# 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:** 3
**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, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-young-people-entering-the-military-for-love-of-country-or-a-hand-up-in-life/745670/41 "2016-02-10T03:57:23Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > 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. I learned different opinions, Exapno. I am going to listen to all viewpoints, listen to all sides. I want to hear from all of you. This is a forum and we are all friends. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-young-people-entering-the-military-for-love-of-country-or-a-hand-up-in-life/745670/42 "2016-02-10T04:01:18Z")
My nephew joined the Navy to get an education and a paycheck because his parents couldn’t afford to send him to college. He didn’t do it for “love of country,” as far as I know. But don’t worry, he’s a nice straight white male, so your co-workers don’t have to worry about him being the wrong kind of people sucking off the government’s teat. I can’t speak for the rest of them low-lifes enlisting as way to support themselves and their families. You know, the black and female ones. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-young-people-entering-the-military-for-love-of-country-or-a-hand-up-in-life/745670/43 "2016-02-10T04:09:31Z")
> [@](#): > > You guys don’t hear what my co-workers are saying. No, we don’t hear anything _but_ what your co-workers and friends are saying. If they want to tell us what they think, they should get their own accounts here. Don’t start thread after thread telling us what they think. Tell us what you, yourself think. ---
**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, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-young-people-entering-the-military-for-love-of-country-or-a-hand-up-in-life/745670/44 "2016-02-10T04:10:01Z")
> [@GloryDays](#): > > I learned different opinions, Exapno. I am going to listen to all viewpoints, listen to all sides. I want to hear from all of you. I’m certain you do. Now, prove what you stated in the OP. ---
**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, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-young-people-entering-the-military-for-love-of-country-or-a-hand-up-in-life/745670/45 "2016-02-10T04:14:50Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I’m certain you do. Now, prove what you stated in the OP. I have a busy day tomorrow. Have to head to bed. I’ll discuss this later tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-young-people-entering-the-military-for-love-of-country-or-a-hand-up-in-life/745670/46 "2016-02-10T06:24:32Z")
> [@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. Why do you think you and your friends who have never honorably served in the United States Military have any fucking clue compared to veterans in this very thread? You talk about “honor” and “education” and fighting extremist and terrorists as if you have any idea. And you claim _we_ are the ones who don’t understand what’s happening in America? What makes you such an expert?? You’ve never served in the military, you’ve never fought against terrorism, and Im betting you bearly have a high school education. You want a smart, reasonable discussion? Let’s start with this: I am a career combat infantryman and paratrooper with over 25 months of my life spent fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. At no time have I ever felt I was at war with Islam or fighting Muslims for being Muslim. On the contrary, I’ve fought alongside Muslims (from other countries as well as American Muslims) to achieve a common goal. I consider all of them my brothers in Arms. And by the way, I am an atheist. Yet, somehow I value things like education and honor and making this country and the world a better place. Education? I am three classes away from finishing a graduate degree in aero/astronautics. I think it is YOU and your friends who fail to understand what’s happening around them. You are the ignorant ones incapable of reasonable discussion. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-young-people-entering-the-military-for-love-of-country-or-a-hand-up-in-life/745670/47 "2016-02-10T06:28:48Z")
Much of my post is directed toward your statements in the other train wreck of a thread that was mentioned above. ---
**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, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-young-people-entering-the-military-for-love-of-country-or-a-hand-up-in-life/745670/48 "2016-02-10T06:34:33Z")
> [@GloryDays](#): > > I learned different opinions, Exapno. I am going to listen to all viewpoints, listen to all sides. I want to hear from all of you. This is a forum and we are all friends. It seems to me that what you want is to express opinions without having to claim responsibility for them by asserting that you’re merely reporting what ‘your friends’ and ‘your co-workers’ and ‘lots of Americans’ think. Why don’t you tell us why _you_ think people join the military? ---
**Author:** ![Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/regallag_the_axe/32/445_2.png) [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Regallag_The_Axe)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-young-people-entering-the-military-for-love-of-country-or-a-hand-up-in-life/745670/49 "2016-02-10T07:36:56Z")
> [@GloryDays](#): > > 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. A lot of my co-workers complain about the how country is run by rich white people who’re only out for themselves and don’t give a shit about us wage earning motherfuckers. And my black co-workers have got more even more shit to complain about. ---
