The Montgomery GI Bill (Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944) is a veteran benefits or incentive for military personnel to go to college. The objective of the Bill was to assist returning World War II veterans when it comes to education financial need. Now the GI Bill has just been recently expanded to 52 billions dollar over the next ten years for our Iraq veteran. With this increase in the GI Bill budget, it will really help military personnel get a better financial education benefit, which is what everyone is saying.
However, for some reason Sen. McCain is against this GI Bill, a Bill which will greatly help out troop in the area of financial aid. McCain who is an honorable military veteran himself is against this Bill that will help veteran. Why is this? Well, I can answer for McCain but I do agree with his decision of going against the Bill. Here is my explanation for going against the GI Bill which is intended to help veteran.
1) Military recruiter job is to enlist anyone into the military. However, their main targets are low income student who probably will NOT go to college even with incentive. Having a GI Bill to help people that will not go to college to go to college is a waste of money. The yearly excess of the BI Bill is probably going to be use to extent our war with Iraq. The money has to go somewhere right?
2) We all know that in the military, there is a thing call boot camp [Basic Combat Training (BCT) is what the military call it], which is require for all member of the military. The period in which someone has to stay in BCT vary and can last over a year from what I know. People who do join the military for this education incentive have to endure this training and the delaying of their education. If you are planning to get education benefit from the military through the BI Bill, hint, try the following site. It has ton of education benefit.
http://www.fastweb.com/
Millions of dollars in education benefit go unused each year.
3) Even if you finish BCT, the probability of a graduate of BCT going over sea to Iraq and into battle is highly possible. Majority of people in the military who had gone over and came back will tell you that going oversea suck. Every else that encourage you to go oversea is probably only doing it because it reduce their chance of going back oversea. This delay the progress of education and not a cent of the GI Bill is use yet.
4) Even if you don't get send oversea, there is a secondary boot camp that is call Advanced Individual Training (AIT) which is require just like BCT. AIT is the Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) training camp. In another, job training camp. Again, you get to see is you get pick to go oversea again if you graduate. This further delays your education and more if you go oversea.
Note: BCT and AIT can take up to 3 years together. Going oversea add one more year. That a total of 4 years the GI Bill goes unused. In those 4 years, there's going to be a lot of unused money which has to go somewhere and I'm betting it going to extend our never-ending war with Iraq.
5) After four years of training and oversea combat, you're probably developing some shell shock.
Shell shock: Psychological disturbance caused by prolonged exposure to active warfare, especially being under bombardment. Also called combat fatigue.
Correction: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), not longer call sheel shock
These are just some of the reason why I'm against the GI Bill. There are many, many, many other variable that can disqualify you for the GI Bill.
The GI Bill is like a piece of cheese to lurk people who are the mice into joining the military. With my own eyes, looking at a room of approximately 200 soldiers who were asked who were going to college or planning to go to college? About 10-15 people raise their hand. When ask how many join the military because of incentive like the GI Bill? About everyone raise their hand.
After reading this, do remember that this is just my perspective.
Don't remember exactly who but I believe it was a Vice President who once say that the military is not a financial institution.
Update: Please read following. GI Bill information. Please also read Todd Bowers story after the conclusion.
http://www.iava.org/documents/ANewGIBill.pdf
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Okay for one BCT otherwise known as "Basic" at most takes 3 months not a year. Secondly AIT or otherwise known as Tech School can last anywhere from 2 weeks to a little over a year. While you are going to tech school you earn collage credits that can be used towards your future degree plans. Third you can use your GI bill after you leave the military; as long as you leave the military with an honorable discharge. Fourth while you are in the military you can use education benefits that will pay for college tuition. So it would be ill advised to use the GI bill while you are on active duty or in the active reserves.
Your Blog is a well written but you may wish to do more research on the military. Final thought not everyone who joins the military plans to go to college. They may say that is why they joined but they have not plans to go. Also, not everyone who goes to war comes back mentally broken with Post Tramatic Stress Syndrome (Shell Shock is so outdated that they have not used it since the 1940’s).
