Do many kids enlist in the military with the intent of getting help with their education?

Question

The recent shootings have shown we have become callous to the deaths of our young people in Iraq. I know their are those who say these kids chose to put their lives in harms way-but they are as important.

Answer 1

Now I'm an older guy so things are lots different today then there were back then But years ago when I joined the Marines it was just so I could get away from living on a ranch...The Marines sounded like a much easier life than being a cowboy. let me tell you in some regards I was right!
Of the people I served with back then I want to say the common thread was we all just wanted to get away from our parents and homes. Spread our wings and start our own lives. everything else was second. of course once we were in home sure looked so much nicer....
when your that young your so sure that the bad things will happen to someone else...
BTW the old GI bill I was on was a lot better than what they give the kids today...
My education was far down on the list when I signed on the dotted line. I was so looking forward to going someplace that didnt smell like cows!

Answer 2

I have the choice of going to college and persuing a medical degree, or joining the Army and becoming a medic.
I really have more options than that, but those are the main two.
I want to join the Army. If I couldn't get the training I need to be a medic, I would go to college, but since I can I hope to enlist right after high school.
I'm not joining for education reason, but the Army's education for medics prompts me to straight out enlist.

Answer 3

I know that I enlisted to get that money for college. But, you need to remember that all of the people who enlist know that they have the potential of heading to a war zone. We do know what we are getting into and we made that choice to go. If you do not want to go to the war zone, you can say I'm not going and depending on the situation you will be kicked out w/ either an honorable or dishonorable discharge.

Answer 4

I was a teacher five years ago. A surprising percentage of my teenage students were joining the military strictly for the benefits. On the flip side, everybody driving to work today is taking their chances on the highway. Some of them won't make it home, either.

Answer 5

Your question is somewhat awkward as to the subtext. The answer is probably yes, but I will leave you with some interesting reading from a study about the recruits. Its pretty eye-opening – called “Who Bears the Burden?”