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Would You Encourage a Person to Join the Military?
In spite of audio difficulties, Jon Gabriel conducted a very good interview with Amber Smith on his latest podcast. A former OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopter pilot-in-command and air mission commander who flew multiple combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Amber served as Deputy Assistant to the Secretary of Defense (Outreach), Special Assistant in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and as an advisor on the Department of Veterans Affairs presidential transition team.
Jon asked Amber a question that especially got my attention, though, and I wanted to ask all of you how you would answer the question (as best I remember it): What would you tell or advise a potential recruit to the US military? Given all the woke controversy, criticism of our military leaders, and lack of support from the Biden administration, this question may not be as easy to answer as it would have been in the past. I’d be interested in knowing your reasoning, too.
Anyone is welcome to answer, but I would especially be interested in hearing from current members of the military and veterans. Those of you who have family or friends in the military might want to weigh in, too.
As a person who has never served, but is the wife of a Navy veteran, I don’t know what my best advice would be.
I’m hoping you can help me clarify my own position.
Published in Military
Not right now.
As the quotation says, “If not now, when?”
I have some friends who have a conservative son in the Navy. I have told them to encourage him to get out as soon as possible. The vaccination mandate is only the beginning. It will get worse. Much worse. I think the Military Code of Justice gives the woke officers even more ammo to go after “Domestic Terrorists” in the ranks than our normal law. I would not want to be in the armed services now. One can see how Senile Uncle Joe has their back in Afghanistan, or not.
Torn:
No, because of the sorry leadership and lack of warrior mentality at the top. Who would sacrifice their children to these bozos.
Yes, because brave people are still our front line of defense from evil forces. As we cull out sorry leaders of the top, we need to grow new leaders from the bottom up. If the right people enlist, we can right the ship.
For those who would recommend not joining right now, what will that mean for our military? For our national security? When would a person know when it’s wise to join? Is there a way to join and maintain one’s integrity as a citizen and conservative?
Thanks, @eherring. I can understand why you’d be torn, and while you were typing your answer, I was probably writing my related questions.
It’s not “one size fits all” and, even before our present times, was dependent on the goals and personality of the particular person involved. I have worked with a number of very capable ex-military personel who held good private sector jobs because doors opened for them as a result of their service. Depending on one’s plans for the future, and the opportunities for learning/development in a particular branch of the service, I would still say the military is a very viable option for some young people.
Yes, there is a lot going on that we find distasteful, but it’s still very possible to keep one’s head down, dodge the bureaucratic slings and arrows, and profit from the experience.
Excellent points, @hoyacon. The person asking and his or her temperament should be a factor. Thanks.
My daughter is currently serving in the USAF. She has generally had a positive experience and good leadership in her career field. However, the recently required sessions on “extremeism” made her nervous. She is not outspoken herself, but she follows many conservatives on social media (i.e. Candace Owens, Allie Beth Stuckey) and is worried that, even though she doesn’t say anything, her follows and likes on social media will be used against her. Her career field is very technical and I think that helps. As a parent, I can say it has been a positive path for her.
No, and recruiters should be banned from public schools.
I served in the peacetime Army in the 1950s, and my question is: If we encourage our young people not to serve in the military, doesn’t that leave our country at the mercy of our enemies?
I have great admiration for all those who have served in the military through all of the unpleasant circumstances of the past 20 years in Iraq and Afghanistan. We owe them a great debt of gratitude. It’s just very unfortunate that their leaders aren’t worthy of them.
My gut reaction is to say Hockeysticks No, but it’s still safer in Afghanistan than it is in Chicago.
I’m certainly not recommending it to my son, so it would be disingenuous of me to recommend it to others, but in general, I agree with Hoyacon — it depends.
I dropped out of High School. Joining the military was the second smartest thing I ever did. My son is an academic cruise missile — joining up would be the second stupidest thing he could do right now.
The military is a great surrogate father for a lot of young men not otherwise covered. Young men need male mentorship in order to grow up right.
A mitigating factor is the hope that some of our current acute problems will either improve or become chronic — more bearable. Young people just joining now *should* be shielded from the worst. And if World War Woke just gets worse and worse, well then it will be worse everywhere, not just n the military.
So — it depends.
Not until the woke CRT BS ends. They will be demoralized and hate it. They should be primed and waiting. It is very likely we will need patriots in the Armed Forces in large numbers before long. The chain of events precipitated by the incompetence and incapacity displayed by this Administration make it very likely that some new kinetic action will start soon. Most likely related to the Taiwan Straight, but other options abound.
BTW, I lay 4:1 odds we are back in Afghanistan within 4 years.
I’m 50/50 that we don’t even leave in that timeframe, weasel-words notwithstanding.
This is a tough one. I’ll say yes, but with a caveat. I’d tell the young person you will learn skills that last a lifetime, and they’re not just technical ones. Being former military can open doors for you because of your experience, whether you stay in two years or twenty. You’ll also make friends with fellow soldiers and sailors who will die for you, as you would die for them.
The caveat?