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. ~ The Preamble
In many occasion, the time span in between BCT and AIT does contribute to the long period. On arrival of basic camp, you have reception, you don't go directly to training. Reception can last for months too. I know people who stay in reception for up to 3 months. Finally, you get your shot at basic training but if unfortunate events occur such as injury that can disable movement, the process start all over again.
So half a year at basic, a year at AIT, a year oversea maybe even more, that's a total of 3 years. I know and you know that the GI Bill isn't usable while in training. That's still a lot of money wasted in those years. That's just the point I'm just trying to make, the GI Bill is just wasting money.
I do not think it is waste full. They still get the money unless they do something dumb and lose the chance then the money goes back. Military also pays into it some.
Which branch are you most associated with? I would guess navy but I want to be sure were you are coming from.
~T
A nation of well informed men who have been taught to know and prize the rights which God has given them cannot be enslaved. It is in the region of ignorance that tyranny begins. ~Benjamin Franklin
Are you talking about the new bill that was just signed in to make the GI Bill diffrent by paying the full tuition and giving a stipen instead of a flat rate or are you just talking GI Bill regular?
Oh and what sources did you use for your info?
~T
A nation of well informed men who have been taught to know and prize the rights which God has given them cannot be enslaved. It is in the region of ignorance that tyranny begins. ~Benjamin Franklin
What I'm talking about is that even with aid whether it be from the new bill or regular one, if people choose not to go to college when they are in the military, it would be a waste of tax payer money. Just from my observation, more people in the military choose not to go to college than people who go. Of course, the GI Bill is quite useful when use but in the new bill, there is an increase in aid but if there no one to give it to since there are more people that choose not to go to college, there would be a wasteful excess which could had been use for public education. I understand how you think the GI Bill is wasteful, I use to think that it was too but I now think that instead off investing in the military, we should invest more in the people.
I'm most familiar with the army especially the guard. Each branch have their own name for their own thing too so sorry for not pointing this out first. Hope I did not confuse anyone.
The money just does not sit there to be wasted. They do not slate money to the GI bill or veteran's programs till people sign up and are ready to use them and have signed up and gone through he paper work to start it. There are many people out there that use the money. The military is where the support for the people comes from.
It’s a little weird that you can separate those whom have served in the military from the people. I believe this program makes more sense as it gives money to people whom have more or less earned it and proven themselves. Other programs just give money to be wasted. If the GOV is going to give money to people it should be a 'scratch your back, you scratch mine' type of thing and not a hand out to those who have not earned any other way.
I believe McCain did not support the new GI bill because it was tied to extending unemployment 13 weeks and he is for less government spend waste (all crazy rep propaganda set aside). The People need to learn to stand on their own feet and quit expecting the government and others to take care of things for them.
I thought it was very creative of you to use his veteran status to support your argument but we have to look at the entire picture when making statement.
DO you have any research sources for your blog so I can better understand your view of what is going on?
~T
A nation of well informed men who have been taught to know and prize the rights which God has given them cannot be enslaved. It is in the region of ignorance that tyranny begins. ~Benjamin Franklin
Out of the military, college student continuously fight for financial assistance. The time and paper written by students are the facts that prove that they desire financial support. These students clearly demonstrated that they are responsible people who would not waste money because they are fighting for it. However, because of the difficulty of getting college assistance, the easiest source of support is the military. One of the target of the GI Bill are graduating high school youth who seek assistance. The Bill is luring student to accept the call of duty as payment for the college assistance. It is an dishonorable act of the military. I advocate that instead of luring student to take up arms for college assistance, why not invest that money in the public education and make it clearly accessible for student who are willy to write paper to earn it.
I think that if you have to do something for the military just to get something back, I don't think a society can function effectively on that premise. If the military just want people to defend the country, allow the people decide if that is worth defending instead of using underhand tactics. I hope this answer your question on how to understand my view of this matter.
Especially now, with the war in Iraq that few soldiers even believe in the cause, would someone risk his or her life? My 19-year-old stepdaughter joined the Guard because her mom and stepdad make too much money to get grants, and this was her best option.
