10 reasons not to join the military

The following is an excerpt from the forthcoming book, 10 Excellent Reasons Not to Join the Military to be published on May 18, 2006 by The New Press.

Aimee Allison served as a medic in the Army Reserves and received an honorable discharge as a conscientious objector during the Persian Gulf War.

I desperately wanted out of my small-minded hometown of Antioch, California, and the military recruiter on my high school campus promised me an escape hatch. The family that my white mother and African American father created was based on the belief that the hard work and democratic values of 1960s activists made equality my birthright.

http://www.alternet.org/story/35792/

1,200 soldiers reinlisted in a mass ceremony in Bagdad Friday. They like the army and they believe in the war.

We are lucky to have a half million dedicated and capable soldiers protecting America.

I did 21 years in the Army and I will not blow smoke up your ass. Sometimes it was a royal pain in the keister, sometimes it was downright scary, and sometimes it was the greatest thrill of my life. The Army pays good, gives great benefits, and is a great place to raise a family. Keep your nose clean, work hard, give your ass to the Army but keep your soul and identity for yourself and you will do fine. Also, you get to waste rag-heads for God and country. That is something you can't do at Yale, Harvard, or IBM. Well, maybe Yale.

The military's great if you have something to offer. I dont remember what it was called but if you have enough college behind you you can sign a paper before you enlist officially guaranteeing that you will be whatever specialty and get stationed wherever you enlisted for. And the Army's great if you want to see action but if you are trying for a career or some skills to take out to the civilian world then the Army is probally not the best place. The Air Force would be the best one to get into if you have a choice; those guys got individual rooms with A/C and jeep rides everywhere, plus they have great medical and technical programs, its not all airplanes and runway crews. And the only physical requirement in the Air Force is the ability to breathe.

Oarsman 41 wrote:

I did 21 years in the Army and I will not blow smoke up your ass. Sometimes it was a royal pain in the keister, sometimes it was downright scary, and sometimes it was the greatest thrill of my life. The Army pays good, gives great benefits, and is a great place to raise a family. Keep your nose clean, work hard, give your ass to the Army but keep your soul and identity for yourself and you will do fine. Also, you get to waste rag-heads for God and country. That is something you can't do at Yale, Harvard, or IBM. Well, maybe Yale.

It's part and parcel of the American Way of Life. Two cars in every garage. A chicken in every pot. Keep your bunk tight and your locker open for inspection. Keep your shoes straight underneath your bunk. Don't mix miliary and civilian clothing. Hide your billfold under your pillow at night.