<p>I don’t think anyone in my family or I can go into the army… My sister has an auto immune disease , my brother was born with a club foot (he’s fine and it doesn’t affect him at except he needs two different size shoes because one shoe needs to be wider than the other) and I’m pretty sure I can’t either… Can’t remember why though. </p>
<p>Also no offense to any of you but all the people I’ve met want to go into the army because they think they’ll be ale to go to any college for free after they get back and/or they really want the opportunity to use guns etc. some people do it for honor, for their country… Others… Not so much.</p>
<p>CC just enabled a reputation system to give points to people who give helpful posts, so I’m using it as a like button for logic’s post! haha so ironic they just did this.</p>
<p>I have… And did. It started out as a way to pay for college, then turned out to be a great 11 years of my life. Now I’m going to school for free (and getting a housing allowance) after getting out. It’s not for everyone, but I’ve served with, for, and under some of the best minds this country has to offer.</p>
<p>I have been thinking about it for years. It’s easier said than done. I think I will because if you think about it, it’s like all in one package. For example, say you want to be in a sorority or fraternity the military is a big one you can meet new people everyday and you are forever bonded. The education opportunities in the military and the schools they help pay for is a dream come true. By having some military experience, your mindset about school and perceptive of life is different. When you think like that the military can be a great place to start or start later.</p>
<p>I totally agree with Artsy- also, the American Military (or any military) is not the glorified place he media portrays it to be ex. hazing, rape, etc. happens a lot in the military and I don’t want to be a part of it.</p>
<p>That’s the media that portrays it to be some sexual harassment place where everyone is either raped or harassed in some way…you’d have a greater chance of being assaulted on a college campus.</p>
<p>Yes, although my mum would never let me if she had a chance. Then I found out I’ll never be able to, even though my asthma’s clearing up, and will probably be gone in a few years.</p>
<p>It’s not the media, hazing in the military can be pretty brutal. Forced labor, beatings, endless criticism, stuff like that. Talk to a couple servicemen and ask them, they all have a story related to the issue (but not all will tell it)</p>
<p>Wow, Aero… The same preconceived generalizations could be raised about joining a college fraternity… Hazing, forced drinking, date rapes. See how dumb that sounds now. Does it happen in the military? Sure, it’s been documented just the same as its been documented in other factions of society. But to say that it’s rampant is wrong. The members of the armed service are the same people you went to HS with. They are brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, moms, and dads from all corners of the country. Say what you want of them… They fight for that freedom too.</p>
<p>Protect America from the sea and helps with humanitarian efforts when there’s a need too. In the past decade or so there’s the whole new technology wave and the Navy is pretty high tech and is big on STEM.</p>
<p>No. I think I can make more meaningful contributions to society as an academic or entrepreneur than I will as a soldier. Plus, I’m way, way too weak physically and emotionally. I really don’t think I can handle killing people.
Now, I don’t think everyone in the military is a rapist or whatever but there are somethings about it that concern me that I believe have not been adequately addressed. That being said, I think there are ‘just wars’ and believe that intervention is necessary at times.</p>
<p>Can’t because of my bad eyesight, not that I ever would anyway. The military does important work, but it’s way too dangerous and restrictive for me. </p>
<p>My brother (3 years younger) wants to do ROTC, but I’m hoping to talk him out of it.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t. The United States military is an imperialistic force that I have no desire to be a part of. And honestly, as unpopular as I know this will be, I scoff at anybody who thinks they are fighting for us or for our freedoms. They are fighting for money and to restrict the rights of others around the globe…for more money.</p>
<p>I completely understand if you guys don’t want to join the military, but some of you have a warped sense of it…very few people who enter the military die…it’s not 1917 with trench warfare and mustard gas, the chance of dying is seriously very low. And the majority of people in the military aren’t infantry, there’s things like clerks, logistics, journalists, mechanics, etc.</p>
<p>^Or 1916 when over a half of those attacking on 1st July became casualties. </p>
<p>“The United States military is an imperialistic force” All Western militaries are nowadays, and I object to their interference. However, as long as they are invading etc I would have no issues with joining them. Basically my commitment to my beliefs is pretty low.</p>
<p>I’m the proud son of a marine who served in Vietnam and my brother-in-law is in the military right now and they’d both admit that the military has some fairly widespread problems including hazing, and that the wars in the Middle East have become a massive waste of time and resources. I’m all for supporting the troops, but we can’t wear rose colored glasses when we talk about the military. Of course, there are some who think that the military is all about ravaging other countries in some type of American world conquest, which is obviously not the case. I just think we need to be realistic about it.</p>
<p>For example, even though the rate of death in the military is <5%, the rate of injury is a good bit higher. Many of our boys come back from overseas with debilitating injuries that will never go away. And can you really say that the <5% is an acceptable statistic for what we’re actually accomplishing? How about the ridiculous amount of money we 're burning up maintaining these wars? It’s atrocious…</p>