I hate that the military preys on the poor that feel like they have no other option but to join to have a future. Not many people in the military are upper class. There's a reason for that.
-Sonja :)
"Democracy works only when you vote. When you don't take the time to vote for the candidate you find the least offensive, you run the risk of electing the candidate you find the most offensive."
"Not many people in the military are upper class."? I would say that is a little wrong. Most of the people I have seen were from middle to upper class and then you have officers, many of whom had degrees upon joining.
Many may have started having come from a struggling class and many cases those lower class people have more passion and strength to do the jobs the militayr require but get stuck in their social setting...its hard to get out of.
~T
A nation of well informed men who have been taught to know and prize the rights which God has given them cannot be enslaved. It is in the region of ignorance that tyranny begins. ~Benjamin Franklin
I should have phrased it as, "There are more people from lower middle to working class backgrounds in the military than people from upper and upper middle class backgrounds for a reason." Some people do go in for different reasons, but mainly for the people of less means go because of the lack of opportunity.
-Sonja :)
"Democracy works only when you vote. When you don't take the time to vote for the candidate you find the least offensive, you run the risk of electing the candidate you find the most offensive."
Oh I totally equate writing a paper serving your country honorably too. Getting a benefits in return for real work and services has been around for a long time. The military is not the only one that does this. There are companies that offer education and bonuses too, but you have to be a good valuable worker there. This is just a good compensation package.
People join the military for a multitude of reasons; the education benefits are a bonus for a job well done and an incentive and goal. Those people you talked about in your blog those signed up for duty for education but were not in college yet vs. those fifteen that were… If you have ever worked a full time job and tried to go to college you would know that is hard and waiting would be a good idea. Did anybody ask them when they planned on starting their college life. They do after all have ten years from their honorable discharge date to get the money promised.
Since you do not have any sources then I suppose you made everything up and this blog can be considered like those that whine about minority only scholarships only a little more creative? If there is a will there is a way to plan and pay for your education with out begging around for money hand outs.
Education is the people’s problem not the government’s we are responsible to see to that change. If you study hard and think well and search there is many wasted scholarships waiting on you. The problem is people do not want to do anything themselves any more.
Until you have looked into how the money is actually set aside and distributed I would avoid to making obtuse statements like the GI bill is a waste. It is no more of a waste then having a military at all.
As for the people that get suckered into the military…that is because they smile and nodded the way they were taught and did not ask or think about what they were doing. Idiots are everywhere and people always want to accept fairytales.
~T
A nation of well informed men who have been taught to know and prize the rights which God has given them cannot be enslaved. It is in the region of ignorance that tyranny begins. ~Benjamin Franklin
I respect what you have to say but do remember that in the blog I noted that this is of my perception.
Everybody offer incentive to people to get them to do something. In the case of the military, it can create loss of life. The "I scratch your back and you scratch my back" with college assistance [referring back to the GI Bill] is not a great deal with the military since we are in battle with other country at the moment. For non-military organization, I don't have a problem of it.
Lastly, It up to anyone to trust in what I say or not. The excess money in the GI Bill if any is the only claim that I stated as you say, I do not know what will become of it. All the other event, I bare witness to it but still it up to you to believe a stranger.
You bore witness to the fact that "McCain, who is an honorable military veteran himself, is against this Bill that will help veteran."?
AND you just know magically that "the GI Bill has just been recently expanded to 52 billions dollar over the next ten years for our Iraq veteran"
~T
A nation of well informed men who have been taught to know and prize the rights which God has given them cannot be enslaved. It is in the region of ignorance that tyranny begins. ~Benjamin Franklin
oop, my apology, I should excluded that portion as being witness to it. Nonetheless, it true. Follow the link.
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2008/05/27/ac.gi.bill.cnn?iref...
