Who on DU would never join the military?

[aljones]

I would never ever join the military!! I thank god everyday to live in a country where I don't have to be in the military. I hold the veterans and service-people in the highest regards, I am so happy the world has people in it like them!

smile ally

[bicentennial_baby]

1. I'm not military material

Let's just say I have problems with authority... :P

[aljones]

2. You sound like me!!

I just can't imagine putting myself in harms way like that!! Just cause somebody else told me to!!

smile ally

[huellewig]

9. Ditto

If the USA was invaded in some Red Dawn scenario I would defend my house. But I won't go overseas to protect the economic interest of the income elite.

[IronLionZion]

3. If we had a legitimate need for more soldiers,

I might join, but not to steal oil or help Halliburton.

[Donkeyboy75]

4. Not in this lifetime.

Many men in my family served during wars, including both of my grandfathers and my dad. I would view it as my responsibility to do so if a situation arose like that in World War II. Having said that (hi mopaul), I saw what it did to some family members, and it ain't pretty. War should always be a last resort, which is why chickenhawk motherfuckers shouldn't be sending teenagers off to die for no good reason.

[aljones]

10. Well said!!!

smile ally

[SmileyBoy]

5. I would join the Turkish military if I was ever drafted for it.

I'm a Turkish citizen and a Turkish national. I could see the benefit in spending some time in the Turkish Army.

But I would NEVER think of joining the US military.

[aljones]

39. you wouldn't happen to be from Istanbul?

My favorite city in the whole world!!

smile ally

[matcom]

6. i joined - i served

i would NOT do so today. no fucking way.

some days (lately) i am sorry i did. we have been tarnished for life i am afraid

PEACE

[aljones]

11. Thank you for your service MATCOM!!

You are not tarnished for life in my book!!

smile ally

[Donkeyboy75]

13. I don't think you've been tarnished.

Most rational human beings (i.e. those outside the * administration) can separate the military from the actions of a few. Hat's off to you, matcom.

[matcom]

21. there in lies the problem brother

i don't believe for a minute it is the 'actions of a few'

i'll get flamed to hell over that remark but its the truth (IMHO)

thanks though.

feeling pretty dirty these days

[Donkeyboy75]

22. Well, you'd know better than I would.

But you shouldn't feel dirty unless you did something wrong yourself.

[matcom]

23. didn't do any wrongs

but feel dirty nonetheless

in fact, i weep and fear it was all a waste

[aljones]

27. I am sure it was not all a waste!!!

Don't weep matcom!! all the rights you did were bound to have helped somebody somewhere!! Don't ever doubt your own goodness!!

smile ally

[m-jean03]

7. I wish I could do some kind of pretend military camp.

Where we played capture the flag all day, and I learned to fly helicopters.. :shrug: And had yellow daisies and peace signs on our uniforms....

Obviously I'm not made of the right stuff! I have all the more respect for those who are though, because of this fact!!

[SanFranciscoDemocrat]

12. They wouldn't want me

I'm too old and crazy. If we were invaded, though, I'd either sign up or just pick off as many invaders as I could from my patio.

[aljones]

16. You sound like my Daddy!!

I can see him with his shotgun on the front porch shooting anything that moved!!

smile ally

[aljones]

15. Nice thought!!

Wonder if that would be part of the department of peace that Kucinich was proposing?

smile ally

[m-jean03]

18. MANDATORY PEACE CAMP DRAFT

;-) You'd have Republicans protesting in the streets. It would be the anti-60s!

[aljones]

28. Thats an even better thought!!

lol

smile ally

[Kellanved]

8. never

I declared conscientious objector status when I was drafted after graduating from High School. I would do so again.

Well, we do have a draft here.

[AgadorSparticus]

14. i would fight for my cause and my country if it is what i believe in.

if we are invaded tomm. by an imperialistic country (ha!), i'd fight to protect true democracy. not like the propped up pseudo type of democracy that is flung around by the monkey.

my personality type would pose problems for the military though. i question EVERYTHING. it would chap my ass to much to hear day in and day out, "just do as you're told". it goes against everything i believe.

[aljones]

17. Show me true democracy!! I would fight for it!!!

smile ally

[johnnie]

19. My father, a 25 year Marine told me...

"Don't join the service, you would spend all your time in the brig". I was a bit of a rebel in those days. I have mellowed a bit since then, but I still would not join. I have a problem with killing and authority.

[aljones]

20. Good advice i would say!!!

Not that i think you should be in the brig or anything!!

smile ally

[welshTerrier2]

24. Military Service - Who and What is being served ??

while it is most appropriate to be appreciative of those who serve, it is nevertheless important to ask just who is being served and for what purpose ...

it appears that with an almost totally corrupt military-industrial complex, the service so generously provided by so many often does little but further the causes of those not very deserving of such efforts ... defense of the nation is a noble cause; invasion of sovereign states for commercial purposes is not ...

so, no, without a government I could confidently trust, I would never serve in the military ... I see doing so as more-or-less signing away my right to decide right and wrong on the most critical life and death issues ...

[Nikia]

25. I considered it but now would prefer not to join

I applied for the U.S. Military Academy and would have gone if I had been accpeted. I went to a college without ROTC, but probably would have joined it if I had gone to a college with that program. Besides free or cheap education, I wanted to join the military because I believed that it tended to give more opportunities with those with merit than corporate life does. I also briefly considered joining the National Guard and the recruiter came to my house.
Now, I want to settle down. I am married. I want to have children soon and live a good life.

[aljones]

29. Live long and prosper my good friend!!

smile ally

[MrSlayer]

26. Not I. I'm not shaving my head for any reason.

And who wants some abusive asshole screaming in their face all the time? Fuck that.

[thestatusquo]

30. I am grateful for soldiers' service, but I would never join

espeically not to fight in Iraq with Bush as my commander in chief!

[aljones]

31. Also well said!!

I just don't like the thought of having a commander and cheif over me at all!!

smile ally

[terrya]

32. Rummy and his generals don't want 48 year old faggots in their military.

So, that lets me out.

The Vietnam draft had just ended before I was eligable. I would have played the gay card if I had to.

[aljones]

33. Don't ask Don't tell!!!

But it looks like luck was on your side in Vietnam!

smile ally

[neverborn]

34. Never.

[screwfacecapone]

35. I became a conciencious objector right before election 2000.

Funny thing was, I was in air force rotc throughout high school, and the first few years of college. Now that I think about it, I lucked out. At least until they bring back the draft.

[aljones]

36. the draft is a very scary thing!!

one can only hope that is a modern myth!! i would hate to see this country if they reinstate the draft!!

smile ally

[wickerwoman]

37. I would never be drafted into the military.

If there was a genuine threat to the US, I would volunteer.

I would be ashamed to let other people die in my place simply because they were too poor to afford college.

I doubt I'd be a very good soldier though. I could never kill anyone and I never follow orders.

[aljones]

38. I just forsee thousand of young americans in jail because...

they refuse to serve in the military!! We are a generation that has never really known war until now! A generation in which the draft seems like a control tactic rather than a truly needed thing to save our country. Almost No one I know my age will willing let themselves be drafted without a fight.

smile ally

[GirlinContempt]

40. Here here.... Never ever ever