Why does no one want to join the Military?

Question

its good benifits right? but everyone sits at home on the couch. not even giving it a second though. Is it because it's hard?

i try and promote the army as a good option for anyone. it teach's good skills, not only teamwork and leadership but many more. I just don't understand why someone wouldn't want to join the bundeswehr? or any other army for that matter. it is disgracefull to work hard to defend your country and then watch these movies that make it seem like you could walk through bootcamp in 2 days. My god.
news like the dis-respectfull Citizen is almost unwelcome to me as the time i heard that the United States army was issuing they're 'soldiers' "Stress cards" Lmao. even reduced the yelling. thats another thing, the US army is geting pethetic. i mean i got hit, yelled at and assaulted in every way to break me down and remake me. What's happening to the world? the world where everyone respected a good soldier? a world where everyone joined the military?

note: I wasnt talking about iraq.

the german army isnt in Iraq if you havent noticed. i wasnt talking exclusivley about the US military.

furthermore. in germany. it is optional wether or not you join a german task force in a foreighn country.

Edit:
all good responses, as for the 'proud wife of a soldier'. i'm sure many soldiers feel the same way as i do. i say this as a soldier, not as a pissed off citizen.

Furthermore, for the Soldier in the 82nd airborne division. I have been to afganistan a couple times. never Iraq.
also, i dint know women could join a combat unit such as the 82nd airborne. only souport units. and technical brigades. Atleast last time i checked the US Military's RoE. But no offense, i have nothing against women in the military. in the bundeswehr all women are allowed in all roles.(including combat). Furthermore, i understand how women are out there fighting the war.
but my question is, if it is against the US military's RoE, then how did you make it to a combat division such as the 82nd airborne? atleast in the bundeswehr, we have special Division's for souport roles.

Answer 1

My husband would commend you on your question here. He is a SSG for the Army/National Guard and has lost many soldiers who have ETS'ed and did NOT re-up. With so many Americans opposing the unpopular war in Iraq, it makes many people shy away from doing their duty for this country. War is no longer a national effort. My husband and I were watching a documentary on PBS about WWII and it amazes me how the country rallied behind our military from recycling tin and fat drippings to growing victory gardens. You NEVER see that now.

In times of peace, people I think are more inclined to enlist because they figure on doing their 5 or 6 years commitment on some stateside post and then getting money for college. Or they do their one weekend a month and their 3 weeks over the summer and they expect to take from the military and never be expected to give anything back and they are shocked when they get called up. "I only joined for the college money..." Joining the military means you don't only sign up for that GI Bill; you sign up for the whole ball of wax and to a lot of people, signing up during a time of conflict abroad is NOT something most like the thought of. My husband, on the other hand, was active duty and got out. He decided to join the Guard and resigned 9/10/01...the day before 9/11. He's now in the AGR program and works full-time in the Armory where we live. He has gone through vigorous training on the Stryker this summer because once they go to JRTC, they go on the list and countdown to his deployement begins. He talks about his own experiences with basic training and when he went through jump school and he talks about a "new Army" now and how its nothing like when he went through it, only a short 11 years ago. There is no more hazing of the recruits, no more smoking 'em with a run for punishment. he really is disappointed on how the Army has softened up.

Just yesterday, a woman on here told me that because I support my husband, that I am supporting an illegal war and therefore if he were to be KIA, that I would be partially to blame. I took real offense to that. This was probably some civilian who knows nothing about being in the military or what it means to be married to someone who is in the military. I support my husband, no matter what. I would be thrilled if the war in Iraq ended tomorrow, but they would just send him some place else. Obviously some people don't get it and never will. It takes a certain kind of person to willingly sign up to protect their country at all costs, whether they disagree with the cause or not. This woman who said that to me on a question that I had posted on Y!A was way out of line and must live in a magical, peaceful, world of unicorns and rainbows. But this is life and war is unfortunately part of life. It would be great if we could all just get along; but lets be realistic. And thank heavens for those brave people who do sign up to protect our country, unlike those who sit at home and sleep at night and take our freedom for granted and sit and point fingers and pass judgement and criticize.

