# What are young people entering the military for-love of country or a hand up in life? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 10, 2016, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-young-people-entering-the-military-for-love-of-country-or-a-hand-up-in-life/745670 "2016-02-10T02:12:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-young-people-entering-the-military-for-love-of-country-or-a-hand-up-in-life/745670/21 "2016-02-10T02:41:30Z")
> [@GloryDays](#): > > Yeah, I do. The military statement did not come from my friends. I comes from my co-workers. I hear this every day at work. A lot of Americans are peeved. No, that’s not new, either. [You already told us about that in your other thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=19063075&postcount=34): > [@You](#): > > People who are entering the military, because of financial reasons. That should not be. You enter the military because you believe you can make a difference in something, not for a handout, and that is what has been going on for the past 4 decades. ---
**Author:** ![GloryDays](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e9c0ed/32.png) [@GloryDays](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GloryDays)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-young-people-entering-the-military-for-love-of-country-or-a-hand-up-in-life/745670/22 "2016-02-10T02:44:29Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > No, that’s not new, either. [You already told us about that in your other thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=19063075&postcount=34): Their rhetoric might be getting to me. However, I disagree with their statements. Trust me. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-young-people-entering-the-military-for-love-of-country-or-a-hand-up-in-life/745670/23 "2016-02-10T02:45:57Z")
> [@GloryDays](#): > > Their rhetoric might be getting to me. However, I disagree with their statements. Trust me. Maybe you should be telling _them_ that. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-young-people-entering-the-military-for-love-of-country-or-a-hand-up-in-life/745670/24 "2016-02-10T02:46:51Z")
Maybe it depends on where you are. It doesn’t seem unreasonable that a person who may not have been afforded and education or job skills would join for the purpose of getting and education, securing a career or, yes, just plain old didn’t know what other direction to take. I’ve know plenty of people with kids that did just that; hell, I suggested it to a friend whose kid was lacking direction and otherwise might not have achieved much success. No need to label it " a hand up" like it’s a bad thing. Also no need to pretend it doesn’t happen. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-young-people-entering-the-military-for-love-of-country-or-a-hand-up-in-life/745670/25 "2016-02-10T02:48:18Z")
> [@GloryDays](#): > > Their rhetoric might be getting to me. However, I disagree with their statements. Trust me. Out of curiosity: did your ‘co-workers’ serve? Did you? For what reasons? ---
**Author:** ![GloryDays](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e9c0ed/32.png) [@GloryDays](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GloryDays)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-young-people-entering-the-military-for-love-of-country-or-a-hand-up-in-life/745670/26 "2016-02-10T02:50:12Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Out of curiosity: did your ‘co-workers’ serve? Did you? For what reasons? I did not serve, but I know people who have. I am worried about how the world views the military. I am worried about how some people want to de-fund the military. My co-workers are worried about who is entering the military. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-young-people-entering-the-military-for-love-of-country-or-a-hand-up-in-life/745670/27 "2016-02-10T02:53:53Z")
> [@GloryDays](#): > > I did not serve, but I know people who have. I am worried about how the world views the military. I am worried about how some people want to de-fund the military. My co-workers are worried about who is entering the military. I asked whether your ‘co-workers’ served. ---
**Author:** ![GloryDays](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e9c0ed/32.png) [@GloryDays](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GloryDays)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-young-people-entering-the-military-for-love-of-country-or-a-hand-up-in-life/745670/28 "2016-02-10T02:56:39Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > I asked whether your ‘co-workers’ served. I don’t know. I should ask them. They might just be disappointed in the U.S. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-young-people-entering-the-military-for-love-of-country-or-a-hand-up-in-life/745670/29 "2016-02-10T03:10:27Z")
The simple answer to the OP is that it’s just fiction. Not only that, \*\*but your statement that it’s “the biggest belief” is ITSELF unsupported fiction. \*\* Assure “your co-workers” that people today are joining the military \*for the same reasons \*they have _at every single point in living memory_. And that the US still outspends the next 6 major powers COMBINED on military budgets. What you repeat from “your co-workers” is complete illusion or even delusion that reveals ignorance of actual military policies. They are worrying for _nothing_, their disappointment or peevishness originates from a position contrary to facts and to reason. And if they are disappointed in the USA for somehow transforming into something other than their idealized illusion of what America should be all about, their arcadian myth of an America that never was, then booo-\*\*\*\*\*-hooo, cry me a damn river, the nation is evolving in the direction it is evolving and let them adapt or be left behind in the dust. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-young-people-entering-the-military-for-love-of-country-or-a-hand-up-in-life/745670/30 "2016-02-10T03:26:37Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > The simple answer to the OP is that it’s just fiction. Not only that, \*\*but your statement that it’s “the biggest belief” is ITSELF unsupported fiction. \*\* Yes. Can we, for once, not let someone dance around the issue. Please, let’s not allow the OP to address any item until he or she proves what he or she stated in the OP. Let’s not let any other item be addressed until then. ---
