How Many Of You Feel It Is Your Patriotic Duty....

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2ndhandnews

Senior member
Mar 10, 2000
251
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...to enlist in the US Armed Forces?

I see a lot of flag-waving, but the attitude I am seeing a lot of is...."I'll buy a flag, I'll give blood, and I'll donate money...but let someone else be the person who puts on a uniform and picks up a gun to actually defend the country." This really disappoints me.

By the way, I am the wife of a US Marine infantryman.
 
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Static911

Diamond Member
Nov 24, 2000
4,338
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joing army reserves if i ever stay and work in US

Always been dream to serve the US armed forces (go ARMY!)

I didn't join b4 going to college cuz parents would've disowned me, literally! (dunno if being asian has anything to do with it, but i think there is)

static911
 
BrunoPuntzJones

BrunoPuntzJones

Lifer
Feb 24, 2001
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when it comes time for the need people will do it. right now there is not a need for people to leave their jobs and families to defend the country. i dont see someone quitting their job, or school to enlist. perhaps if we get to the point where we need more people, they will, and i feel that they would.
 
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BlackSoul

Senior member
Feb 13, 2001
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<< By the way, I am the wife of a US Marine infantryman >>



Well, then I salute your husband and you and wish both of you the best in the days, weeks and months ahead.


I would most definitly sign up if I was younger and it came to the point they needed more people
 
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Balt

Lifer
Mar 12, 2000
12,673
482
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I think it's a bit careless to just quit our jobs or education at the drop of a hat when we don't even know what is going to happen. For all we know Afghanistan and other harboring nations may come to their senses and hand these terrorist factions over to us. Yeah, I realize that is unlikely.

However, the fact remains that if the country is not specifically requesting more armed forces than it already has, I don't need to drop out of school to go fight a war that may not need me or may not even happen. I'd probably get declared 4F anyway.


Why haven't you joined? :D
 
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damocles

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
5,105
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81
The armed forces is very probably big enough to handle this problem. At this stage people donating blood, time and money is just as valuable. If war comes then many people have already said they will enlist
 
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gopunk

Lifer
Jul 7, 2001
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I see a lot of flag-waving, but the attitude I am seeing a lot of is...."I'll buy a flag, I'll give blood, and I'll donate money...but let someone else be the person who puts on a uniform and picks up a gun to actually defend the country." This really disappoints me.

really? i get the feeling that if drafted, most people would go... i doubt that many would dodge the draft.
 
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2ndhandnews

Senior member
Mar 10, 2000
251
0
0
No, what I mean is LITERALLY I am hearing things like.....

"Let someone else do it. I'm all about being a good American, but not if it means risking my life, etc. I'll buy a flag at Walmart and drape it over the balcony, and I'll donate to the Red Cross, and God bless our troops, better them than me....etc...."

It makes me wonder what the devil is WRONG with people???

 
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SJ

Golden Member
Oct 9, 1999
1,151
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I've been thinking about it. My great grandfather was in WW1, my grandfather was in WWII, both recieved purple hearts, both were in the air force.

Also there are more people enlisting than you think. My sister is a flight attendent for American Eagle. She had a flight today with five newly enlisted people. Im assuming they were on their way to Fort Hood. Was a flight from Mississippi to DFW International..
 
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gopunk

Lifer
Jul 7, 2001
29,239
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damn, that's sad that you hear that... i really don't think that's the majority sentiment though. it's not mine and in peacetime i'm one of the least patriotic people you'll ever meet.
 
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2ndhandnews

Senior member
Mar 10, 2000
251
0
0
<<Why haven't you joined? >>>

Because I am the mother of an active-duty Marine's children, and they wouldn't let me join unless I signed over custody of my children to another person. I am also too old.

Why haven't YOU joined?

By the way....in case you didn't know this...the military is woefully understaffed. They never have enough qualified first-termers (in other words, it's like a pyramid. They need a lot of privates, a large number of corporals, a smaller number of sergeants, an even smaller number of staff sergeants, etc). They never meet their recruiting quotas. They mostly don't NEED people to reenlist, just do their four years and get out (I believe the Army has two-year enlistments available).

