>
<p>Did you see those poor puppies being used to carry liquid heroin? the stuff packed in baggies no less and surgically implanted!!! These idiots need to have their n^!!$ cut off and then packed with the d@## stuff and then have the feds apply a little pressure and pop the darn bag!!! This is downright insanity!</p>
<p>Saw that this morning. Hey, I've got just the knife for n^!!$ removal for those sick people. Jamzmom can get a mean streak when it involved puppies, babies, the wounded. Ya know, living helpless things that shouldn't be picked on by predators. I need a blood pressure pill....</p>
<p>Don't worry about port security JM the CGA has that under control. And nobody seizes more illegal drugs than they do!</p>
<p>I meant to put "when it involves" instead of "involved" but it won't let me go back & correct the thing...</p>
<p>Boss - And its amazing too! They wear all that orange and can be seen from miles away. They sure can't sneak up on anybody. LOL Maybe if my kid gets there, they'll all listen to his Mom when she suggests they should probably blend in more. Maybe a water blue type cammie outfit thingee. It would look prettier. :)</p>
<p>"My neighbors came from South Africa and he served two years in their military. Not sure its required in that country now."
Mandatory National Service in SA ended with apartheid. There was talk of requiring grads in certain essential service fields (especially medical personnel) to work in rural areas (or other understaffed areas) for a specified period of time after graduation. The idea being that they owed the country a debt for their education (All university education is government subsidized in SA). I'm not sure if it was ever implimented. </p>
<p>In 2004, A NEJM article (Casualties of War Military Care for the Wounded from Iraq and Afghanistan) discussed the impact of medical care on survival, and discussed the shortage of medical workers in what has become a protracted war. </p>
<p>"President George W. Bush has flatly declared that there will be no draft. However, the Selective Service, the U.S. agency that maintains draft preparations in case of a national emergency, has recently updated a plan to allow the rapid registration of 3.4 million health care workers 18 to 44 years of age. The Department of Defense has indicated that it will rely on improved financial incentives to attract more medical professionals. Whether this strategy can succeed remains unknown.</p>
<p>It's an interesting article, but a difficult read for anyone with a loved one in the armed services.</p>
<p>There should be no peacetime draft in the US. It would, indeed, be servitude. One of the hallmarks of US society is freedom to direct one's own destiny. If the US is in a military situation that requires calling up more citizens, then let the Congress approve of that and let it go forward.</p>
<p>I hold the parents at fault! Many of my kid's friends are "spoiled" and self-centered people. However, their parents are no different. The fruit doesn't usually fall to far from the tree! </p>
<p>Taffy, I feel that kids immediately out of high school 18-20 should be the ones in public service.</p>
<p>i will disagree, and bow out.</p>
<p>well, I guess I am looking at this a bit selfishly- but if my son's life someday, God forbid, hangs on the balance of the person standing next to him watching his back, I want to be sure that someone wants to be there doing what they are doing, with the motivation equal to the task. For that reason alone, </p>
<p>Draft? no. Public service? now there is a brilliant idea.</p>
<p>One of the best things to come out of the draft and WWII was forcing people to work with other people from a variety of backgrounds. Guys met others from significantly different families. Unfortunately, it was forced and it didn't work for everyone.</p>
<p>As Jamzmom suggested, getting out of our comfort zones and seeing how others live and understanding them better, is usually a good thing. And heavens knows, our country has a wide variety of needs. The reason I brought this up is that there was a flurry about a draft after 9/11 (went no where). Meanwhile, we continue to have significant needs in child care, tutoring, senior citizen care, homeless, national parks, public construction, and then we get into all the defense of the nation needs - from homeland security in its many forms as well as the military. While they are not all even steven, I don't know that they have to be. I would like to see kids 18-21 spend at least 18 month in the company of others in a program doing something "for the public good." </p>
<p>Institutionally, they would have to have stipends and possibly a place to live. I would give them some kind of college "financial credit" for their service. I say, bring back the WPA from the depression, the Job Corps, candy stipers, meals on wheels, conservation corps, etc. as well as military tours. Maybe divide into 2-3 categories and base stipends and college financial aid, i.e. litter clean up is a 1, while the Army is a 3 and base the finances that way. The Brits have gap years, the Mormans have missionary years, the Israelis have mandatory military service - surely we could come up with something - even if not "mandatory," you could make it "cool" with enough financial incentives to make it worth most kids time and effort. Colleges could give kids more "brownie points" for their service as they consider applications. Giving kids a couple years between HS and college would do most considerable good. I realize this is not a profound white paper with complete thoughts, but better than 2 cents.</p>
<p>weski- let me know when you decide to run for office- you can have my vote! :) </p>
<p>While this is hardly a drop in the bucket, our son's HS required 30 hours of community service each year; to the kid's credit, the average exceeded 100 hours annually- it makes a huge difference in how they view the world around them, and hopefully better appreciate all that they have.</p>