Peligroso27

[Raine19]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? PA
What is wrong with these "cildren"? they act like they applied for a job at McDonalds. They took an OATH to protect there Country! I think they should go back to the old days and SHOOT them
JMO

[Peligroso27]

Preach on. I don't know what happened to today's youth.

[fozzy2]

"I think they should go back to the old days and SHOOT them"

What kind of "old days" are you talking about? During World War II, our largest war, about one person was shot for refusing to serve - and that was styled "in the face of the enemy" since he was already in a combat unit. During most earlier wars deserters weren't shot either. Indeed, desertion rates by the 'patriotic' men of the revolutionary and civil wars dwarfs modern desertion raters.

The 'modern'/volunteer military operates on a contractual basis. It is a matter of contract law, and death has never been an accepted sanction for breach of contract. Besides, on a practical level, if they don't want to be there then you probably don't want them next to you.

"shoot 'em" might work as a rhetorical flourish, but it is rarely a practical answer.

[Peligroso27]

Fozzy, you have a great point but her exaggeration is only exasperated by her own situation. While her son serves in the war, her son in law ran away. She has come to this board for advice and was most likely blown away by the sheer volume of individuals who are exactly like her son in law.

I share her complete bewilderment wondering where the sense of honor and responsibility of these volunteers has gone. My guess, it as has gone AWOL as well. Looking back through almost a year of posts by these individuals, the story never changes much. Only the pseudonym under which they attempt to justify their actions remains the one variant so far. The infamous "friend" that is in trouble usually reminds me of the sheer childish nature of these individuals. The failure to even take responsibility for their actions on an anonymous post and separate themselves from the action completely merits a complete psychological inquiry.

[PJ Weber]

I share her complete bewilderment wondering where the sense of honor and responsibility of these volunteers has gone. My guess, it as has gone AWOL as well.

You hit the nail on the head

I retired after 35 years service in the late 90s

It's the quality of a small part of todays youth that is to blame. Honor and Responsibility
are just words to them, I doubt if they could define them. They play their video games
and expect the military to be similar. It's different looking out from the inside, then it
is looking in from the outside . . . there's no way to equate that. Some can hack it, others cannot

Joining the military is one of the biggest decisions that they will make in life, and
all they look for is bonuses, cool jobs, and I don't want to deploy

For the most part todays enlistees are smarter, more physically fit, and have
a good deal of responsibility, it's the small part (the sumbags) that ruin it

[Dude]

Originally Posted by PJ Weber

They play their video games
and expect the military to be similar...

Then the military should stop recruiting with video games. AMERICA'S ARMY: SPECIAL FORCES. This is used to get all those gamers to enlist.

Originally Posted by PJ Weber

...For the most part todays enlistees are smarter, more physically fit, and have
a good deal of responsibility, it's the small part (the sumbags) that ruin it

This is just opinion. As for the physical part, I've seen ALOT of fat bodies in the military.

[Peligroso27]

Originally Posted by Dude

Then the military should stop recruiting with video games. AMERICA'S ARMY: SPECIAL FORCES. This is used to get all those gamers to enlist.

How do you know this? Were you a part of the formulation of the marketing strategy? I assure you that the Army has not targeted "gamers" specifically. The Army is simply using the most popular medium for their target market, 17-25 year old males. If in all of your infinite wisdom you can think of a better way then indulge us, please.

Originally Posted by Dude

This is just opinion. As for the physical part, I've seen ALOT of fat bodies in the military.

This is only an opinion as well. The average AFQT score and median has increased over the past decade. (smarter) As for more physically fit, I can't find any information on this but the youth of this country are arguably healthier than previous generations. Your limited experience and lack of real knowledge make your statement one of complete ignorance. Why would you feel that you are even remotely able to offer an opinion on this subject in the first place. To argue that you may know more about this than a man that has 35 years of experience is foolhardy to say the least. You were a member of the small part that makes everyone look bad.

[Raine19]

My son will be home by HALLOWEEN!! I'm so proud of him. He's joining school to become a PA State Trooper! YEAH!
A very happy and proud mom!

[Peligroso27]

Tell him that this Florida vet has been praying for his safety and is grateful for his service. His continued service in law enforcement is appreciated as well. Best of luck.

[SHDR85]

I understand your frustration, but I am going to put myself out on the line for my own explanation of why people go AWOL.

first, I myself am AWOL and my belief on this matter is this; if you have never served, don't judge those who tried and didn't make it.

Some people go AWOL due to genuine family problems. My mother began abusing prescription medication a few months after I joined. My father, a disabled veteran, relapsed abusing alcohol again for the first time in 17 years after I left for training. I have a brother who was only 5 at the time and needed someone responsible to take care of him. The military would not let me go on this basis because he was not my child. So I left.

Others go because they can't hack it.

Others buy into the lies of the recruiters and really believe what they are being told. The most common promise given to recruits is that once training is complete, they are pretty much free to do what they please, go to school, get married and have children. When iin actuallity, the moment you go to permanent party, you are shipped off to Iraq.

I come from generations of retired, high ranking military, who all served in wars and in combat somewhere at sometime in their service. Everyone of them told me that joining at such a young age when you don't know anything about the reasons we are at war other than terrorism, which is not the only reason, was a bad idea.

The army isn't what it was 20 years ago either. It's changed alot!

[Peligroso27]

Originally Posted by SHDR85

I understand your frustration, but I am going to put myself out on the line for my own explanation of why people go AWOL.

This should be good.

Originally Posted by SHDR85

first, I myself am AWOL and my belief on this matter is this; if you have never served, don't judge those who tried and didn't make it.

I have served and I don't judge those who gave up and ran away. The facts are written on the wall for all of you.

