Army slogans - and G.I. reality

[mzmolly]

Juan Gonzalez
New York Daily News
September 23, 2003

The glossy, black-and-yellow brochures in the recruiting station were emblazoned with the Pentagon's new slogan, "An Army of One."

The brochures list all the skills to be learned by recruits, and the adventures and opportunities they will experience.

"As a soldier in the active Army," reads one brochure, "you could be assigned to a duty station such as Hawaii, Alaska, the Far East, Europe and more. You'll experience these places as no tourist can. You'll meet interesting people, learn the language and experience unique and interesting cultures."

There's no mention in any of those brochures about Baghdad or Kabul, Afghanistan, or Kuwait - or even Seoul. Nothing about a war against terrorism, or suicide bombers or grenade launchers fired by invisible guerrillas."

http://www.notinourname.net/resources_links/gi-reality-23sep03.htm

Wonder how many of these kids hoping for adventure and opportunity now find themselves in Iraq?

Keep in mind, this article was written in September of 2003.

[DarkPhenyx]

1. If you didn't already know that...

...then you haven't been paying attention. If you join the Army and don't think there is a possibility you might get shot at, and have to shoot back, I have no sympathy for you.

[mzmolly]

2. "a possibility"

There is a possibility I will be shot at going for a walk today too. And, if I go to my former *hood* where my mother lives, the possibility is even greater.

"The only numbers plastered on the wall near Mason's desk are huge ones with dollar signs: $20,000 for a signing bonus, $50,000 for a college education.

That's a lot of money to some poor Chinese or Hispanic youth from Flushing. According to the Army, quite a few are responding to the pitch.

Close to two-thirds of the recruits who have come through the Flushing recruiting station over the past few years have been born in other countries. As many as one-third are noncitizen green card holders.

Nationwide, more than 31,000 noncitizens are on active duty in the military - about 3% of our troops. Almost an equal number are naturalized citizens."

I knew several kids who at 18 signed up for the military as they had no plans/money to attend college. Do I pity the likes of them if they ended up as pawns in Bush's illegal war, you bet your ass I do.

[DarkPhenyx]

3. Well good for you.

You can't tell me though that kids are that stupid that they don't know that war is a possibility. If they are I don't believe the fault lies with the Government or the Military. I would place that blame on the parents, the individual, and the society at large.

[mzmolly]

7. Of course they believe it's a possibility, that's the sad thing isn't it.

The fact that so few in this country have options other then "rollin the bones" when it comes to their futures?

You blame parents, society but NOT the military? I think we are all complacent. Bush first and foremost. However, the military is not frank about what "could" happen, they are full of sales pitches with little reality.

[DarkPhenyx]

11. Everyone rolls the bones with their future.

Even those who go to college. You take a risk. Will you be good at your major? If you are will you be able to find a job in your field? Will it pay well? In the end it was your choice. Your life.

No, I don't blame the military. No more than I blame McDonalds for people being fat, or the cigarette companies for people starting smoking after it became widely known that smoking is bad for you.

[mzmolly]

13. Taking a risk at being bad at your major compares to risking your life?

:eyes:

I don't blame McDonalds for obesity either, guess we agree on one thing.

I do however blame Bush for this war and consequently for any death as it relates, do you?

[DarkPhenyx]

16. Of course.

At least pratially. I also blame the American people. Blame also lies with Congress. Not a little of it also belongs to Saddam Hussain. There is even some that lies at the feet of the Iraqi people.

[mzmolly]

22. Bush is the one who is to blame. Not the people he lied to.

:hi:

Bush stole the election, the American people chose Al Gore.

[DarkPhenyx]

23. All of us bear part of the blame.

Particularly those who let him lie to them.

[bigbillhaywood]

6. Just to play devil's advocate...

How different would that be from a poor young man joining the Mafia or some other gang? There is the possiblity that they may get shot or have to shoot someone else, but it's not guaranteed. And for someone with fewer options, it is a good way to make money. Does it suck that our system is set up to where so many people make these choices? Yes. But what about free will? It is still a choice that can be made, regardless of objective circumstances. What about a scab who crosses a picket line because he needs money for his family? Do you feel sorry when he gets his legs broken. I don't. He made the wrong choice. Sure the employers who brought the scab in shoulder a greater blame (just like Bush shoulders more blame than the soldier), but doesn't the scab also share some blame? He made the choice to cross the picket line. We can blame the capitalist system for these ills, but people can still choose in many cases to do the right thing (sometimes there really is no choice, but I don't think this applies to soldiers).