GI Bill information
http://www.iava.org/documents/ANewGIBill.pdf
I will have to look at the video later because my computer is in the room with a sleeping person. I just realized that I never gave my source for the unemployment attachment and other thoughts on this McCain GI Bill thing
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25260099
http://progressiveu.org/230748-iraq-afghanistan-and-unemployment
~T
A nation of well informed men who have been taught to know and prize the rights which God has given them cannot be enslaved. It is in the region of ignorance that tyranny begins. ~Benjamin Franklin
Let me also say that you can take college classes overseas with TA (Tuition Assitance) on your free time if you so choose. Me and many of my co-workers and friends did that. And I know many with PTSD that are on my campus now doing just fine. Unless you have a valid source to back you up I am pretty sure your mistaken here to.
Lets not guess and make things up and give other people wrong info.
~T
A nation of well informed men who have been taught to know and prize the rights which God has given them cannot be enslaved. It is in the region of ignorance that tyranny begins. ~Benjamin Franklin
The main reason that people like McCain are against the GI Bill is because there aren't enough people staying in the military. Most do their time and are out. Few are staying for career military positions.
I have a good friend that was a career soldier until an incident in Iraq where he lost two men and broke his neck. He is heartbroken that he can't return to his job. Last I heard, he was considering college.
Aside from that, everyone else I know did their time and were out of there as quickly as possible. My stepdaughter is just now getting started. She's currently a receptionist (or whatever fancy word is now used) until fall, when she has two years of paid education, and then has to be active. It terrifies me to think she most likely will be on a battlefield that even she doesn't believe in.
-Sonja :)
"Democracy works only when you vote. When you don't take the time to vote for the candidate you find the least offensive, you run the risk of electing the candidate you find the most offensive."
First, to those of you who may have already seen this type of post from me already, I apologize. From the top:
Recruiters target the poor: I am sorry, but you are the worst kind of ignorant. You are worse than my in laws who feel that it is their duty to pass on every piece of BS email that they get to 25 of their friends. The military does not target the poor. Here is why. First, only one third of Americans can get into the military (whether they want to or not). This is due to (in fairly equal portions) to not being able to pass the ASVAB, not being able to pass the physical, or not being morally qualified (yes despite what you may have heard, you still have moral qualifications to get into the Army). On top of that, you also need to have either a HS diploma or a GED. How many people in poor neighborhoods get either one of these and can pass the other qualifications? About 1 in 20. Hmm, how do I know this, oh yeah, that is right, I commanded a recruiting company in Indianapolis, and one of my stations was in a lower income area. My recruiters would rather spend their time with a smart kid any day of the week who would qualify for entrance. On top of that (on a side note), the majority of recruiters are forced into it for a 2-3 year period. In other words, once they are done, they go back to their jobs in the Army. That means that they will likely see these kids again (has happened to me 3 times so far, and that is just in my Brigade). If an NCO lies to get a kid into the Army, he has sacrificed his integrity. This may not mean much to civilians, but to the military, it is the cornerstone of who we are and what we do. If I have a Soldier that will lie to put someone in the Army, would he lie to keep himself out of trouble? Sorry to burst your bubble, but to the majority of us, this is a nonnegotiable (this is not to say that we do not have our pieces of trash out there too. I had 2 and both were booted…again, integrity).
1a. FYI: most minorities choose noncombat jobs. This is due to the fact that for the most part, they are joining the Army to get a skill or trade. The combat arms are made up almost entirely of white, middle class kids who join out of a sense of civic duty and want for adventure. It is by and large them that make up your combat force which is fighting this war. In fact, take a look at the pictures of our combat loses. Who is overrepresented? Enough said huh?
2. BCT: Your view is so wrong and factless/pointless it is almost not worth answering. However, if someone is injured to the point where they cannot finish BCT in a reasonable amount of time (WAY less than a year), they are given a medical discharge. If they get better, they can go back to MEPS, get a waiver, and rejoin (and many do just that in fact).
3. Overseas: You are going the military in a time of war, of course you are likely to see combat. If you do not want this, don’t join. Maybe I missed it, but I have never seen anything that says Welfare Office on any of the buildings on my post. Oh yeah, I am as my name suggests in Afghanistan now and completing the last class of my masters, without the GI Bill (used it to get through college so I could become an officer), yet the Army is still picking up the tab.
