Since when did the 1st option for young people become joining the military?
970465
I don't deny that there are people in the military who had no interest in going to college. There are plenty who probably would have never made it to college.\n\nBut that's not what Kerry's "joke" implied. It implied that the people who didn't study, who didn't try to be smart, are the ones who get "stuck" in the military as their last option.\n\nThat's insulting and untrue. There are plenty of people in the military who are quite well educated. There are plenty of people who will go on to finish school after their service in the military. In many families, it is expected that the son or daughter will continue the family legacy of service before moving on to success in the civilian world. \n\nFor many of the "academic shining starts", military service IS a great option. Some of us joined because we felt the call to serve our country. It had no bearing on whether or not it was the most lucrative choice at the time. But according to Kerry, I guess we were just too lazy in high school and had no other option.
737916
Not much happened during the war years. There were several changes during the 1950s. I can only tell you what I know from my own experience. I left school aged 15 in 1953.  I was in a selective Central School and to enter I had to pass an 11 plus examination.  Some of my friends did a further examination to go on to either a Technical School to specialise in technical subjects or a Grammar School to specialise in languages and literature. Many of my friends stayed on at school to do the General Certificate of Education that was then being introduced into schools in preparation for a wider opportunity for children to enter higher education.  I expect that you should be able to find more information on the Internet especially on the Department of Education and Science web site.  I do not know the address but if you type in the words in your search engine it should come up with options.
920346
It does, and it did for my husband and a couple of my friends.  One of my friends wasn't even considering it at all until they came to our high school.  It's important that our country has soldiers who are proud to serve, who want that type of life.  My husband enjoyed being in the military, even during war-time.  He had moments when he was a little frightened, but it's a profession to be proud of.
817124
Your lifelong dream doesn't include your husband and baby? Sorry, but you now have to put your little dreams second to raising your child for the next 18 years. If a military career was so important, you wouldn't have diverted off your path to get married, get pregnant and have a baby. It's not about what's "best" it's about what's RIGHT.
826960
He certainly did.\n\nBut come on, we all know that the military *is* the last choice available for many young people who do not do well in school, or even socially.\n\nIt is no insult, the military advertises parents considering letting the kids join the military after looking around and seeing gangs and pregnant kids
430706
No.  the US is currently a voluntary army.\n\nUS males 18 - 25 have to sign up for 'Selective Service', which basically states that if a Draft is re-enacted, they they can be drafted.
71179
There are many options.  You can go to college first and enroll in ROTC and enter the Army as a Lietenant instead of an enlisted person if you are just joining after high school.  ROTC will help you pay for college and let you finish it first.  If you join as a enlisted person, you will have to do all your work and then go to college at night.  It would take a long time to finish.  The higher up you are, the safer it is.  And also more money.
1072669
if you mean the military... you can join at 17 with consent of a parent. if you wish to join before finishing highschool there are programs to allow you to do training in the summer. best summer job youll make more than you would at burger hut. if you want to join right now at 17 just getting your GED is always an option w/ parents permission. go to college earlier.
288092
Not legally for the United States.  You could join when you were 17, but had to be 18 to go to Viet Nam.\n\nThe NVA (North Vietnamese army "drafted" orphant boys as young as 12, but usually didn't give them combat assignments until they were 14.  The VC (Viet Cong) made use of children of all ages.
200705
Between the ages of 12 to 24 years old the males of the family were taken out of there homes and trained for combat. During this time Homosexuality was widely accepted if not encouraged within the barracks. The reason for this was that they believed that if there was a deeper connection between the soldiers, they would fight hard to protect one another. But after the age of 24 they were to get married with a women and have children.
507318
Birth, Nationalization, military service
372788
For more than 50 years, Selective Service and the registration requirement for America's young men have served as a backup system to provide manpower to the U.S. Armed Forces.\n\nPresident Franklin Roosevelt signed the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940 which created the country's first peacetime draft and formally established the Selective Service System as an independent Federal agency.\n\nFrom 1948 until 1973, during both peacetime and periods of conflict, men were drafted to fill vacancies in the armed forces which could not be filled through voluntary means.\n\nIn 1973, the draft ended and the U.S. converted to an All-Volunteer military.
741733
17 is the youngest.  You will need parental permission to join, and you have to either have a High School diploma or a GED.  The ASVAB is a requirement for every Military service candidate.
285414
In the U.S. we have an all volunteer military so this would not apply to those who volunteer to serve.  When we had a Draft it was a felony to refuse induction.
1111990
Serving in the armed forces.
834226
Having been in Iraq and now in Afghanistan I can tell you when the rounds start coming your way you will get motivated very quickly. Now enlisting and training draftees is another story all together. The methods used today in the kinder, gentler military would have to be revamped. As far as success you can look at Russia who's Army is made up of mostly constript (draftees): \n\nAs of 2002, Russian Federation has a mandatory two-year draft but most Russians try to avoid it. The most widely used ways to avoid the military service are:\n\nStudying in a university or similar place. All students are free from conscription, but they can be drafted after they graduate (or if they drop out). Graduated students serve one year as privates, but if they have a military education, they have the option to serve two years as officers. Persons who continue postgraduate education, or have a doctoral degree (Candidate of Sciences) are not drafted. \nGetting a medical certificate that shows that a person is unfit for service. Sometimes such certificates are false and can be made for a bribe. \nBribing military or civilian officials responsible for draft. \nJust not going to a draft station–draft-dodging. This can be a criminal offence, punishable by up to two years in prison. \nA rarely used way is having more than two children, or one child younger than three years. (The latter will be dropped from the law in 2008). \nThere are other legal (described in the law) or illegal ways to evade the draft. \nIn Russia, a person cannot be conscripted after he turns twenty-seven.\n\nIn 2006, the Russian government announced its plans to gradually reduce the term of service to 18 months for those who will be conscripted in 2007 and to one year since 2008 and to drop some legal excuses for non-conscription from the law (such as non-conscription of rural doctors and teachers, of men who have a child younger than 3 years etc.).\n\nAs a result of draft evasion, Russian generals have complained on numerous times that the bulk of the army is made up of drug addicts, imbeciles, and ex-convicts, which in turn has lead to an overall decline of the morale and function of the Russian armed services. Conscripts often face brutal hazing and bullying upon their entrance into the military, known as dedovschina, some dying as a result. Suicide among Russian conscripts is at an all-time high.
839755
At one time it was unheard of, not anymore.  Illegals are being recruited and are promised citizenship for serving.