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

[2ndhandnews]

Goober,

Open your mouth and withdraw your foot.

Ted Williams was a bomber pilot. He was most definately on the "front lines".

 

[palad]

Personally, I have a couple of reasons.

1. My first obligation is to my family. It is my job to watch over them, protect them and provide for them. With my skills, I can do that better here than in the military.

2. I prefer building to destroying. A military may well be necessary, but it accomplishes its ends thru destruction -- killing, bombing, etc. I, personally, would rather have a more positive role, and leave the killing to those with the temperament for it.

Actually, I have more reasons than those two, but one of them (at least) would start a flame war, and I don't want to do that. The first reason alone is enough to keep me out.

 

[Gooberlx2]

God forbid I say Well, I'm not positive.... Wouldn't that tell you that....I wasn't positive???? Now I'm more informed, thanks very much. Maybe you could simply correct me next time.


BTW: I would never put my feet into my mouth. They smell bad enough, I don't wanna know what they taste like.

 

[NesuD]

I would go if needed. Do they take 40 year old recruits or is that to old? A coworker of mine is a former marine and since he is single with no children he has decided to enlist again. He can take a military leave and come right back to his job after his service is finished. He called the recruiting office here and they said they already had 150 former marines calling to inquire about reenlisting on Thursday in just our county. I would say that is a significant number in just a couple days in one small to med pop county.

 

[rival]

Im currently in a 5 year apprenticeship program to be an inside wireman (commerical & industrial electrician)..after thats all done with, im planning/wanting/hoping to join the us army and see what i can do there w/ my experience, or perhaps the marines to just go bust some heads in..heh...

 

[PrinceofWands]

If it had actually been an 'invasion' then yes I would re-enlist (already served 2 years during the gulf). But it wasn't. It was a terrorist attack perpetuated by American foreign policy and capitalist concerns.

I'm not condoning the attack, and I know action needs to be taken and justice served. But here's the way I think that needs to happen:

1. The originator of the attack and his organization should be exterminated no matter what. If another country TRULY protects him/them then they die too. Period.

2. Quit being so blasted arrogant. Americans aren't special. Our right end at the borders of our country. We aren't in charge of the planet. Totally scrap and rewrite our foreign policies to reflect this change.

3. Pull ALL interests out of the middle east ENTIRELY. If we run out of stuff too dang bad, we can find alternatives. Drop all diplomatic relations (except humanitarian and relief aid) with ALL warring countries.

Going to war over this out of revenge, when it was US who started this withour greed and egocentricism, is lunacy. It'll just happen again. Kill Bin Laden (sp?) and another will take his place. And another, and another, and another. It WILL NEVER end until we climb off our high horse and let other people live their own lives free from our persecution and greed.

That said, if any country ever attacked us for the same reasons (greed, arrogance, etc) then by God I'm dusting off the old uniform and joining up if I have to forge my birth certificate to do it. It's my patriotic duty to protect our country and it's people from unjust persecution, not to help some rich fvck buy another BMW with my money.

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

I have a strong sense of duty to my country second only to those who I see as my family. I might just enlist.

 

[Rage187]

If they draft, I'll be going w/o a whimper..

 

[burnedout]

How Many Of You Feel It Is Your Patriotic Duty to enlist in the US Armed Forces?

Already did. 1980. After my first attempt at college. Stayed 20 years. Served proudly. Retired last year.

I'd go back tomorrow if called. Would gladly try reenlisting now. However, it's nearly impossible for a retiree to do so.

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.

Yes, I see lot's of that as well.

 

[compuwiz1]

I've served already, and am too old. I'd gladly do it, if I was still eligible, for this is a far better cause than I enlisted for. Damn, some days it's impossible to find a time machine, when you need it! :Q

 

[Imported]

I'm filling out my draft card late December/early January since my 18th birthday is inJanuary. If I get drafted, I will do my duty.

 

[xyyz]

<< 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??? >>



fair-weather patriots....

if my country were to ever needs me i'd definately enlist... the airforce has 2 weeks less basic training right? ;p seriously though... I don't think we'll need anyone else... but if the need was there i'd sign up.

eventually i'm going ot join the reserves as it is... I guess a sooner start would be okay...

