Posted on 02/25/2006 12:51:25 PM PST by SandRat
Second, people joining the military are of that age range where they are looking for a partner (if they aren't married already). Many don't marry, but there are those that do. If you deny that to them, they will quit or will marry in secret. Period. The Marines found that out a few years ago when they decreed that no one below a certain rank would be allowed to marry.
Third, the general "goings-on" around military bases assumes that military families live on base. Most families do not. I never have. Those places are for the single guys and for the people looking to take their money.
Fourth, people work long hours in many jobs outside of the military. Does that mean they shouldn't marry? There are also dangerous jobs outside of the military, such as police and firefighting, not to mention construction, running liquor stores and convenience marts in certain areas, etc. Should those people also avoid marriage., just because their wives may become widows?
Futhermore, the pay is not the same as it was in the 80s. Being married and raising a family is a viable option. But as in other careers, you cannot outbreed your paycheck. You cannot raise a family of six on an E-4's salary any more than you could on a McDonald's salary.
Deny a soldier his rights, and he won't care if you have any. Deny a man to marry because of his occupation, and he'll either defy you and marry anyway or find a different occupation.
Don't know about others but I married my wife when I was a SPEC 4, she was 19 years old and I moved her half way around the world. Two years later I got out, we both graduated from college, have seen a good bit of the world and tomorrow is 34 years.
"Some people on these boards have a completely unrealistic view of the military and what they are all about. Starship Troopers it ain't."
In my wildest dreams I never thought I would ever be accused of having a completely unrealistic view of the military. I have had a life long, passionate interest in the military, two Honorable Discharges, and this year was told by an Army recruiter I'm just too old to go for a third. I didn't mean that the military would only consist of single men (I even said that wasn't my top priority), I simply meant that it is an incredible burden to accept recruits with no consideration for costs, and complications of bringing in family. Is it really arguable that a young single male is preferable to the same male with a wife and kids? With rank or time in service of course people will pick up wives, but they will be in a better position to take care of those families. To accept a situation where desperate failing families are encouraged to get one of their members enlisted so they can find a secure environment of benefits, pediatricians, gynecologists, off post housing, and separate rations, just doesn't seem to be a completely realistic view of the military and what they are all about.
I'm not talking about artificially-constructed human rights, such as those enumerated in the Constitution. I'm talking about denying him the things he would do naturally--pursuing his own interests, taking a spouse, etc.
And yes, the military "owns" you once you sign those papers, for however long. But it is not an absolute ownership, such as owning a car or a horse or a DVD player. Those in charge know better (or should know better) than to take that "ownership" too far. People can leave the military after their contract is up for any reason at all (or for no reason), and people will refuse to join if they think life under the yoke would be undesirable (as many already do). This is bad for the military on two counts--people with experience will leave, and no new blood will show up to replace them.
The ignoramuses in charge are already experimenting with this sort of social engineering (no marriage, curfews, de facto bans on drinking and smoking, etc), and it's going to bite them in the ass in the manner I've described above.
Go ahead, tell them they can't marry (or have a beer, or stay out past midnight, etc). See how many will be left after that. We'll have to bring back a draft.
Please note the qualifier "some."
I simply meant that it is an incredible burden to accept recruits with no consideration for costs, and complications of bringing in family.
Recruits are one thing--they already are not accepted if they have too high of a family burden (more than two kids, I think). However, I think it is incredibly stupid to deny a soldier as normal a life as possible, just to fulfill some romantic notion of what a soldier should be. Yes, it's incredibly inconvenient and costly for the military to deal with spouses and housing, but that's just the expense they're going to have to accept if they want to retain qualified people.
If the Pentagon number-crunchers were to institute such an idiotic plan, they'll probably be able to keep a few nutbags who want to stay bachelors forever. However, most people in the military above the age of 25 are married. Those are your senior people, the ones with the skills and knowledge, the ones the military needs to keep.
If I was told today that I had to get rid of my family or get out, I'd be on my way out. If, in that distant past, I had been told that I wasn't allowed to marry, I would have done my two years and left. I think that's the kind of answer you'd get out of just about anyone.
I'm still enlisted, and I'm watching with growing apprehension as the current leadership monkeys around with social engineering. Just because you can order someone to do something or to live their life a certain way doesn't mean you should. They'll reap the benefits, of course--another star is just around the corner for their "successes"--but it's going to bite them in the ass once young people start flooding out of the military in droves after their first enlistment.
And bent over.
Sorry. Couldn't resist ;-)
Thanks for the response, but this may not be your best subject.
On the contrary, it's near and dear. I'm a senior enlisted man, and unrealistic expectations of military commanders concerning the personal lives of junior personnel (because "I can order you to do it") is becoming a real concern. Retention isn't a problem right this very instant, but it's coming.
Thanks for the gracious response, what kind of work do you do, in what kind of unit?
BTTT
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