Having been in the service myself, I feel that it should be mandatory for men and women. Before I joined I was just another punk that didn't have a clue about life. The first time I came home for leave from Korea I was so excited to see all my friends and family that I hadn't seen for over a year. But while I was home I realized that nothing had changed. All my friends we're still drinking drugging working the same crappy job, or not at all and living at home with thier parents. I was glad to get back to Korea. I feel like the experience of military life made me a better person. And I think that if service was mandatory we wouldn't have so many fat, lazy people mooching of welfare looking for a free handout from uncle sam. Do I make any sense? I've been drinking a little? Agree. Disagree. Tell me why?
129877
Well...I completely disagree with you. I dont think its because youre drinking though haha. We just disagree on basic things I think. See, I would like to see the army disbanded, you would like military service to be mandatory. I think there are much better ways to make people less lazy or fat or whatever than by forcing them to join the army. Not to mention that I've seen all too many people come back from the army totally f*cked in the head. I'm not saying youre f*cked in the head, nor am I denying that it did you good or whatever, I'm just telling my point of view. What it basically comes down to though, is, I'm a Buddhist. And as a Buddhist I have rejected all violence, making me a pacifist. If the government were to tell me I had to go into the army, I would leave. Simple as that. No government has the right to tell me to forsake my beliefs. Its a basic freedom you dig? Not to mention that I think this country has bigger and more important issues to deal with at the moment than mandatory military service...But thats just me and my point of view. Go ahead, you can call me a sissy liberal if you want haha.\n\n\nPeace
77440
While I like the idea of compulsory service in order to earn full citizenship, it should not be limited to military service.  Service to ones country can include, peace corp, volunteer work in under privilege communities, or dozens of other things.  Not everyone should be a soldier, but working in some capacity to make your country a better place to be should be required.
24262
sense the first answer you got was useless!! And based on the idiots personal feelings about a military that he probably doesn't have the guts to join and serve with!!!!\n\nI will do my best to help. The entry-level separation is for people who "can't" make it. Either they fail to meet the requirements physically, or they are a discipline problem. It won’t be a dishonorable discharge; it would be a “general discharge” And would be further classified as, under “Honorable” or “Less than Honorable” conditions. As far as I know “your friend” wouldn’t fall into this category being as she has already graduated boot camp. I would suggest that she go to her first unit and “ride it out” for alittle while. I served 12 years in the military and can tell you that not everyone is cut out for the service. Most people that I have dealt with that want out are usually new and kinda flip out in boot camp. The rest of the service isn’t like that. It honestly is similar to a 9-5 job.\nYour friend had to know that the military isn’t the “girl scouts” She had to of known there was a chance of getting deployed? Either way I would say to her that she should at least get to her unit and do her job for a few months and if after that she still doesn’t feel like she is cut out for it, go talk to her Chaplin and then her commander to see what her options are. Hope this helps! (Tell “your friend” to keep her chin up!) There is a category called "failure to adapt" this is for people who have served -12 months active duty and "aren't cut out for the military" Not sure of the exact details for that one.
314250
Manic, you are a twit.  We don't feel it necessary to parade our good deeds all over town.  We volunteer within our own military community and family.  We have to take care of our servicemembers, because  many Joe Civilians couldn't care less about the long hours we keep worrying whether or not our spouse will come home in a bag.  We deal with deployments lasting 6-24 months without breaking a sweat, but have to listen to our neighbor gripe about her husband going on a 2 day bsuiness trip.  \n\nMilitary spouses are Mother and Father simultaneously.  they are chauffer and referee, cheerleader and disciplinarian.  And we do it with a proud heart and a smile for our spouse.
362170
First of all I assume you are young, using a term like IP. That is so old school and hardcore private. This way of thinking.... is Ok to a point. Yes, watch your ass at all times and rely on your squad. Yes, there are issues with the IPs..... but try to soak in the fact that most of them are just people trying to get along and make the best of it as they have had to deal with crap all of their lives...... which americans dont.  Soak in the experience..... and be thankful. And by the way, save your pay so when you come back you will be set.... don't blow it since you are there.
360191
I agree with you 100%.  I fought in WW2 and was lucky to make it back alive and well. I would go now if I wasn't so damned old.\nThe kids of today are soft, arrogant and don't know what it is to be an American.  Everything is taken for granted.  Cars, cell phones, you name it.  They have it.  All 18 years and older should be drafted for at least 2 years and made into men.  Mandatory service is standard in many nations throughout the world.  It should be mandatory in the USA as well.
528389
I think there should be a compulsory national service of some kind for adults 18-45.\n\nMilitary service could be one of the choices.  Another option for conscientious objectors  should be an in-country service corps (like AmeriCorps VISTA) or the overseas Peace Corps.\n\nNot enough people realize how lucky they are to live in the United States - too many people take their situation for granted.   A national service requirement would change their perspective.\n\nI also believe that an immigrant who served in a national service should be given credit for their time served, if they wanted to pursue immigration by naturalization.\n\n(added 11-20-06)\nReinstatement of the draft significantly raises the "political trigger" for a government to choose to go to war.  If we had the draft in place before sending troops to Iraq in 2003, you can bet there would be a more spirited debate, and we probably would not be in the mess we are now.\n\nAnd immigrants who choose to join the military today can get credit for time served, if they eventually apply for citizenship.  It's a law that has been on the books for many years.