**Author:** ![GloryDays](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e9c0ed/32.png) [@GloryDays](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GloryDays)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-young-people-entering-the-military-for-love-of-country-or-a-hand-up-in-life/745670/31 "2016-02-10T03:31:32Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Yes. Can we, for once, not let someone dance around the issue. Please, let’s not allow the OP to address any item until he or she proves what he or she stated in the OP. Let’s not let any other item be addressed until then. You guys don’t hear what my co-workers are saying. C’mon, man. I’m just telling you guys what goes on in my workplace and around my neck of the woods. You guys don’t understand what’s happening in America. Let’s have a smart, reasonable, civil discussion. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-young-people-entering-the-military-for-love-of-country-or-a-hand-up-in-life/745670/32 "2016-02-10T03:34:18Z")
Let’s take a look at this closely. > [@](#): > > People who are entering the military, because of financial reasons. That should not be. You enter the military because you believe you can make a difference in something, not for a handout, and that is what has been going on for the past 4 decades. The phrase “handout” implies that the military is some sort of welfare state with uniforms. I have never heard of anyone, anywhere, joining the military because they thought it would be an easy paycheck. A steady job, perhaps, but not an easy one. Secondly, the time period of four decades happens to coincide with when the draft ended. Are you saying that only people who chose enlistment over draft thought they were making a difference? That seems strange to me, because I’m of that generation, and I can assure you personally that a large percentage of people who enlisted during that time did so because they were desperately trying not to be drafted into a combat position. I happen to think that anyone who volunteers for military service knowing that the government can, at any time, send their asses thousands of miles away to get shot at, deserves respect, not some condescending comment about them wanting a handout. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-young-people-entering-the-military-for-love-of-country-or-a-hand-up-in-life/745670/33 "2016-02-10T03:36:50Z")
> [@GloryDays](#): > > You guys don’t hear what my co-workers are saying. C’mon, man. I’m just telling you guys what goes on in my workplace and around my neck of the woods. You guys don’t understand what’s happening in America. Let’s have a smart, reasonable, civil discussion. In this post [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=19063075&postcount=34](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=19063075&postcount=34) you made this claim yourself, so don’t hide behind your co-workers, or the people you meet in the subway. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-young-people-entering-the-military-for-love-of-country-or-a-hand-up-in-life/745670/34 "2016-02-10T03:36:51Z")
> [@GloryDays](#): > > You guys don’t hear what my co-workers are saying. C’mon, man. I’m just telling you guys what goes on in my workplace and around my neck of the woods. You guys don’t understand what’s happening in America. Let’s have a smart, reasonable, civil discussion. My friends tell me that African-Americans have already snapped because of the opinions of people like your friends. Shouldn’t we be doing everything possible to address their concerns instead of those of the bigots and know-nothings? Isn’t the most important social issue in the country ensuring that people like your friends never have a say in anything ever again? ---
**Author:** ![GloryDays](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e9c0ed/32.png) [@GloryDays](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GloryDays)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-young-people-entering-the-military-for-love-of-country-or-a-hand-up-in-life/745670/35 "2016-02-10T03:40:17Z")
> [@Andy\_L](#): > > In this post [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=19063075&postcount=34](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=19063075&postcount=34) you made this claim yourself, so don’t hide behind your co-workers, or the people you meet in the subway. Their rhetoric might be getting to me. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-young-people-entering-the-military-for-love-of-country-or-a-hand-up-in-life/745670/36 "2016-02-10T03:41:36Z")
> [@GloryDays](#): > > Their rhetoric might be getting to me. If you feel like you are a danger to yourself or others, I suggest you get help. ---
**Author:** ![GloryDays](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e9c0ed/32.png) [@GloryDays](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GloryDays)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-young-people-entering-the-military-for-love-of-country-or-a-hand-up-in-life/745670/37 "2016-02-10T03:46:45Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > My friends tell me that African-Americans have already snapped because of the opinions of people like your friends. Shouldn’t we be doing everything possible to address their concerns instead of those of the bigots and know-nothings? Isn’t the most important social issue in the country ensuring that people like your friends never have a say in anything ever again? I know. I want to hear all sides, no matter how crazy it may be sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![GloryDays](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e9c0ed/32.png) [@GloryDays](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GloryDays)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-young-people-entering-the-military-for-love-of-country-or-a-hand-up-in-life/745670/38 "2016-02-10T03:49:26Z")
> [@Andy\_L](#): > > If you feel like you are a danger to yourself or others, I suggest you get help. I’m okay Andy. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-young-people-entering-the-military-for-love-of-country-or-a-hand-up-in-life/745670/39 "2016-02-10T03:50:46Z")
> [@GloryDays](#): > > I know. I want to hear all sides, no matter how crazy it may be sometimes. Really. So just to prove that we’re not wasting our time, why don’t you do this: Sum up all the opposing opinions you have received here and tell us what you’ve learned. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-young-people-entering-the-military-for-love-of-country-or-a-hand-up-in-life/745670/40 "2016-02-10T03:50:46Z")
> [@GloryDays](#): > > I’m okay Andy. Glad to hear it. Stay well. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-young-people-entering-the-military-for-love-of-country-or-a-hand-up-in-life/745670.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-young-people-entering-the-military-for-love-of-country-or-a-hand-up-in-life/745670.md?page=3)