 

[Bulk Beef]

I have been feeling like giving blood is not enough, and I don't want to wait until a draft. I can only speak for myself, but in my mind it's not about fulfilling a need if it arises, but about fulfilling a duty and responsibilty as it exists now. So I have two questions:
1. What's the age limit for enlistment?
2. Are there stipulations about being in good physical condition? I'm not talking about a beer-gut here, I'm talking about missing body parts. I lost two toes in a motorcycle accident in 1994, but I'm in excellent shape otherwise. Would they take me?

 

[Stumps]

I will be signing up for the ADF (Austalian Defence Force) on Monday.
Friends of mine in the Army have been recalled and their units are getting ready to be shipped over sea when the US anounces it's plan to Attack.
Australia has pledged the bulk of it's defence for to the US.
I just wish I was a US citizen then I definetly would get to help kick some Bin Laden Butt

 

[T2T III]

I've given 7 years (4 active / 3 Air National Guard) to the military, so I think I wouldn't qualify to re-enlist. Then again, I probably would retain my E-6 ranking where I left off.

I think this decision needs to be a conscience decision that one makes and certainly shouldn't be made on a whim. When I enlisted, it was between my junior and senior years of high school. I knew I was going for about a year before I actually left. This allowed me quite a bit of time to prepare myself (physically and even mentally) for what was ahead of me.

One's experience in the military can be quite rewarding, but you have to look at it from the perspective of what you'll get out of it by what it means to you. As far as getting some experience that can directly relate to the civilian world really depends on what kind of activities you partake in while you serve. I hardly think that any of my weapons qualifications directly tie into my IT career, but, I do think that the military did wonders for my maturity.

On a side note, I can still remember when I was serving back in '86 and Reagan called an attack on Libya. Hearing this news made me feel very excited and proud that I was part of the military and quite qualified should I have to partake in these activities. A lot of the military is "hurry up and wait" - so, just the thought of seeing some action does tend to create some excitement in an individual.

 

[Amused]

<< ...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. >>



I joined in 1987, and did my four years in the army Infantry. I'm 34 now, and unless we start running out of younger guys (a really bad thought) the army isn't going to want me. Though, if I were needed, I'd go back without a second thought.

 

[Megatomic]

I did my time almost 10 years ago. I did 4 years in the Navy and went to the Gulf War. All I can do is wave a flag, donate money, and give blood. What's wrong with that?

 

[Rogue]

Like I've said in earlier threads, I just had my status changed from Inactive Ready Reserver (IRR) to Active Reserve status. My unit may need my leadership as I am a SGT. I am a Military Police officer and god knows that we need all the civil protection that we can get right now. I would not be surprised to get called up in the next few weeks.

 

[burnedout]

1. What's the age limit for enlistment?

34 years, 11 months, 29 days is the max to start active duty without prior service under federal law. It's pro-rated from there. Each service has their own limitations. The Army was complying with the max limit last I heard. Think Navy was also. USAF and Marine Corps are a bit younger, I think.

2. Are there stipulations about being in good physical condition? I'm not talking about a beer-gut here, I'm talking about missing body parts. I lost two toes in a motorcycle accident in 1994, but I'm in excellent shape otherwise. Would they take me?

Check with a recruiter. Some things can be waivered. If you can run with no problems, you stand a fair chance.

 

[MeanMeosh]

Imported, that's your selective srvice card, not your draft card... there isnt a draft anymore...



<< 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 >>



heh, static, been there, done that. i didnt join before because of pretty much the same reason and i didnt turn 18 until after i joined college anyway, and so i wasnt a citizen.

my family moved over here while i was young from india and so i couldnt become a citizen until i was 18. so, when i turned 18, i promptly filled out my selective service card, and filed the papers for citizenship... they till me it will prolly take a year to process though but i can wait, and if the draft is ever reinstated, i will join because they dont look at citizenship in case of a draft (i think).

 

[elvisnixon]

I am very disturbed if it is true I'm too old to serve at 35 years old.

I would otherwise join in a war to protect the country in a second.

How could I not enlist when my mother was almost killed in the WTC Marriott? If I didn't fight, who could I expect to fight? All Americans who have the attitude that they will just let someone else do the fighting, would change his tune if it was his hometown that was attacked. I think the vast majority of Americans are ready for war, and all that entails.

 

[elvisnixon]

Palad says:

"Personally, I have a couple of reasons.

1. My first obligation is to my family. It is my job to watch over them, protect them and provide for them. With my skills, I can do that better here than in the military."



If you really felt your first obligation was to your family, you would strongly consider serving. 5000+ family members were destroyed in one day. And we have not fired a single shot.