Originally Posted by SHDR85

Some people go AWOL due to genuine family problems. My mother began abusing prescription medication a few months after I joined. My father, a disabled veteran, relapsed abusing alcohol again for the first time in 17 years after I left for training. I have a brother who was only 5 at the time and needed someone responsible to take care of him. The military would not let me go on this basis because he was not my child. So I left.

There are services available to provide that for you. Why do you feel like you are the only person in the world that could have taken care of your mothers child? You used this situation as an excuse to run away.

Originally Posted by SHDR85

Others go because they can't hack it.

That is a nice way of minimizing the reason people run away from a contract with the United States government. I would have said they don't have the fortitude, nor the sense of responsibility to fulfill their voluntary obligation.

Originally Posted by SHDR85

Others buy into the lies of the recruiters and really believe what they are being told. The most common promise given to recruits is that once training is complete, they are pretty much free to do what they please, go to school, get married and have children. When iin actuallity, the moment you go to permanent party, you are shipped off to Iraq.

This is referred to as rationalization. You are giving the responsibility for your actions to someone else. This is something you need to learn to overcome, being extrinsic will get you nowhere in life. Generalizations make you sound ignorant and uneducated. By your statement, every person that graduates from AIT is sent directly to Iraq immediately, which is not true. Did you ask about your chances of being deployed? Did you ask for a time line regarding the autonomous existence that was apparently promised to every AWOL soldier?

Originally Posted by SHDR85

I come from generations of retired, high ranking military, who all served in wars and in combat somewhere at sometime in their service. Everyone of them told me that joining at such a young age when you don't know anything about the reasons we are at war other than terrorism, which is not the only reason, was a bad idea.

I am sure each of them are ashamed of your actions. What does that have to do with you and your actions?

Originally Posted by SHDR85

The army isn't what it was 20 years ago either. It's changed alot!

Yes it has. The training regimen and overall focus is on the soldier rather than the greater good. The benefits are far greater after service and the amenities during service far exceed those previously available. You have done nothing but further rationalize and attempt to minimize your actions. I should point out that although you may think that the world revolves around you, it does not. Your problems are relatively insignificant in the greater scheme of things. The army still functioned fine after you left, but I don't think that if you ran away that quickly you were ever a stellar soldier in the first place. I was wrong this post was full of the same BS that has been repeated over and over.

[Raine19]

Me and my husband are now receiving calls from the Department of Defense. I know that my soon to be X son-in-law is somewhere in West Virginia but, Ihave no idea where. I'm affraid they're going to arrest my daughter or something, because she knows how to reach him but won't tell me where he is.

[Peligroso27]

I highly doubt that the DOD would have any grounds to arrest your daughter in this situation. They are just trying to wrap loose ends and get your son in law off the books for good. The best thing for you to do is encourage your daughter to divulge the contact info she has to the authorities and clear herself of this issue. Try to convince her of the seriousness of his situation and the utter shame that is attached to it. Best of luck.

[itaitab]

Some of you people are just ridiculous, single minded bias idiots. The military will screw anybody in its services over in a dam heartbeat.
And this crazy women keeps saying anyone with a bad discharge is a piece of sh^^ because they failed to uphold there oath. And her son is fighting to protect us, so she has the right to totally demoralize these people with no prior service herself?
As much respect as I have for her son who had the discipline to stay and fight in Iraq. The reasons in which he was sent there was bs. We are not protecting our freedoms by fighting in Iraq, the sacrifices he was forced to make over there were not necessary. And now the world economy is crap because of this stupid conflict, and many great people lost there lives and its just sickening. Under normal circumstances I never would have joined the dam military, I wish i knew then at the age of 17 years 4 months, what I did now 18 years 11 months.

Pull your heads out of your butts.

"He who joyfully marches to music in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would fully suffice. This disgrace to civilization should be done away with at once. Heroism at command, senseless brutality, and all the loathsome nonsense that goes by the name of patriotism, how violently I hate all this, how despicable and ignoble war is; I would rather be torn to shreds than be part of so base an action! It is my conviction that killing under the cloak of war is nothing but an act of murder."

-Albert Einstein

[Peligroso27]

Originally Posted by itaitab

Some of you people are just ridiculous, single minded bias idiots. The military will screw anybody in its services over in a dam heartbeat.
And this crazy women keeps saying anyone with a bad discharge is a piece of sh^^ because they failed to uphold there oath. And her son is fighting to protect us, so she has the right to totally demoralize these people with no prior service herself?
As much respect as I have for her son who had the discipline to stay and fight in Iraq. The reasons in which he was sent there was bs. We are not protecting our freedoms by fighting in Iraq, the sacrifices he was forced to make over there were not necessary. And now the world economy is crap because of this stupid conflict, and many great people lost there lives and its just sickening. Under normal circumstances I never would have joined the dam military, I wish i knew then at the age of 17 years 4 months, what I did now 18 years 11 months.

Pull your heads out of your butts.

"He who joyfully marches to music in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would fully suffice. This disgrace to civilization should be done away with at once. Heroism at command, senseless brutality, and all the loathsome nonsense that goes by the name of patriotism, how violently I hate all this, how despicable and ignoble war is; I would rather be torn to shreds than be part of so base an action! It is my conviction that killing under the cloak of war is nothing but an act of murder."

-Albert Einstein

You might have a better chance of convincing people you know what you are talking about if you learned to spell. You need to pull your head out of your butt. I am not going to argue economic policy with you, because you obviously have no grasp of the subject.

You say we are not fighting for freedom. What about the freedom of the Iraqi people? Would it be socially responsible for us to destroy the infrastructure of Iraq and then leave? The loss of life in this war has been minimal compared to past conflicts.

You can rationalize your actions all you want. Your poorly written rhetoric falls on deaf ears in this forum.