Men of ATOT: Why didn't you serve?

[wabbitslayer]

Economics; job simply didn't pay enough for the requirements of the job.

Or to respond to the tone of the question (as opposed to strictly the wording of it):

Don't know what you are talking about because I serve my country every single day and have for the past I don't know how many years. The fact that I do it wearing a suit and tie may make it less "macho" but in no way less honorable or valuable.



That being said, I'm a little pissed we don't have Good Friday off.

 

[BoberFett]

I feel this is a legitimate question that will cause a lot of hearth ache. I also feel that I am in a unique position to ask this of you: Why didn't you serve in the war?

To clarify: Most of you are millennials. You are between 20-40 years old, and you could have. But you didn't. What was it that kept you from doing so?

I don't want to downplay your answers but, as a male, I feel like, at least in my childhood, I have always been bred to fight a war. It was always my destiny to go toe to toe with another man and fight to the death. That sounds a lot cooler than it really was...but I feel that I am justified.

I am a big fan of these scenes:

DEATH!!!
KLENDATHU!!

I'm curious as to your reasons of not being there with your sword. I was there. I spilled blood. Most of you were not there. I feel kind of betrayed.

WTF are you on about? Is this a spoof post?

 

[BoberFett]

Except for the 3 years, you sound like me. That was my experience as a 13 Foxtrot.
Joined as an E1, E5 in 2.5 years, decided to get out because of incompetent, illiterate senior NCOs. Battalion Commander offered me E6 to reenlist PDA but I had had it. Did do 8 more in the reserves then they wore me down.

13F? Hey brother *fist bump*

 

[LTC8K6]

"got put into"
Wow, most people have a choice. Was it go to the Army or go to jail?

I always thought the recruiters got a bigger bonus for getting someone into certain MOS's.

I always assumed that was why they made me a 35 Hotel. Essentially a calibrator. I pretty much worked on all of the Army equipment that required calibration.

I also took the RADIAC calibration course, so I also worked on RADIAC equipment such as dosimeters, CAAs, and geiger counters.

I spent a lot of time in front of a source calibrating dosimeters, and a lot of time checking CAA's for leaks. I often wore film badges on my chest and wrist, and had to have my eyes examined often.

The MOS is now 94 Hotel.

http://usmilitary.about.com/od/enlistedjobs/a/94h.htm

 

[monkeydelmagico]

I feel kind of betrayed.

By the military not having higher recruitment goals? There were and still are plenty of people in uniform.

I "served". The Army got it's pound of flesh, so to speak. Was both excellent and terrible depending on the duty station or assignment.

In the end it was self serving. I needed a job. The Army gave me a good one. Made me who I am today so I say thank you Uncle Sam.

 

[slackerinabox]

Death to help rich white dudes secure oil rights doesn't interest me in the slightest?

 

[Chocu1a]

Because I am not a sheep/

 

[KIAman]

Simple choice. Many people depended on me being around and economically stable. These are the people I care about more than anybody. I love them, depend on them and they define a part of who I am. Why would I purposely throw away these relationships?

My younger brother joined the Marines and I asked him his reasons and his (anecdotal) reason ranked as

1. I had no purpose in life
2. I didn't care for the people in my life
3. I had no future in life
4. You (kiaman) would understand his wanting to find himself

Granted now he has been serving for the last 12 years and is very happy with a wife, kids and a career in the Marines.

 

[poofyhairguy]

I am a pacifist wimp who doesn't allow jingoism to make my decisions for me.

 

[norseamd]

And if by belligerent you mean what's going on with soldiers and vets going against libertarians then your right about because I would be pissed to if I saw someone flying the american flag upside down or burning it.

Link?

 

[norseamd]

Your "outside" threat is imaginary.....created by the government (and their buddies) to keep sucking your tax money out on weapons, security contractors and military companies.

No it is not imaginary, you are hallucinating. Corrupt government is still a threat, but that does not make other threats magically turn into nonthreats.

 

[BoberFett]

And if by belligerent you mean what's going on with soldiers and vets going against libertarians then your right about because I would be pissed to if I saw someone flying the american flag upside down or burning it.

Vets against libertarians? Does that mean I'm supposed to kick my own ass?

 

[Scarpozzi]

I was in college long before war was declared on anyone. It didn't seem right to drop out of school for the GI Bill when I already had my employer hooking me up with free tuition. I'm glad I didn't go because I bought a house in 2004, met my wife in 2005, got married in 2006, and completed my Master's degree by 2007. Those were crucial points in my life and my current lifestyle would be starkly different.

 

[ajskydiver]

I'm going to enlist in the army once I graduate if i am able to. My family is a military family my dad served for 29 years in the army retired a CSM E7 his dad served In Vietnam and my great grandad was a air force mechanic in WW II. So if nothing stops me I will continue the legacy and tradition of serving my country.

What is a CSM E7?

 

[dank69]

People always complain about how corrupt the government is. No fucking way was I going to pledge my life to do their bidding.

 

[slackerinabox]

My prior snarky answer aside, I could not fathom leaving my wife and children for a cause I don't believe in. Would I have enlisted if I were single and alive during WW2? Yes, I'd like to think so. Now? I personally think we need to get the hell out of the middle east and let that whole world burn itself out

 

[KMFJD]

My parents brothers were almost all conscripted back in the Netherlands, my generation i think maybe 1 or 2 cousins (out of 70+) were conscripted before it stopped and i can't think of anyone that would join up in the current state of things.

 

[Tidekilla115]

Vets against libertarians? Does that mean I'm supposed to kick my own ass?

No he said something that didn't entirely make since to me so I was seeing if he meant the recent happenings in new York as example.

 

[Tidekilla115]

What is a CSM E7?

Command Sargent major, pay grade E7 highest possible for enlisted personal without a collage degree.

 

[Tidekilla115]

No it is not imaginary, you are hallucinating. Corrupt government is still a threat, but that does not make other threats magically turn into nonthreats.

I believe the same as you and stated as such that the goverment is corrupt but it doesnt change the need for protection for the american people. and as for a link you can go to YouTube and search libertarian protests stopped by vets etc

 

[bruceb]

First, In my time (1970) it would have been Vietnam, a war where we did not belong and were not really trying to win.

Second, I am small boned, not huge like a lot of soldiers or marines.

Third, I have a trick knee, that would likely give out under a heavy load or run.
Luckily this gave me a 4F

Fourth, If it had come down to I must go, I would have enlisted in either Air Force or Navy, not the Army

 

[Fern]

I had little chance to serve. I graduated high school not long after Vietnam was over, so there was nothing going on militarily wise. Recruiters came to our high school, but when we met with them they all said they were heavily downsizing and basically told us they had no jobs to offer. Only the Army guy had any jobs - infantry (basically a grunt humping it through the mud - no tech stuff back then, no PC's etc.). They told us to go to college if we could.

We never even had to register for the draft. For a couple of years they were so interested in downsizing they exempted people my age from registering.

Fern

 

[Chiropteran]

I went to Marine Corp boot camp, they gave me a nice stress fracture in my hip and I was medically discharged.

 

[NikolaeVarius]

Military sucks. For some people I can see the benefit, no way am I throwing my health and life away.

Out of 6 people I knew who went to the military, 4 of them suffer from life long issues stemming directly from their time there, and they have to go through the hell that is the VA process.

I don't see why any rational person would want to go unless to directly benefit from the educational reimbursement. Other than that, crazy.

 

[Craig234]

Your Che Guevara shirt is showing.

What do you say to General Smedley Butler, who said the same thing?