Duty, Honor, Country

I remember that first bus trip to Paris Island. The fear of the unknown paramount, my resolve tested. There was no war, yet I had talents and found myself in combat. The men and women joining our forces today know there is a war; they know they are going into combat. Still they come from far and wide, rich and poor, to serve the Country, to serve us. Ready to make the final sacrifice, to pay for the freedoms we all enjoy.

www.defenselink.mil
Over 90 percent of military recruits have a high school diploma – a credential held by only about 75 percent of their peers. A traditional high school diploma is the best single predictor of “stick-to-it-iveness” and successful adjustment to the military. Recruits with a high school diploma have a 70-percent probability of completing a three-year term of enlistment, compared with a 50-percent likelihood for non-graduates.
Nearly two-thirds of today’s recruits are drawn from the top-half of America in math and verbal aptitudes – a strong determinant of training success and job performance
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fact: Military recruits mirror the US population and are solidly middle class. A recent report shows that more recruits come from middle income families, with far fewer drawn from poorer families (Figure 2). Youth from upper income families are represented at almost exactly their fair share.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


July, Army 104%, Marines 112% on and on. The recruitment goals are not only being met, they are being routinely exceeded. Standards are up so there is no longer any of the "join or go to jail" as was routine in the past. These are highly intelligent, informed individuals making the choice to fight for freedom instead of sitting around complaining about the world.

There is a pride in serving, in having served that is not easily explained. Though some become disenchanted after their experience, the vast majority find comfort and pride in having served. These men and women know what is happening around the world and are stepping up to go fight that good fight on shores other than our own. To combat the evil there so that we do not have to combat it here.

Never doubt their commitment, their resolve or their ability to make an informed choice. These are men and women of intellect that have weighed their choices and choose to defend our freedom.

Related News Links:
usmilitary.about.com
www.defenselink.mil

Related AboveTopSecret.com Discussion Threads:
politics.abovetopsecret.com...
politics.abovetopsecret.com...

Mod Edit: The News Quote & Link Do Not Match.

[edit on 12/8/2006 by Mirthful Me]

What former U.S. Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger said about military men (and women):

"dumb, stupid animals to be used" as pawns for foreign policy

portland.indymedia.org...

Kissinger said that? Henry Kissinger? The same guy that sat on the board of the BNL which gave $4 billion in illegal loans to Iraq during the 80's and on the eve of Desert Storm so they could buy military technology?

www.pinknoiz.com...

The traitor Kissinger said that?

WTF cares what Kissinger thinks of the military?

I had a high school diploma when I joined up.

Most military are middle class. But when i was in there were a good number of us drawn from the lower class ranks.

With the decline of the middle class in America, I dont see how middle class numbers can be increased here.

Still they come from far and wide, rich and poor, to serve the Country

Rich? Are you kidding? Where are the daughters of Bush? The sons and daughters of the congress people?

Also protect liberty? WTF? Since the beginning of War On Boogeyman, we only LOST liberties!! Wake up! We didn't even GAIN ONE. We only LOOSE THEM EVERYDAY. In 2 or 3 years, if we still have the 1st amendment, I would be happy!!

Please, stop saying crap about protecting liberties, and go see that: Liberties lost thread

And I don't consider it's a honor to protect the economical interest of already rich people and bombing civilians instead of protecting people from Katrina or civil wars and massacres in others countries.

[edit on 12-8-2006 by Vitchilo]

Good piece semperfortis, i'm guessing it's you

Anyways, higher education in the military in on the rise, many schools are now accepting military training and studies for what they're worth (cedits/hours) and anyone who believes that our service members are a bunch of mindless drones has probably never been to a military MOS/tech school which have higher attrition rates then their civilian counterparts.

[edit on 12/8/2006 by SportyMB]

What is the point of this story? Is this an ad for the military? Where's the news here?

Hey,

Where is that little piece of news about Extreme groups joining the US Armed forces?

I bet we won't read that on .mil sites.

Great ending Man;

Never doubt their commitment, their resolve or their ability to make an informed choice. These are men and women of intellect that have weighed their choices and choose to defend our freedom.

Can you say the same for the Nazi's writing Aryan Brotherhood graffiti in Baghdad?

Pathetic display of US Military propaganda.

You getting payed to write articles like this?



[edit on 12/8/06 by Souljah]

[edit on 12/8/06 by Souljah]

Originally posted by Valhall
Kissinger said that? Henry Kissinger?
The traitor Kissinger said that?

WTF cares what Kissinger thinks of the military?

Yep that's the problem. He was secretary of state and he said that!! That's the problem... At least he was honest about it.

I'm not sure if many on this board would agree with this slightly commie view, but it is the working class vs the working class of a foreign country isn't it? It's only the rich that leer with glee.

Originally posted by Souljah
Where is that little piece of news about Extreme groups joining the US Armed forces?