The senior ranks of the military has become highly politicized, and you will have to undergo indoctrination training that I wasn’t subjected to when I was in. You’ll also be walking on eggshells, figuring out which of your fellow soldiers are social justice warriors first, American warriors second. If you are heavy into social media, you’re asking for trouble. No doubt recruiters are told to investigate a potential recruit’s online social life, to see if there is any “offensive” material. It used to be the biggest risk in the military was death. Now it’s cancellation . . .
Yes, and you’ve also provided lots of great ways to look at the choices. Thanks, @bdb.
Or four weeks?
When we get a military worthy of the sacrifices of those that enlist. At a minimum that means when those running this fiasco resign or are sacked. When the military realizes its mission is to defend the United States from all enemies foreign and domestic and not to advance a BIPOC or green agenda.
Until then – to use a memorable phrase from a David Drake novel, you cannot stiffen jello by adding steel BBs to it. And that is what our current military – thanks to its current leaders is today – jello.
Agree with Stad. The junior enlisted and officers know why they enlisted. More than just learning skills. Learning how to save lives. I think, for the most part, the political B.S. from senior politicized officers’ crap will be like water off a duck’s back. I was Navy and went through a milder version of this 50 years when racial troubles in the military. But got through it in about 6 months. And the Afghan fiasco should wake all these senior officer idiots up that more is going on than a need for more CRT.
This is what I posted to my local NextDoor:
I think it is still honorable to enter the military, now, but you have to consider how your commander may use you. And that is a concerning thought at the moment. I support a decision either way. We need our military. But we need leadership that their honor deserves.
No.
Never again.
Once and institution falls to the left, it can never be recovered.
Yeah, I wrote a post asking the same question back on July the Fourth.
Right now, I just don’t know if I could encourage a young person to go into the military.
I have encouraged both of my kids to join the military. My oldest does not want to do that, and I doubt my younger one will either. Both are Autistic and would struggle with some of the aspects of military life. At least in their generation we did have one of my nephews who decided to join the Army. He spent 8 years but was disillusioned by his service. Of my generation, I was the only one who served (Army Reserve and National Guard), and both my and my wife’s Dad (as well as her Uncle) served in the Navy (my Dad), and Army (her family).
I would never counsel anyone NOT to serve. It is a vocation that, regardless of the politicians that are in office, is full of honor and grants amazing experiences to the people who serve. I sometimes say that just being given an M-60, 400 rounds of ammo and told to not turn any back in just about made everything else acceptable. It is not for everyone, but one becomes part of a long line of people who wrote a blank check to the US for any amount up to an including their lives. When I was growing up the military did their best to encourage people to join to learn skills for their lives. That isn’t why I joined, but many did. In the post 911 world many joined to defend the US. Now…the animated ads seem to promote an inclusiveness to joining as opposed to service and sacrifice.
I was in the military (AF) from 1977-1983; the military in that time period was just beginning to emerge and recover from the Vietnam experience. I was enlisted (separated as an E-5). The hospital I worked at overseas (W. Germany) from 77-79 was the air-evac center for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. The hospital was located near a large Army base, with both infantry and armor battalions. I was privileged to interact with many Vietnam vets, (both officers and enlisted), some who were still getting follow-up surgeries related to their war wounds (including a gentleman who spent 7 years as a POW). I never met a more honorable group of men and women than the combat vets (a few who were WWII and Korea, as well).
When we refer to the ‘Greatest Generation’ being the WWII generation, I would agree with this caveat–those who served in the Vietnam era military when others found ways to avoid service, are every bit as great as the WWII generation. We need to honor them as such. That their peers who avoided or denigrated service are found wanting does not diminish the sacrifice of the Vietnam era military.
I am at a loss regarding recommending the military to my current students; I have had 6 in my teaching career who are serving officers, having graduated from the Naval and Air Force Academies, and many more who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan as enlisted, in all 4 services. But, our current leadership is not inspiring confidence. I was able to trust my peers and near rank leadership–if that quality of individual in the NCO and lower ranking officer ranks that have the most direct influence on the enlisted ranks holds strong, I think we will be alright.
I feel like there is a randomness or disorder in my thoughts here; I am torn and somewhat incoherent…processing out loud.
This part. I would encourage state guards defense. Lots of states have them and the federal government as absolutely no authority over them.
Neither would I. At present I cannot encourage anyone to serve, however. It is the first time in my life I could not.
@postmodernhoplite, a retired US Army Colonel, was asked on LoC Afghanistan! this question and answered it this way: two of his sons contemplated going the military, and he told them he would support them in their choice; neither joined the military, and he told them that they had made the right choice.
I think you are very clear, Jake. I think you are describing your experience much as others are–a deep appreciation for the military men and women you encountered, and a frustration for what the military has become at the highest ranks. All of that is understandable to me. It is a struggle that many of us are going to have to work through in one way or another. Thanks for sharing.
Lot of that going around.
I am very proud of my two nephews who are members of the Armed Services. Very proud. So the answer is yes, and I would encourage any family member to consult with my nephews.