Ivy League students heckle wounded Iraq War veteran

[Asher]

I think the thing which appeals to albie is that he gets to let somebody else make his decisions for him...

In my response to HC, I was going to give a shot at explaining why I think the Marines appeal to Alby (camaraderie (due to lack of friends), need for structure in life (due to a lack of a father figure), etc). But I didn't want to take it too personal. But suffice to say, I think I can understand why Alby is making the decision he is. I just don't think he's making the right ones. I reserve the right to make that judgment if I want to. He reserves the right to tell me to **** off.

[KrazyHorse]

The need for structure isn't due to lacking a father; it's due to laziness and an unwillingness to admit that he has not the first ****ing clue about how grownups outside the slums act.

[Hauldren Collider]

Asher, I have several friends who are going into careers in the US military. As I believe I've mentioned before, a number of TJ students every year attend the service academies and many more go into ROTC programs. All of them are bright, well-liked and respected, and are self-motivated and can make their own decisions. None of them are entering the military because they lack maturity. They all have their own reasons and I assure you none of them are joining because they like the idea of killing foreigners.

The military is not a lazy xenophobe safety net.

[Asher]

Asher, I have several friends who are going into careers in the US military. As I believe I've mentioned before, a number of TJ students every year attend the service academies and many more go into ROTC programs. All of them are bright, well-liked and respected, and are self-motivated and can make their own decisions. None of them are entering the military because they lack maturity. They all have their own reasons and I assure you none of them are joining because they like the idea of killing foreigners.

The military is not a lazy xenophobe safety net.

Yes, there's all kinds of reasons to join the military.

A lot think it looks good on the resume (which isn't true, but whatever...)
A lot think it builds character (which could be true if you're incredibly undisciplined)
A lot think it will impress the girls (which it does, just not the girls you'd ever want)
A lot do it because they're nonsensically patriotic (an American trait many have...)
A lot do it because college is expensive and the military will pay, with strings attached...

Why do all those supernerds at TJ want to join the military?

[notyoueither]

Wasn't there that D-Day thing? I think that was a bit beachy-invadey.

It was no fair to the oppo. You guys used Canadians.

[SlowwHand]

Yes, there's all kinds of reasons to join the military.

A lot think it looks good on the resume (which isn't true, but whatever...)
A lot think it builds character (which could be true if you're incredibly undisciplined)
A lot think it will impress the girls (which it does, just not the girls you'd ever want)
A lot do it because they're nonsensically patriotic (an American trait many have...)
A lot do it because college is expensive and the military will pay, with strings attached...

Why do all those supernerds at TJ want to join the military?

Asher, with all due respect, on how many points can you be wrong in one post?

[Asher]

Virtually everyone I know who has joined the military has done so for one of those reasons. The only one I left out is they can't find any other job.

[Hauldren Collider]

Yes, there's all kinds of reasons to join the military.

A lot think it looks good on the resume (which isn't true, but whatever...)
A lot think it builds character (which could be true if you're incredibly undisciplined)
A lot think it will impress the girls (which it does, just not the girls you'd ever want)
A lot do it because they're nonsensically patriotic (an American trait many have...)
A lot do it because college is expensive and the military will pay, with strings attached...

Why do all those supernerds at TJ want to join the military?

A lot go for the last reason. West Point, Annapolis, etc. are very good colleges and they are free (if you don't mind working for the military, and they obviously don't.)
Some really like the idea of flying jet planes. Hard to argue with that--jet planes are pretty ****ing cool.
Some really like the idea of flying helicopters. Hard to argue with that as well....
There's also the prestige of being an officer in the military.

And I think there's one or two that are doing Coast Guard out of a mix of patriotism and the desire to save lives. I don't think you're going to be able to find any fault in that.

[Asher]

The coast guard is the most useful part of the military, aside from the National Guard.

The military that exists to actually serve and protect the citizens on home soil (or coastal waters)

I also don't think there's any prestige with being a military officer. No more so than being a manager in the civilian world...

[Egbert]

I find myself in complete agreement with Hauldren Collider in respect to reasons for joining the military.

soldiers
sailors
air force
marines
SAS
any military men not included in the above

And: Albie joining the USMC

[KrazyHorse]

Here's hoping he's been taking his boniva...

[KrazyHorse]

The military is not a lazy xenophobe safety net.

While some people join for other reasons, there is a pretty large contingent who are there for precisely these reasons.

[MikeH]

Then they're stupid.

Not just paid below the market rate, also taking a job with massively increased likelihood of; being killed, permanently disabled, permanently psychologically damage, decreased quality of personal relationships etc.

[Asher]

Not just paid below the market rate, also taking a job with massively increased likelihood of; being killed, permanently disabled, permanently psychologically damage, decreased quality of personal relationships etc.

You just don't get it, Mike!

JET PLANES! THEY CAN FLY JET PLANES.

[Asher]

It is true that one of my friends did join the Canadian Forces specifically to get the flight hours required to become a commercial pilot. He's flying the Hercules planes in and out of Afghanistan these days, but he's leaving as soon as he gets qualified to be a commercial pilot.