Please understand I don't think all soldiers are bad. I was in the Army, my mom, my grandpa, my great grandpa, and many friends. But people who volunteer for the military while Bush is leading a homicidal foreign policy are making a morally bad decision, even if they are basically good people. If someone signs up for the Marines today and gets killed in Fallujah next month-- no I will not feel sorry for them.

[mzmolly]

8. Most of the people in Iraq signed up well before the invasion of Iraq.

In fact, I think 911 brought people in droves.

I feel sorry for any loss of life that is a result of this senseless war.

Also, I don't compare drug dealers to our military personally. However you are right, for some kids the choice is one or the other.

[bigbillhaywood]

15. 9/11? Sorry but as an Arab-American I don't feel sorry for anyone who

signed up to waste ragheads. Yes, I know not all of them signed up for that. But don't kid yourself, a lot did. Now those people are getting their chance.

[mzmolly]

19. "Waste ragheads"

I think people felt that the country was in danger. I really don't think these kids (by and large) want to "waste ragheads."

If what you say is true, Bush wouldn't need to sell these poor kids the "liberate Iraq crap."

There are some who felt as you indicate, but I am sure the majority simply felt we were in danger, and the US would find Osama Bin Laden with their help. Keep in mind, most of these kids are 18 and naive.

[DarkPhenyx]

24. Nice bigoted statement.

Well done.

[bigbillhaywood]

25. Just repeating the kind of shit I heard right after 9/11 when people were

talking about enlisting. Due to the light skin I inherited from my mother, many people in bars who don't know me and my Arab heritage feel very comfortable making such comments to me-- comfortable until I shove my fist down their racist throats. If you don't think many people enlisted after 9/11 for precisely this reason, you're deluding yourselves.

[DarkPhenyx]

26. If you believe that is what the military is about...

...you are blind, bigoted, and ill informed.

[bigbillhaywood]

28. I didn't say that did I? Go back and read my posts on this thread. I said

I believe many people signed up for service after 9/11 to waste Arabs. I also said not all. I also said I was in the military, my mom, my grandma and grandpa, my greatgrandpa, and many of my friends I grew up with. No, growing up in a working-class neighborhood, I have no concept of people enlisting for a better life. (Sarcasm now off). I understand all that, but it doesn't make these choices right, nor does it mean some people don't join for all the wrong reasons. I knew a kid I grew up with who wanted to join the Marines so he could become a "trained killer". He was also a neo-Nazi. Now he's a cop. I know most aren't like him, but don't pretend they don't exist.

And please don't call me a fucking bigot because you disagree with me. Against DU rules. You really think I'm a bigot (why b/c I said soldiers are responsible for the choices they make, and some happen to be anti-Arab racists?), then alert my ass.

[DarkPhenyx]

29. Unfortunately...

...making bigoted statements isn't against the rules.

I don't deny those people exist, but contray to your pretty words, your attitude seems to indicates that you feel they far outnumber the "good people" in the military. It also seems to indicate that everyone who joined up right after 9/11 to defend America did so just so they could kill Arabs.

<on edit>

Well, not unfortuantely. Freedom of speech taking prominance in this case. As it should of course.

[freetobegay]

4. My brother joined the Navy in the 80"s

Because of the slogan " join the Navy & see the world.", after 2 years he made the comment, That the world is 3/4th's water!

[mzmolly]

9. LOL. Yeah, and water looks much the same from coast to coast.

Bor-ink! :crazy:

[Kagemusha]

5. There is an old saying.

In the army you get to go around the world, meet all sorts of new and interesting people, and kill them.

The difference now is that people tend not to find Moslem culture interesting in the first place..

[mzmolly]

10. I've heard that saying. I think most people realize that reality when

they get out? Or at least most who have served in a war.

[DarkPhenyx]

12. Whjen I was on active duty I met a lot of interesting people and cultures.

Most of them I didn't even considering shooting.

[mzmolly]

14. Did you hear more about the interesting places you might visit

or about the potential of war when you enlisted?

[DarkPhenyx]

17. I didn't enlist.

I was commissioned.

I heard a great deal about the war portion of reality. But as I pointed out I already knew about that before I signed my paperwork. It definately wasn't a surprise to me.

[mzmolly]

21. Glad you weren't surprised. Were you in combat?

:shrug:

[depakid]

18. I still see the "one weekend a month" commercial.

along with the rest of the old National Guard shtick. You'd think, just from a marketing standpoint, that the PR people might want to change that....

[mzmolly]

20. Indeed.

;)

[DarkPhenyx]

27. It's still true.

When your unit isn't called to active duty it is still one weekend a month, and two weeks in the summer.