83375
you know i was talking to a soldier who was just waiting around in new york to be deployed and at first i was so proud of him,but then i noticed that he did alot of drinking and playing video games and chatting on the internet and roughousing and getting wasted with fellow comrades and little by little i stopped admiring him i saw he really didnt have a life some of the soldiers there were lonely , they were just kids playing around and one good comment he made about the army was that is was a place where adults can act like kids and that really dissapointed me because i took kim seriously at first but i see how people can go crazy in the armed forces because of many reasons and the people that do lose their life it is all for anunjust cause. do i think  they are heroes not the ones sticking guns in peoples faces , butif a slodier is saving a life , yes he is a hero  , but i dont know if they realize they can be heroes to themsleves if only they would step up and grow up because the matter they are in is serious because they never know when their time is up . yes some of them dont always do heroe things or save lives but they did something not any of us could have and you might feel negative because maybe you know this war sucks and the ego games guys play and you dont want to acknlodege the losers the bastards to being heroes . thats understandable..
645139
I think that maybe at first it might be kind of hard for them to leave their friends,especially when they are teens.Because your not sure where your husbands duty station is gonna be.But once you find out you can call there and ask about what kind of activities they have on post for teens and get some kind of idea of whats going on there.I guess you know that you don't have to live on post if you don't want.But I also know that it is a relief knowing that all your bills are paid except your phone,cable,etc.The cost of living is high in alot of places and that makes it harder when you do live off post and your kids might enjoy that better.It might take some time but I think they will adjust and  they'll be okay.As for the deployments I guess I would have to say nobody is ever prepared for those and it all comes down to everyone has to support the other.Living day to day knowing your husband could leave for a year or so is never easy on anyone.I hope things work out for ya and the kids do okay.Have your husband keep checking his AKO and hopefully you will find out where your going so you can get prepared early.
545624
What fat pay check are you talking about? We enlisted don't get that much pay!! Geesh!! these civilians !! THE NERVE!!\n\nI joined to see the world! and I got my fair share of it. Still in the service!  Seriously, I joined to get a roof over my head, and sleep at nights without worries, and finished my degree.\n\nGO NAVY!! hehehe..=)
315678
Having been drafted and sent to Viet Nam, I would hope and pray the this nation never will resort to drafting it's young people to go off and get slaughtered again.  If you want to join the military that's fine but you shouldn't be forced to unless it really is necessary to protect the nation.  The last time that happened was during WWII.  I believe if our politicians want to send young people off the war they should first make sure all of their relatives are the first to go into battle.  If that was the case we'd never have to use our military again.
311169
Yes I agree...Veterans system is in bad shape today, there is a lot of work to be done with that system.  I do not like to hear when my fellow troops come home and have to shell out money to pay for medical bills for injuries they received while serving.  It is like saying thanks for what you done but now you deal with the consequences.  I hope the government get the picture and help out our vets who have done so much for all of us...protect freedom
232309
Yes, 100% my husband was over there the first time, it is a hard thing, and you give up much while you're over there. You are what makes this country great. You should be commended and thanked for your great service not only to the American people but to the people of those countries over there. I think that people can't grasp what it's all about unless they've been part of the military and lived in other places. It is when you are given those opportunities that you understand just what it means to have the freedoms that we have. THANK YOU for your SERVICE to our GREAT COUNTRY!!!!!
17957
That is certainly a decision that you and your family need to do some serious thinking about.  My husband, and I were also in the military, so I know how hard it can be when you are deployed.\n\nDo you know what you will do when you get out?\nWill you have to serve another tour over in Iraq?  How long will it be?\nWould you like to make a career out of the military?\nThere is a lot more information that I would need to know, and how you feel about them, before I feel like I could give any amount of decent advice on it.\n\nThank you for your service to our country!
545015
My family received welfare when I was a child, but my mother worked 7 days a week in a low paying job and had 4 children to support. My father was of no help. He was only court ordered to pay $65/month! Now, how is that going to help 4 children?\n\nAll four of us grew up to be very productive members of society--I have a Master's degree, my 2 sis have BA degrees and my brother is a HS grad. Each of us hold professional positions, and we all earn good livings. Despite what people think who do not know any better, many people on welfare only need it as a temporary life saver, and work very hard to be independent of it.\n\nAs far as the Iraq war goes, my old BF and cousin served, but they are the only people I know with any affiliation to this war. Most of the men in my family have been in the military, however.
620480
it's nice to hear the air force is treating you well ... I was a army wife and it was not" 90210 "like you explained ...{thanks for the dumpy comment }, My husband was a GRUNT in Bosnia and in Afghanistan ... It was sheer hell for me and our 2 boys .. Im thankful for Ft. knox they did all they could do to make it as easy as they could for us during my husbands deployment... No matter what branch all these men and women are HEROS ! I was not aware that there were people who did'nt support our troops ... I just thought it was Bush they did'nt support ! being a "army" wife is very hard!!{ there is no fun and games at war} maybe I should have had my husband Join the airforce so we could not appear to be so dumpy!!! My husband is a hell of a man and Im very proud of what he has done for our country.. HOOAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
224417
as a woman i don't understand it either.  i told the recruiter to f*** off when i tried to sign up for the air force because he wouldn't allow me to do "mens jobs".  women should have to register just like the men do.  we wanted to be able to join the military and we can, we wanted to do mens jobs and now (years after i tried) we can, so why shouldn't we have to register?