Seeing a lot of #teenagers talking about how they just joined the #military, which is something that happens around this time of year because they basically use #HighSchool as a #MilitaryRecruitment pool.
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Seeing a lot of #teenagers talking about how they just joined the #military, which is something that happens around this time of year because they basically use #HighSchool as a #MilitaryRecruitment pool.
We need to be sure to remind young people to really think about that decision, because so many of them get into it and then find out over the next
4 to 6 to 8 years, or however long the military keeps them, about all the things that we tried to warn them about. It's especially important in an election year, because they might find themselves with a president they don't want to serve under, and in this election in particular, that is a very real concern: under Trump, #USSoldiers will see their already dismal treatment get even worse, and may even be killed or dismembered after being thrown suddenly into some unplanned conflict by some moron who doesn't really care what happens to them.Remember to talk to the 18 year olds in your life about this.
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Raccoon at TechHub :mastodon:replied to Raccoon at TechHub :mastodon: last edited by
And let's remember next year, as we get close to graduation season, to step up the information campaigns so that teenagers see the other side of what they're getting into, and know about the common lies they are told. I don't remember seeing a lot at that time, and I feel like it's because we got distracted by all the crazy shit happening in the election this year.
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Josh Riversreplied to Raccoon at TechHub :mastodon: last edited by
@Raccoon I agree with you across all the downsides, and I personally gave service the stiff arm for all those reasons. But on reflection, I also consider the power and responsibility our military has. I believe that we desperately need our armed forces to be made up of people smart (and privileged) enough to avoid service.
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Raccoon at TechHub :mastodon:replied to Josh Rivers last edited by
@joshrivers
There is an argument there for some sort of mandatory service or risk thereof: people would be less likely to support a war their own kids may have to fight in. But that's not what we have right now, so I don't recommend anyone join the military just to give it a diverse set of members. -
Josh Riversreplied to Raccoon at TechHub :mastodon: last edited by
@Raccoon agree. I don’t recommend either. I just fear the absence.
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Raccoon at TechHub :mastodon:replied to Josh Rivers last edited by
@joshrivers
There is also an argument to be made that, because the average recruit is relatively Young, they have a lot of time to make sure, and the ones that mature well are the ones who make it into the higher ranks. There's another argument that the number of people who sign up because it's the best path for their future prospects means that there will always be a lot of diversity in the military, setting aside the fact that that's probably not the best thing, societally.