Where does the perception that people in the military are dumb come from?

Question

If you believe that, then you are the one with intellect issues. Personally, I am getting tired of hearing that. You should not look down on people who wish to serve their country. It takes a special person to do what they do.

Answer 1

You are very correct. The military member, on average:

1) Comes from a middle to upper-middle income family, just like the civilian population
2) Sports a highschool/college gpa of 0.3 higher than their civilian counterparts
3) Scores higher, on average, on the SAT and ACT tests
4) has a higher percentage of members who have a college degree
5) has had more money spent on education and training than civilian counterparts

What people don't realize, is that the military is not a last option for most of it's members. I wanted to join since I was 11 years old. As a final fact, the average 2EXXX career field 7 level (enlisted) has had more than 1 million dollars in training and education.

Answer 2

Partly it was the draft, and the idea that smart people could avoid it, or would volunteer to get what they wanted instead of just waiting for the draft. During the Vietnam War, if you were in College, you were exempt from the draft, so that implied that only dumb people were drafted. Also, there is a perception that people that joined the military did so because they couldn't get a real job otherwise. And in our society we have become obsessed with credentials, so anyone that doesn't have a degree or certificate, must be a moron. As a result someone in the military is seen as having taken the soft option. It's wrong, but that's how poeple are.

Answer 3

Yeah no kidding, if they only knew how much stuff you have to learn while your in the military and then taking that knowledge and using it in the most stressful enviroments. Yeah you may forget some science and math or whatever but you are filled with knowledge on how to do your job as well as others that can be over whelming to the regular person. Its not that everyone is underprivaleged and couldnt goto college, i think everyone in my platoon was middleclass. I could have gone to college and not the military but i choose not to because that is what i wanted to do since i was little, but now that im out i am going to college. We had about a dozen that were in college but decided to join.

Answer 4

I think mostly stereotypes from movies, television, and the liberal media. Webb has an interesting chapter in his book "Born Fighting: How the Scots Irish Shaped America" on how he was mistreated during a university law class, after returning from serving in Viet Nam

Answer 5

John Kerry started that lie about the military being dumb losers.
Studies show that the military are above the average in education and intelligence.
And most are from the upper middle class.
As Ann Coulter says: "our military people are the CREAM OF THE CROP".

Answer 6

Back in the old days when there was a draft, it was believed only the stupid got drafted and weren't smart enough to get out of it. Which is rubbish. I spoke with a mother this past weekend. Her son & daughter are both serving. They are twins. She was bragging on how they always competed all their lives. Both were straight A honor students. She is so proud of both of them. My neice was also an A/B student and is also serving.

Answer 7

Only a top Democratic choice for president last election would stoop so low.

Everyone else knows that they are equally capable, on average, in intellect, and more capable, on average, in kicking terrorist ***.

Answer 8

plenty of intelligent peopple are in the military. however, most of the infantry is made up of underprivalaged or undereducated people who have no better financial option than the military. it offers amazing training, wages and benifits for someone with essentially no skills when they sign up. it does not, however, offer much academic education (unless you sign up for a career in the military and they pay for your college). most of the people i know joined up to serve their country, sure, but the primary motivating factor was money.

Answer 9

I agree it takes a hero to go and defend his country

Answer 10

Because you only need a HS diploma sometimes and because mostly lower income kids join I guess. I used to think so too, and then I met a lot of them. I still think some of them are dumb, but thats because I know they are.