Why would anyone, post Vietnam, in their right mind, join the armed forces?

Question

History has shown that the U.S. Commander in Chief, routinely and unneccessarily places our brave young men and women in harm's way. Why would anyone enlist in our volunteer armed services knowing this?

I completely respect the young men and women that serve in the military. I do not respect the leaders that send them to fight unneccessary wars that have nothing to do with OUR freedom. Knowing that our leaders routinely and unneccessarily send them into harm's way, why do we continue to have people join and then complain? We already know that presidents in the past, present and future will abuse their trust. Why would anyone join up knowing this?

Here's an analogy: your Uncle Frank is a convicted pedofile just released from prison. He's got nowhere to go. He wants to stay with you and your young children. Do you let him? Of course not! Because history tells you he will molest again. AND if you do let him stay with you and he molests your children, you have no one to blame but yourself, right? So, I repeat, knowing what we all know about the abuse of power that presidents are routinely guilty of when it comes to waging unneccessary wars, why do young men and women continue to enlist?

Answer 1

I did it a few years after Vietnam. Everyone above the rank of Corporal was a combat vet.
Our purpose is to go in harms way. That's why they paid me $448/month as a private!
If the world was fair and perfect, the military would be out of a job, and what a great thing that would be!
So even if you don't care for the boss (the President), you still believe that somebody has to be there, and do the heavy lifting of preserving our freedoms. Even if the method seems obscure or incorrect.
We only have those freedoms that we can defend. That is a fact, and it is hard on some folks ears to hear it. Mostly by those people who excersize those very rights and freedoms to their upper limit, and also refuse to take the responsibility to insure that they continue to exist.
People who feel a collective sense of social responsibility for the common welfare, and understand that it involves sacrifice as well, often join the military, police, FD, paramedics, etc. All of these types of callings involve working in unfair, highly ambiguous environments. My hat goes off to anyone who serves.

Answer 2

Because they can't get a job doing anything else.

That's why I joined the Navy and got combat pay during the last year of the Vietnam War. It wasn't fun. The worst part is that when I visited home, no one mentioned it or showed any respect. I was radioactive.

People still join today for the same reason --they can't get any other job. Only NOW they just might have to torture someone! Volunteer enlistments are way, way, way down.

If I had to choose now, today, I would become the best cat burglar in the state rather than join to serve under "W" and Cheney and Rumsfeld. Although I am proud of the young patriots that smuggled those photographs out of Abu Ghriab to show the rest of us how bad we can be if no one is looking.

Answer 3

I am a member of the marine corps special forces. We have been attacked by terrorists time and time again. They killed 150 at the marine base, bombed the trade center, killed 19 in Africa during the black hawk down incident (they trained and supplied the Africans) bombed our navy ship took over air planes and destroyed the Pentagon, the trade centers again, and drove another plane into the ground.

So we know they want America to no longer exist. We know there getting stronger as there terrorist organizations get away with these attacks. And its only a matter of time they get a weapon of mass destruction.

Every time they struck us we turned our back and walked away. Finally we got a president with some balls.

Saddam had W.M.D. and we know that now. He had links to terrorists and we know that now. So now were in Iraq killing capturing and understanding the terrorists. B/c of this we are weakening them.

On top of all that, right next Iran, right by Syria is Iraq. We put our selves in the middle east which a strategically a great thing.

It sounds like your lining to the media, don't. They report on the negative and only the negative. You want the truth go out and find a marine. Hill tell yea the truth.

Maybe you need to spend more time questioning some other way on winning the war on terror and less time trash talking something you know nothing about.

Answer 4

Because some people have a sense of pride for there country and feel that there country is more important then life its self. Look at the first word in the Marines Code, It's Country.
Its not because they can't find any other job either, lot of soldiers i.e. Officers have Bachelors and Masters degree's.
I would have joined if it was not do to a knee injury that I suffered in High School, however my husband is in the Army and every time I go on base a just feel this sense of pride.
Its hard to explain.

Answer 5

The monetary reasons are pretty obvious. And unfortunately too many sign on just for the money.

But to most, the miltiary isn't just a steady paycheck. It's a calling. The need to serve something bigger than themselves is felt in many people still.

And as they say...

It is the soldier, not the journalist who give the freedom of the press.
It is the soldier, not the poet who gives freedom of speech.
It is the soldier, not the campus organizer who gives the right to protest.
And it is the soldier who has sworn an oath tot he flag, who has served beneath the flag and whose coffin is draped with the flag who gives the protester the right to burn the flag.

Answer 6

To put their lives on the line for your freedom of expression, your freedom from foreign invasion, your soft privilged life and everything else you may take for granted. The American condition is not the norm, the vast majority of the people in the world would kill for a life like you probably lead. Freedom isn't free it was bought and paid for by the blood, sweat and tears of patriots. If brave young men and women want to follow in this tradition, who are you to question if they are in their right minds or not? You should be grateful to the armed forces that ensures your very right to question them.

Answer 7

Some people feel, unlike yourself that serving ones country is an honorable thing to do. Some people appreciate the fact that you can not just claim freedom and rest; that there are those who will challenge those freedoms and our way of life. Liberty requires maintenance. Your view of history is subjective. You haven't proven the premise upon which your question is based.

Answer 8

are you really an american? sorry to ask but your the first american in a long time on yahoo answers ( on this subject) to make sense. your right YOUR freedom has never been in threat. your neighbour with his M4 "hunting rifle" is more dangerous to you then anyone in iraq. im just glad ive found a person like you. after a while you start to question if i was wrong or is the world full of idiots. there is much honour in dying for your country or a belief...but for oil, money, or personal gain/revenge is BS

Answer 9

To return something to their Country, who's benefits they enjoy. For personal honor and achievement. To name just a couple of reasons.

There are still (thank God) plenty of young men and women in this country who have the backbone to serve in our military. Regardless of often being despised by nitwits who have never heard a shot fired in anger except on TV.

They don't do it to serve the temporary Commander-In-Chief they come and go, they do it to serve the Nation. God Bless each and every one of them.

Answer 10

with today's technology you're right.. there is NO reason for war.. a well placed sniper could have easily solved our current problem among most others.. in fact we've had them in the cross-hairs before..We couldn't pull the trigger because bleeding hearted liberals said NO..Some people in this word are wasting oxygen.. like Osama for instance or my ex girlfriends psychotic, child molesting 17 year old...War is waged the way it was and has been waged for MONEY.. Not for god, not for country, not for noble reasons...WAR generates MONEY..lots of it..