Dipsh-t of the Year

Poor guy. I guess our educational system is in really bad shape when someone gets through 8th grade without realizing that soldiers actually have to kill people, and junk.

Not his fault, obviously.

Well it is pretty obvious that military ads in the US make joining the Marines seem more like playing a video game than going to war. Either way, there are always conscientious objectors, so what?

The problem was that its hard to accept someone as a conscientious objector when he volunteered for the army. I mean if there was a draft, I could see this. But it is a volunteer army.

Basically the guy wanted free money and didn't think he'd have to do anything for it. That he held those particular political views (pacifism) and still joined the army shows how hypocritical he is.

If he were the honest sort he'd never have joined the army in the first place.

Its akin to taking a job and then being surprised that you have to work to get your paycheck!

That peace activists see this as a good thing shows the hypocrisy of the whole business.

To say that the military advertises it like a video game... What? You do realize that in most video games you spend your time killing things. I mean I can't think of many combat oriented video games that teach something other than "soldiers kill people." Perhaps they teach that you get multiple lives and can restore to a saved game when something goes wrong. But if that's his excuse he is not only a hypocrit, he's an idiot. (What - you mean I only get one life in this game? Dude! What! OK. I'm out of here. No one told me bullets kill people. I've never even heard of war before)

You know, I could believe that if it was the Air Force. But the Marines How did he make it through boot camp without noticing the presence of guns?

Guns don't kill people...

Oh come on, you've seen that ad for the Marines with the dramatic music in the background and the guy climbing mountains and killing that big monster with a sword then turning into a Marine with barely a scratch. There's no mention of any downside. Yeah you kill things in video games, but if something goes wrong you can always hit the reset button, and you're physically unscathed either way. This rant is an aside though, because the soldier in question clearly states his intentions within the article and blames himself. But I think misleading advertising like this, coupled with depression, can cause people to jump into the military without really realizing what they're doing.

Bah. I don't see Apple advertising any of the downsides when purchasing a mac

I dunno, you could turn into one of those geeky switchers.

Army of One�

Dude, no amount of "misleading advertising" or "depression" could make someone so STUPID that they "jump into the military without really realizing what they're doing."

I mean, I'm a firm believer in the 82/20 Rule, but NO ONE is THAT stupid, I'm sorry.

Maury

If he wanted out he should have just met with his commanding officer and said "I want out". It worked for a few guys when I was in the Navy. But then again, that was during peacetime. During a War they'd probably deny it for man-power requirements.

Regardless of that, the military of today isn't like it was 100 yrs ago. People don't get put to death for going awol anymore, or whatever. I think letting people out that volunteered and later wanted out, out, is actually a *plus* for the military itself. People that don't want to be in shouldn't be.

I do agree about this case however. I can't fathom how this kid could have joined the Marines of all things and not know it was about war. I like the idea of letting people out that find they just can't hack it, but I can't help but ask the question; "why the hell do these idiots sign-up in the first place?"


MikeM

I was going to say something, but I'm scared he's mommy might beat me up.

I want him to repay the tax dollars we wasted on training that dolt.

Then I'd like to kick his pansy ass.

If he wanted out he should have just met with his commanding officer and said "I want out". It worked for a few guys when I was in the Navy. But then again, that was during peacetime. During a War they'd probably deny it for man-power requirements.

Actually all my girlfriend's family is in the National Guard. They were telling me that quite a few people in their units requested to be dishonorably discharged when they were being called up. A lot go in for the free money. It sucks, in my opinion, but it happens. But they let them.

It makes sense. Think about it. Would you want someone like that dipsh*t guarding your back?

But I think misleading advertising like this, coupled with depression, can cause people to jump into the military without really realizing what they're doing.

Misleading advertising? You mean like that Marine battling the dragon? <grin>

Come on. The ads promote an image. But that's like saying you were robbed because your new Chevy pickup can't really tow a Boeing 747 and get it airborne.

If the guy went in solely on those ads without hearing all that stuff about "war" then he's an idiot. Have you any idea how many movies are shown dealing with war? Are you seriously going to suggest this guy never heard of Blackhawk Down, Saving Private Ryan, Band of Brothers, Platoon, and hundreds of other movies?