4. Once again you to a great job of showing your lack of knowledge about the military. You cannot deploy until you graduate AIT. And the majority of them are less than 3 months long. Not quite a year.
5. Aside from Special Forces training, I am not aware of any training that can take up to 3 years. You are either completely wrong or a liar.
6. Yes, you may develop PTSD (most of us in the military are actually educated enough to use the proper name believe it or not), however, I have 3 combat deployments so far, and no PTSD.
7. The only way that you can lose your GI Bill is by getting less than an honorable discharge. I have no problem with that. Again, this is not a welfare program.
8. Again, I have talked to well over 200 future Soldiers of our great country (almost a thousand that my company enlisted I believe). They actually join for a multitude of reasons. I would say that probably around half do it for college benefits.
9. Have your perspective. It is your right. However, if you are going to post your perspective fueled with garbage then expect some people, like me, who you are directly affecting to let you know it.
Side note: Again we are in a war. I am currently in that fight. If you dare to post that you have a son, daughter, mother, father, etc. who is upset that they may have to do their duty and deploy, then expect to see me post with some angry words. I do not expect everyone to agree with the conflict we are in. In fact, you might be surprised by some of my opinions in regards to it. However, my children and my wife have had to stand there and say their possible last farewell to me 3 times. I have had to say final farewells to almost 20 Soldiers in my unit so far in my deployment. However, we all stood up and said we would answer the call. We risk our lives for our fellow brothers and sisters, and if your whatever will not do that, then they need to take off the uniform now. They do not deserve to wear it and have no honor. And they certainly have no right to associate themselves with those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
Recruiters are everywhere. They don't target anyone in particular. I do believe that many join to have a future- help with college and skills training- that their upbringing might not give them. I've met plenty of intelligent, physically fit people in poor neighborhoods.
I didn't say my stepdaughter was upset about the possibility of potentially going into combat. I am. She doesn't agree with the cause either, and most of my friends that have already come back didn't when they went either. It is a job they signed up for, though. They knew the risks.
I wish you the best. Just because I'm against the war does not mean I'm against the people fighting in it.
The original post was about the GI Bill. What do you think about it?
-Sonja :)
"Democracy works only when you vote. When you don't take the time to vote for the candidate you find the least offensive, you run the risk of electing the candidate you find the most offensive."
Just wanted to let you know that I was not directing my comments directly at you. It disgusts me that people who do not know anything about the military put down my comrades and me for no reason other than ignorance. I see it in post after post, so I used my rant to bring that point up.
Again, I have feelings both for and against this conflict, and have NO issue with people who are against it (Whether I agree or not, I would rather be home with the wife and kids...well at least the kids every night.) I completely understand your concern, and you have every right to feel that way. Heaven knows that I hear it from my father and his left wing psychotic GF. So if I offended, please forgive, I am ostentatiously direct.
As far as the new GI Bill goes, I think that it is great. Especially that it can be transferred to spouses. I have to admit that I have actually talked Soldiers out of going to college. Let’s face it, sometimes college is not a good fit, especially if you have no desire to learn. That is not sarcasm or a put down, some people do not enjoy anything that requires the formulation of unique ideas. For many in the military, especially those who were drawn to the “soft MOS” such as mechanics, welders, electricians, etc. a technical school would be a much better fit. This will leave money, that before would have been wasted. This new bill changes that and I am a very big fan of it. The families of Soldiers, in my opinion, get the worst end of the stick. They sit at home and worry, they deal with the children and well meaning but not understanding in-laws, they are the ones who realize that if that day comes, it will be them receiving the folded flag. Anything that is done that benefits them in the long run is a huge movement in the right direction!
I know when the soldiers returned from Vietnam, they were spit on and yelled at. Misplaced anger. I think people realize now where the anger should be directed. You and your comrades are doing your jobs, bravely and honorably. I just don't believe that keeping your lives in danger is the best tactic.
I think some kind of incentive program is definitely necessary, especially with the number of troops that are already in use, and the potential we have to get caught in another war. I can definitely understand why people aren't reenlisting after seeing and hearing horror stories of returning home with ignored injuries- physical and psychological- and the propensity for poor medical treatment.
