Just curious, how long did you actually serve and did you finally get what your contract promised?

I've never set foot in a recruiting office, but I just can't imagine believing that I would be put into some really cool niche assignment. I mean, who actually goes into the Army wanting to be a front-line grunt? Everyone wants to in intel, or something cool, like in the ads.

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Unfortunately, the Founders did not address the possibility of this nation becoming populated with obnoxious twits.

Three years, and I received an Honorable Discharge.

No.

And I thought THIS was really sh*tty: after my discharge I went to the Unemployment Office to see if I could get benefits while I looked for a job and I was told that I was being denied because I could have reenlisted. Yet other people who would otherwise be qualified to serve in the military get unemployment benefits when they lose a job. I thought that really sucked. Why should they be eligible to collect if they could join the military, and not a vet?

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Walter Mondale: "George Bush doesn't have the manhood to apologize." George Bush: "Well, on the manhood thing, I'll put mine up against his any time."

Gee, I have no idea why nobody's enlisting anymore.....

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Unfortunately, the Founders did not address the possibility of this nation becoming populated with obnoxious twits.

Me neither. Some may be in dire financial straits and can do little else. It happens.

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Walter Mondale: "George Bush doesn't have the manhood to apologize." George Bush: "Well, on the manhood thing, I'll put mine up against his any time."

Well, sure, but that's not my point.

I think it's going to be a very long time before the youth of the nation trusts the politicians and military again, the more these tales of shabby treatment emerge. The troops ought to be able to trust that they will be put to honorable uses, and to actually defend the nation, not some bizarre, endless adventure to enrich oil cronies.

But, touching on your point, there, isn't it a bit worrisome that the military is pretty much composed of the poor and desperate? I was thinking about that the other day...because we don't have a compulsory draft, which, in theory, would gather more of a varied base. Recruiters seem to target the poor and disadvantaged, minorities and such now, selling skill training and career advancement really hard.

Not going anywhere in particular with this, just musing..... I'd like to get your take on it, since you've been in.

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Unfortunately, the Founders did not address the possibility of this nation becoming populated with obnoxious twits.

I agree with everything you said here and my take on it is that it sucks. I'm opposed to a draft, though and don't think it's fair for all young men to have to register when they turn 18.

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Walter Mondale: "George Bush doesn't have the manhood to apologize." George Bush: "Well, on the manhood thing, I'll put mine up against his any time."

Well, good to know I'm not completely off my nut.

Still, I am intrigued by what many other countries do: some sort of compulsory civil service in some form, from 18-20, be it military or otherwise. I am open to the idea, at least. I know it was rather ridiculous for me to have gone straight into college at 18, having no real world experience or clue what I wanted to be.

I don't think a draft would be anything other than political suicide for whoever would sponsor such a bill.

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Unfortunately, the Founders did not address the possibility of this nation becoming populated with obnoxious twits.

A wise move on your part. But for the nations sake I agree each should have some experience in the Military or the ROTC or some other Military academy. Just maybe our social structure would be a bit better.
Schools don't teach any code of conduct or a thing about honor. That is left to the parents and even if everyone of them tried to do it. The time one is a teen many seems to take the easy way about every time. But that is just IMO..

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Yea can't keep the words of your great leader.

Prophet Muhammad - “Do you love your creator? Love your fellow-beings first.”

Ooh, now that's a bit of a loaded thought, the teaching of honor/morals.

Many would argue that the military's brand of honor or regimented patriotism isn't a moral system they'd want for their kids. I am skeptical of any sort of patriotic indoctrination possibilities. I would think the military would only be one of many options. (Wouldn't be the one I'd choose, for example.)

Still, any sort of civil service, military or not, could at least be seen as citizen duty. A giving back to the nation from which we get so much. I am seeing a lot of potential positives. And, many other countries do it, and reap a lot of benefit.

It's part of the ongoing argument I have with libertarians. I think it's very important to contribute to, and be cognizant of, your society. We Americans get so locked into philosophies of inidividualism that we've lost a lot of communal identity. Service to one's country, even for a short time, is a great way to contribute to the common good, and might foster a lot less selfish behavior. Just my take.

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Unfortunately, the Founders did not address the possibility of this nation becoming populated with obnoxious twits.