I can see it now. Some guy gets to marine boot camp and asks when he gets to battle dragons. "I was robbed! No fighting dragons? But the ad distinctly had a marine fighting a dragon. Give me dragons dammit!"

I'm not attempting to defend this guy's intelligence or decisions, I'm merely pointing out that I find the military's advertising misleading. You don't go out and buy a Coke just because you saw an ad with polar bears either, the effect of advertising is much more subtle. Personally, I can see someone depressed and looking for direction in his life being influenced (misled?) by military recruiters and an image promoted by advertising into making an impulsive decision to join the military. The ads specifically seem to target people with these weaknesses.

Anyway, here is an article perhaps a little more sympathetic towards this guy: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/artic...0322EST0007.DTL

No sympathy form me, sorry. I'm sick and tired of people taking hand-outs and not wanting to put-out for what they're given. Why was he I the military? To get an education, and a free one for all intents and purposes. Free to him -- not free to me. So, what's he do when it's his turn to "pay up?" Throws in the towel.

Pitiful.

He and many others today are simply wanting something for nothing, and when it gets too hot in the kitchen, they bolt.

The excuse so many of these people make, like "I never thought I'd have to go to war" is repulsive.

I see this crap every day in my Real Job -- people wanting "hand outs" and forgetting the old phrases "beggers can't be choosers" and "don't bite the hand that feeds you".

I guess it's because I was raised to not expect anyone to provide me with anything unless I've worked to prove I'm deserving of it.

Maury

You seem to have made quite the judgement call based on a little yahoo article.
Tell me, where can I get one of those wickid kool crystal balls, Maury?
Are you usually this quick to make the judgement call on others? I mean, in order to have this whole situation down pat, you MUST know something the rest of us don't, because there's no REASONABLE way a rational person could make the leaps you are making based on the information in this article.

Stop making weak excuses for this pathetic dolt. The millitary participates in wars. This isn't new. It's been going on for thousands of years. Don't want to go to war? Then don't join the millitary.

dp

... BTW, from the photos: are most militaries somehow inspired by Kojak?

What I don't understand is how someone could join the Military and not think that he might have to go off and fight in a war and kill people. How stupid can you be?

If you don't believe in war DON'T join the Military. DUH!!!

Some people join the military because they believe in peace.

I say, let the guy go home. After all, if you are a Marine you don't want this guy to have your back.

As far as joining the military without knowing he'd be asked to kill, MAYBE. However, after basic, I don't think he could make that argument. You shoot guns at targets that look like people. You use bayonettes on dummies that are shaped like people. More than likely you get a Sgt. yelling at you about how you need to kill the enemy before they kill you.

The guy doesn't believe in killing. That's fine. So on second thought, don't let him go home, make him work a desk job. Make him earn the pay he's signed up for.

You need to read my post better, maxleson. My comments are directed at his story initially, then I move to a broader topic: joining the military and not factoring-in the potential for going to war.

Not factoring that in, is, in a word, STUPID.

Yes, many people join the military because they believe in peace, and you prove the point perfectly: to secure peace, we must -- at times -- FIGHT for it.

Maury

He went AWOL after missing a callup to active duty in wartime. There are few things that the UCMJ takes more seriously than missing movement. He will go home, but he will almost certainly go home after a nice long vacation in Ft. Leavenworth.

Amazingly, for once I agree with you.

What some others posted here about eductation is not so out of the ordinary, though. When I was working for your country's Air Force in Berlin, at least half of the people I met told me they had joined up because of the educational benefits(1 year college for 2 years service). Deriding those people is arrogant. You are in a country where higher education is not free or cheap. I know from a lot of those people I worked with that there is a fair amount of your country that simply does not have the money to pay for an aducation on it's own pockets. The military presents an opportunity for a lot of them to do a job and go to school at the same time.

But anyone joing the American Military is incredibly stupid if they don't consider the fact, before joining, that they might have to go to war.

AWOL like your prez

True. If he missed duty and went AWOL, he should face charges.

He won't have to kill anyone in battle at Leavenworth!