-Sonja :)
"Democracy works only when you vote. When you don't take the time to vote for the candidate you find the least offensive, you run the risk of electing the candidate you find the most offensive."
Whether anyone call recruiting targeting the poor or not as I already did, a good percentage of new recruit are not that wealthy. As you say, people join for various reason but the main reason is money. We both already agree that the military is not an institution that give out money. However, the GI Bill, bonus incentive, and whatever other thing there is imply or have been make to the degree that the military is a funding organization. This is a huge factor in why people join. This is a dishonorable tactics when what the military boost about is honor. Recruitor from what I seen countless time alway never directly answer any questions fairly if that question would discourage people from joining.
I applause you and everyone in the military for the the service that they gave to the country. However, it is blind obedience to not question the agenda of the war that people are fighting for. Many worn-torn soldier I met had told me that their present in Iraq create more instability then peace. I ever heard that the people our soldier are fighting against are hire by local and the military just pay these people off. What why happen when the funding stop? More chaos. Many people as I heard over 3000 have already got dishonorable discharge because of their ability to challenge the ground on which the war were based on or is currently on. Some even prefer the discharge and prison time then continue with a war they do not agree with. Because soldiers are willy to challenge the system does not mean that they are wrong like how they are protray. To me, it more foolish to fight a war you do not agree with.
I don't think that I say that training take up to three years. I believe I say that the total can be up to three years in some of my other comments considering split training if you haven't taking that into account.
For the ASVAB, even dumbass can pass that thing. Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't the requirement just to get a 23 or so when the total score is 100. Criminal background had even been diminish to allow more people in the military as well. For the GED, the military again correct me if I wrong, will give you a million chance to get the GED. Anyone can get the GED with limitless opporunity. The standard for physical fitness has even been lower too.
Everything is just to get as many people into the military as possible which my point of this blog is to say no to recruitor and don't join.
On a different note, I love the military, I just hate the blind obidence that the military so depend on. As you stated, some of my information can be or is wrong because I am ignorance as you say [in that field anyway] but at least I have the courage to challenge what I think is wrong or disagree with. The military preach of courage but when soldier use that courage to challenge the system, what do they get, the label traitor even though not directly stated.
The minimum is a thirty for the Army and Navy, The Air Force and Marine corp. is 50...or at least it was once upon a time. You could get an idiot waiver if you want to be a combat troop and you have a viable disability with test taking.
On a side note: Kindly...One or two writing mistakes is tolerable but at the rate your going you should really type your posts in a word document and proof read. This particular comment was hard to understand and follow.
~T
A nation of well informed men who have been taught to know and prize the rights which God has given them cannot be enslaved. It is in the region of ignorance that tyranny begins. ~Benjamin Franklin
lol, I do know that I suck at writing, I serious about it too but I still nonetheless time to time write blog like this one even if I not acknowledge in the field I'm taking about. Blog like these in a way do help me improve (or not, lol) plus it do present an opportunity to voice opinion.
Oh yea, I been wanting to say this earlier too. I don't know if this is your computer or whatever it is but whenever you response, I get like mutiply [correction multiple] of the same e-mail and it kind of is getting annoying. So, please tune it down a bit but if it not you, I'm fine with it.
There is only one post here from me for each of my posts so if I guessed what you were writing correctly, it is not me. Also the words you use are words so you have to read over what you wrote and make sure it sayd what you want it too.
If you like I will send you your errors so you can know what to look for and improve.
~T
A nation of well informed men who have been taught to know and prize the rights which God has given them cannot be enslaved. It is in the region of ignorance that tyranny begins. ~Benjamin Franklin
Another list:
1. New recruits can get a large sum for joining. This is true. I do not see where stating that is dishonorable. As far as direct questions, I am not sure I understand that. How many times (which according to you there have been countless) have you asked questions to a recruiter and what was their response? You will, in any organization have your dirt bags. The military is a direct representation of society, can’t stop it from happening. However, once discovered they are weeded out of the system.