When war becomes a national effort again, I think we'll see the days of the respected military soldier return, but I think that is highly unlikely. But please take comfort in the fact that there are still some of us who respect our Soldiers and Marines, and pray for them every night.

Answer 2

you know why they don't join, because they are sitting at home, on line, bashing other people's courage to join the military and keep the United States as safe as possible. 9/11 caught us with our pants down. Not again. It is a shame today's youth doesn't have any loyalty to the country. Does not see how important the military presence is in other countries that want to come over and destroy the US. Many want to sit around and say the military stupid but half of those naysayers don't even qualify for the armed services, old'Prozac Kids!

Answer 3

You have reminded me why I joined. It is easier for people make complaints in our country than to get up and do something about the problems we face. I only graduated a year ago from basic training and I am depployed already. Those "Stress Cards" don't get respected at all and I'd dare a soldier to try to pull those out. I don't think our Army is getting pathetic. Are you over here seeing us lower ranking soldiers putting our lives on the line? I should have an Iraqi citizenship ID. for how long wee are here. It pisses me off when we are over here hot and dirty doing work becuase other Americans don't have the balls to do what we do and people sit back and whine. How we feel about the war is irrelevent. Our country has a job to do and someone has to do it. Whether I get resepcted or not I still get free medical, non taxed pay, free higher education and if I die , I die an honorable death for the country I love. So if others don't respect what I do or I don't get a pat on the back I don't really care. If these people are willing to be afraid to do an honorable duty then so be it. I will remember to do my duty and reap its benefits when I wake up tommorrow still in Iraq ready and armed for work.

Answer 4

I can't speak for the german army, or british military, but in america i think that a great deal of people are steered away from joining the military due to family pressure. my wife would be devistated if i packed my bags and left for a tour of duty for 15 months. she'd have a very difficult time raising children and making it without me.

another reason that many don't join the military is because there is a lot more money in the private sector.

Answer 5

I like Promethius' observation regarding the Israeli DF.

I also laugh at the "stress cards" or "training-time-outs"... sadly, that is a result of our liberal-elect-eds sticking their noses into matters they have NO clue about back in 1987. I was 3 months ahead of the student whose training death at the US Navy's Rescue Swimmer School brought about that change.

That was TOUGH training... because you don't GET "stress cards" at 2am when you're hovering over a stormy sea needing to jump from your helicopter to rescue downed pilots or a shipmate who has been swept overboard. You need to be aggressive, motivated, and slightly insane... you need to believe it is you holy-duty to jump into those 15 foot waves and get that rescue DONE.

I DON'T think hitting or assault is necessary in training... but some creative yelling, questioning the intelligence and parentage of the recruit / trainee, etc is perfectly acceptable and a PART of training an effective and strong force.

Personally, I don't WANT the US military to revert to a draft... the volunteer military is far more professional and effective.

Answer 6

It pains me to realize that the thousands of troops who have died protecting our nations wars have done so to protect the freedom of speech for those who are too lazy to do the research before excercising that right against the very people who secure it for them. Debra's answer, then, is enlightening in the extreme.

As to the question, a volunteer military is a good thing, so long as it only makes up a specific percentage of the population, in our case, about 1%. The problem with a force where everyone in the nation is a member is that you end up with a rush case mentality, because a military action pulls the population from their jobs and hurts the economy. You can see this in the way that Israel goes to war: they go gung-ho because their infrastructure can't support a sustained combat action. In other words, they finish off enemies fast because they HAVE to.
Unfortunately, America is a global player (in fact, the global leading player) and can't afford to take such a stance. In that way, it's a good thing that we have built such a social system that we can economically sustain our countries growth WHILE deploying troops to combat operations.

Answer 7

Overwhelming media bias against the Iraq war that show nothing but failure and no success... period.

Most that would enlist are the product of parents of the 60s or early 70s. Another strike against military enrolement.

Answer 8

Debra H you need some help and if I was younger once again I would rejoin the military and go to Iraq good or bad if you country calls you should go I wish I could!!

Answer 9

NO ONE wants to join? Then who are those people heading for boot camp? GHOSTS?

Answer 10

wow so I'm a nobody I'm going to join in a few years