 
Gooberlx2

Gooberlx2

Lifer
May 4, 2001
15,381
6
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Yeah, I have to agree with Balk. I'm not going to just drop what little of school I have left. I've always thought about enlisted into the ARMY reserves after I graduate form my university. If there comes the need for people to actually enlist then I'm there, at the front of the line. One of my best friends has been called out, and I wish I could be by his side.

At any rate, I wish good luck to all those troops who are going to be shipped out there.
 
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Looney

Lifer
Jun 13, 2000
21,938
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No, what I mean is LITERALLY I am hearing things like.....

"Let someone else do it. I'm all about being a good American, but not if it means risking my life, etc. I'll buy a flag at Walmart and drape it over the balcony, and I'll donate to the Red Cross, and God bless our troops, better them than me....etc...."

It makes me wonder what the devil is WRONG with people???


Yeah, that does sound a little cowardly.

But i can understand it too... some people are just better at certain stuff. Some people just aren't fit to go into battle, and would do better in other industries such as working the factories to produce the army boots... or to develop better technology for the society. But others are perfectly suited to become soldiers. Personally, i would rather have somebody by my side who voluntarily enlisted because that's what he always wanted to be... than somebody who was forced, or coerced into enlisting.

wait, they prefer newbies over people who they've already trained?

Probably... somebody needs to be cannon fodder.
 
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pulse8

Lifer
May 3, 2000
20,860
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I will NOT enlist because I don't want to join the military. If I wanted to join the military, I would've done it a long time ago. However, if there is a draft, I will serve my country and enter that draft. I will then proceed to serve my country the best I know how.
 
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2ndhandnews

Senior member
Mar 10, 2000
251
0
0
Ted Williams, the famous baseball player, put his career on hold to enlist in the military during WW2. He went back for a second go-round during Korea.

I am seeing a great deal of hemming and hawing here, gentlemen.
 
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SJ

Golden Member
Oct 9, 1999
1,151
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Well right now my family needs me more than my country. When my country needs me I'll be there...
 
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Looney

Lifer
Jun 13, 2000
21,938
5
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I am seeing a great deal of hemming and hawing here, gentlemen

Doh, you sound like you've had experienced with the military.

Anyways, i would if i could, but i don't think you can enlist in the Canadian military with a criminal record (though i think you can get drafted). I'm so burnt out with school anyways, it would be a good change for me.

 
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gopunk

Lifer
Jul 7, 2001
29,239
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I am seeing a great deal of hemming and hawing here, gentlemen.

oh come on, nearly all of us have said we'd go if called upon.
 
Gooberlx2

Gooberlx2

Lifer
May 4, 2001
15,381
6
91
Ted Williams, the famous baseball player, put his career on hold to enlist in the military during WW2. He went back for a second go-round during Korea.

Well, I'm not positive but I doubt that they put him on the front lines too. Same goes with Elvis.

I think stuff like celebrities enlisting is more of a publicity stunt for both the celebrity him/herself and the armed forces.
 
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Midnight Rambler

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
4,200
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<< The armed forces is very probably big enough to handle this problem. >>

Actually, if it were not for the Reserves (more than a million of them), we would be in deep sh!t. Not so much in terms of grunts, but rather those who do service, maintenance, refueling, drs, nurses, etc. Over 300,000 reserves were required in the Gulf War and there wasn't even much of a fight to that one.
 
Gooberlx2

Gooberlx2

Lifer
May 4, 2001
15,381
6
91
BTW, what does your sig mean 2ndhandnews?

I could be totally wrong, 'cause I know nothing about 2ndhandnews. But if I were to guess it would mean that she was a born again christian, since August of 1990. Or something like that.

BUT I could be waayyy of base. Maybe it means you finally got electricity for the first time in Aug, 1990 ;).
 
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