2. I disagree that the main reason people join is money. You do not make hundreds of thousands a year and really, to be honest with you, the pay is not worth it. I could clearly make much more money in the civilian sector than I do in the Army. We are driving by things like a sense of comraderie, mission accomplishment, and the fact that despite being of different racial and religious backgrounds, the military forms a very homogenous society in are values and norms. How many neighborhoods do you see where every evening you have families walking around spending time together, where parents actually are involved with their children’s education, where if your spouse is deployed and you have an issue with your house everyone in the community comes together to fix it.
3. What blind obedience? Feel free to write to your congressmen, complain to the inspector general, whatever. Believe it or not, we actually have rights. What is required though, is that you follow orders. If you choose not to, then you are removed from your job. Why is this such a shock, can you go into your office, walk up to your boss and tell him that since you are morally opposed to working on said project, you will not do so. But, oh, by the way, you still need to pay me. Hmmm, I don’t think so for some reason.
4. If you are doing split training then you go for 2 months one summer and finish it up the next summer. Total time: somewhere between 4 months to a year or so of time training. Additionally, split training is only allowed for reservists, not active duty. Therefore, your statement still does not work.
5. I agree with your statement about even a dumbass can pass the ASVAB. Most people out there are dumbasses and cannot pass it. Fix the education system for that one.
6. As far as the criminal info goes, the regulation which covers criminal misconduct has not changed. You are wrong. Stop watching MSN and eating up what you are told to think. Why would I want someone with a propensity for crime working next to me? The difference is that prior to the war, when people were enlisting at a much higher rate, we denied virtually all of our moral waivers. If you were the HR person at your company and could fill 100% of your open positions with doctorate degree holders wouldn’t you? Same basic principal. Any criminal background (shoplifting when you were 12) makes you ineligible and you need to request an exception to policy. That is what we are talking about here. Where do you get that the physical fitness standard has been lowered? PT tests are given every 6 months. If you fail 2 you can be discharged. Think you are making stuff up again.
7. Yes, we want people to join. Yes we do tell them the good points about joining. Did you know that I can get on a plane with my family (wife and 3 children) and for $20 take a flight to Austrailia? Then when I get there I can stay at guest lodging for somewhere between $50-$75 a night in a room with a complete kitchenette. Might be something interesting to know huh. How about if I am a musician I can actually get a job in the Army where I will paid, and offered the chance for promotion, for playing my instrument? How many jobs like that are there in the civilian sector? Yes we tell the good points. First, because we have people like you who “support” us but then try to diminish us by calling us criminals and societies rejects (what do you think you say when you tell us that we are taking in criminals and searching in back allies for the poor of our society) who do an excellent job of highlighting our negatives. Second, because unless you are actually in the military, you don’t see all of the opportunities that you actually have to take advantage of (I am a certified linguist, took 45 units of college for free before getting out to finish my degree, have jumped out of planes, rappelled out of helecopters, worked undercover in the country of Panama, been a D.A.R.E. instructor, and spent a total of $75 for the birth of my 3 children, had laser eye surgery, and been able to shoot some really big and cool weapons for example). Of course I am sure that your job offers you these same benefits doesn’t it?
8. You do not show courage by writing this on a blog. What is courageous about that? And Soldiers can and do challenge the system all of the time. The difference is we expect our men and women to do so with dignity and honor while they challenge it. To do otherwise brings discredit to the system, destroys discipline, and gets Soldiers killed. If you understood 10% of what it means to wear a uniform, this fact would be blatantly clear to you.
Excellent response.
The only job I could think of that comes anywhere close to three years in training as an enlisted person is a linguist (in the Air Force) depending on prior experience with the assigned (or chosen) language. Some medical fields come close to that as well. But this blog here has many 'facts' based on misinformation.
Sir (or ma'am) Fight hard, stay strong, and be safe.
~T
A nation of well informed men who have been taught to know and prize the rights which God has given them cannot be enslaved. It is in the region of ignorance that tyranny begins. ~Benjamin Franklin