planet earth looks blue

One sector is benefiting from the rising unemployment rates - the military.  As jobs dwindle and people aren’t able to support themselves or their families, they are forced to find other options, ones that they wouldn’t normally have chosen.  One of those choices is the military.  Men and women, young, and old are being drawn by the promises of economic security, benefits, and education.  Where years ago we were a nation talking about the possibility of a draft for the unpopular oil wars, today people are lining up to join.  Last year all active-duty and reserve forces met or exceeded their recruitment goals.  That hasn’t happened since 2004.

Pretense along with increased funding for recruiting efforts by the Army and Marine Corps are at play here.  People believe that with Obama stepping into the White House, the likelihood of superfluous combat will decrease.  They reason that they can last the recession/depression in the safety of the military, and then come out on the other end with training and savings, and possibly even an education.  Sounds like a good deal for the desperate, doesn’t it?  

We are all responsible for making our own decisions.  And choosing to join a war effort based on what a recruitment officer, who will be financially compensated for your signature, says, or based on a marketing campaign isn’t the wisest of things to do.  For those who decide to join the oil wars, that is their decision, their right, but wouldn’t it be wise to further investigate such a grave decision?  

Take, for example, the experience of Iraq War Veterans.  The organization, Iraq Veterans Against the War have compiled a fact sheet, the Truth in Recruiting.  According to this fact sheet, the recruiters out there are offering up a host of promises that are not kept, and neglecting to inform possible recruits of, well, the negative statistics.  

One assertion they may make is that, depending on the field you choose, you definitely won’t be sent to Iraq or Afghanistan.  The truth is that the recruitment officers have no say in who is sent.  Personnel from all sectors are pulled to go abroad.  The Marine Corps has even sent band members to Iraq combat missions.  Another is the terms of the contract.  They say you can choose the length of your commitment, a couple years, maybe four…but the truth is that all contracts are for eight years.  Also, the contract only bind you, not the military, so they can change it whenever they want.  This has happened already to 120,000 men and women, who’s contracts were involuntarily extended.  They claim you will be given money for college, but there is a catch.  If you don’t start putting your own money  into your education fund from the day that the military starts paying you, then you are disqualified.  In reality only 5.6% of GI Montgomery Bill recruits use all the money that is said to be available to them.  

So there is the fine print, and then there are also a few bleak stats that anyone considering military service should think about.  Nearly one third of all women report being raped.  One third of all homeless people are veterans.  So for those entering for financial security, think again.  Veterans are twice as likely to commit suicide as everyone else.  

I understand that people have to make certain decisions, but at least make informed ones.  So many people enter the war, and come out of it feeling like a victim.  Or worse yet, don’t come out at all.