Ofcourse there's many 'extreme' groups in the US military. There are also many extreme groups in Slovenia, the middle east, UK, PETA. I can go on all day with this....

I think it's safe to say that every population, country and people all have a few 'extreme' groups within their ranks.

I bet we won't read that on .mil sites.

Are you sure about that? The military (these days) is pretty hard on racism and extreme groups. I can find many more, but one is enough.

usmc .mil - skinhead, discusses reality of racism in the ranks

Can you say the same for the Nazi's writing Aryan Brotherhood graffiti in Baghdad?

Short answer...NO! Souljah, do you always associate an entire population or group of people with the dirt bags within that group? Why do you let the negative actions of a few bad troops dictate how you feel about an entire military?

Pathetic display of US Military propaganda.

Funny, you (of all people) labeling someone's thread as propaganda



usmc .mil - skinhead, discusses reality of racism in the ranks

Originally posted by TheBandit795
Yep that's the problem. He was secretary of state and he said that!! That's the problem... At least he was honest about it.

I agree, the military is used as a pawn for foreign policy. Always has been, always will be. But why do you think the rest is true? Why are service members dumb, stupid animals?

[edit on 12/8/2006 by SportyMB]

Did I say that that the service members are dumb, stupid animals, or did Henry Kissinger say that. I only posted that to show what the higherups think about the servicemen and women.

It's not my opinion!!!

Originally posted by TheBandit795
Did I say that that the service members are dumb, stupid animals
It's not my opinion!!!

My mistake, I assumed by you saying "At least he was honest about it", that you were agreeing with him. I guess you meant that he was honest with himself.

And I couldn't have gave a better example of how the decision makers feel about the military.

Sorry for the confusion.

[edit on 12/8/2006 by SportyMB]

Originally posted by TheBandit795
Did I say that that the service members are dumb, stupid animals, or did Henry Kissinger say that. I only posted that to show what the higherups think about the servicemen and women.

It's not my opinion!!!

No worries, bandit. I wasn't aiming my comments about Kissinger at you, I was aiming at him. He's an evil rotten turdhead and it doesn't surprise me any that this is the way he views them.

[edit on 8-12-2006 by Valhall]

Yes I think he was honest about it, because he doesn't give one rats behind about the people who put their lives on the line for the selfish plans of him and his people (Rockefeller;Rotschild;Warburg;Bilderberg members etc...)

That's like the school bully forcing you to buy beer while you're underaged, and will pretend he doesn't know you if you get caught.

Sporty thanks for the support, but the negative posters post the same thing anytime something about the military comes up. Almost verbatim. I expected it as I wrote the thread.

Either they have never served and can not know of what I speak, or they did and are of the disillusioned. Perhaps they were made to do too many push-ups...

Either way, it is patently obvious that the true meaning of serving one's country escapes them. Feelings are either there, or not and can never be taught or persuaded; particularly the joys of simply knowing one has done the right thing.

There is so much more to this then they will ever "get."

Semper

Semper,

I wouldn't have any problems with serving a country where the leaders have the best interest of the population at heart. In most of the countries on this planet, western or non-western it's not like that. The leaders are acting in extremely selfish ways or they serve people other than the populations. The U.S. politicians of both big parties don't seem to be serving the people at all, but the big corporations and of course the international bankers. And who do they serve?? Themselves.

We are dirt to be walked on and spit at. But yet we support them.

Semper thanks for the post. It's past time that the positive aspects of our military forces were pointed out. There will always be people who are negative about the US military and that's their right. I haven't been on this site as long as many but even in my short time I expected Soulja's reaction he seems to be a negative person but that's ok too. As far as Kissenger's comments; well he always seemed to be an egocentric fool to me.

I served in the US Navy for 10 years active and 4 reserves I've never met a better group of people. Those that serve their country do so for many different reasons but by in large it is because they believe in something that is greater then themselves and a cause that they are willing to sacrifice for. As a member of CPOF we have a saying that is appropriate for the military "All gave some; some gave all." It is almost impossible for anyone who hasn't served the public either in law enforcement, fire fighting or the military to truly understand the willingness of people in these types of professions to risk sacrificing their lives for the greater good of society.

[edit on 12-8-2006 by gallopinghordes]

Bandit,

Yet none of that matters. What I speak of is purely personal and not in anyway connected to leaders good or bad.

It is supporting what our country is/was/could be/will be. All of that and more. It is the Comradeship, Brotherhood and Emotional connection to being involved in something greater than ourselves. Doing the right thing for no other reason then it is the right thing to do.

I don't care what they think of me, not when I put my uniform on. I care what I think of my country, myself. That is what these young people are feeling. I envy them in many ways. I envy the freshness of the life they are embarking on, their enthusiasm, commitment and courage.

And I am PROUD, Proud of my Country, and PROUD of my fellow soldiers.

Semper