**Author:** ![Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/regallag_the_axe/32/445_2.png) [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Regallag_The_Axe)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-young-people-entering-the-military-for-love-of-country-or-a-hand-up-in-life/745670/50 "2016-02-10T07:50:54Z")
Too late to edit: Next time I see my uncle I’ll ask if the old men at the legion hall are asking the same question as “your co-workers.” ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-young-people-entering-the-military-for-love-of-country-or-a-hand-up-in-life/745670/51 "2016-02-10T10:14:36Z")
> [@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. I hope you read this tomorrow morning, before you head in to work. Ask every co-worker if he served. (And I get the impression they are mostly white guys.) If not, why not? Lack of patriotism? Not needing GI benefits? If any of them did serve, why? Did they accept any benefits? Also, why did _you_ not serve? Lack of patriotism? No need for GI benefits? Rejected as unfit? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-young-people-entering-the-military-for-love-of-country-or-a-hand-up-in-life/745670/52 "2016-02-10T10:28:39Z")
Bottom line: is serving for money or other benefits somehow worse than not serving at all? If so, why? ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-young-people-entering-the-military-for-love-of-country-or-a-hand-up-in-life/745670/53 "2016-02-10T11:24:40Z")
> [@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. … You know, in my case this is true; I had absolutely no idea that there are people condemning women and people of color for joining the military. Maybe I am getting old, but if beliefs this racist and sexist are openly espoused, I fear for and am shamed by my country. The United States truly has entered her decline if her citizens are this ignorant and divisive. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-young-people-entering-the-military-for-love-of-country-or-a-hand-up-in-life/745670/54 "2016-02-10T11:41:40Z")
> [@GloryDays](#): > > Not my friends, I hear this from co-workers. You don’t understand the rage that is boiling in this country. I hear these things every day. It does not come from me. I am a realist. Why would people get angry if someone chooses to join the Armed Forces to pay for their college with their sweat and perhaps their blood? They even pay _in advance_, unlike people with student loans. Get your coworkers some Xanax, industrial strength. I’d suggest working hemispherical brains but that’s more difficult to obtain. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-young-people-entering-the-military-for-love-of-country-or-a-hand-up-in-life/745670/55 "2016-02-10T13:59:34Z")
> [@GloryDays](#): > > Not me, my friend. You see, I hear what people say on the streets, in diners, supermarkets, etc. A lot of people are not happy, John. We need to realize this. Maybe you should dine at nicer establishments. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-young-people-entering-the-military-for-love-of-country-or-a-hand-up-in-life/745670/56 "2016-02-10T14:17:44Z")
> [@GloryDays](#): > > The biggest belief in the United States by some people is that young people, especially some young females, African-American youth, etc. are entering the United States Armed Forces not for love of country or devotion, but just to get by in life. Is this true, or is this fiction? I have heard this all my life. My apologies, my reply was unprintable and unworthy of a gentleman. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-young-people-entering-the-military-for-love-of-country-or-a-hand-up-in-life/745670/57 "2016-02-10T14:35:20Z")
> [@GloryDays](#): > > One of them had a affair with a black woman in 1988. So I don’t know if he is a racist. This says nothing about whether or not he’s a racist. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-young-people-entering-the-military-for-love-of-country-or-a-hand-up-in-life/745670/58 "2016-02-10T14:37:29Z")
> [@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. Why do you believe your co-workers have a better understanding of “what’s happening in America” than we do? Especially when they spout bigoted crap like black people join the military for more selfish reasons than others? From what you’ve said about them, your co-workers and friends have a very poor understanding of “what’s happening in America”. ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-young-people-entering-the-military-for-love-of-country-or-a-hand-up-in-life/745670/59 "2016-02-10T14:42:17Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Why do you believe your co-workers have a better understanding of “what’s happening in America” than we do? Especially when they spout bigoted crap like black people join the military for more selfish reasons than others? From what you’ve said about them, your co-workers and friends have a very poor understanding of “what’s happening in America”. What is happening then? ---
**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, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-young-people-entering-the-military-for-love-of-country-or-a-hand-up-in-life/745670/60 "2016-02-10T14:49:22Z")
> [@up\_the\_junction](#): > > What is happening then? Some ‘co-workers’ are feeling disappointed. [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=2) [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=4)