Joining the military: For money or for country?

(With poll.)

Do you think the reason most modern day American soliders joined the military is that it is fundamentally a thing they wanted to do, or is it simply that they wanted the pay and college tuition and other benefits?

It's not all about that.
I want to meet interesting and stimulating people of an ancient culture... and kill them. I want to be the first kid on my block to get a confirmed kill!

I dont think i would look for money in the military.

The only time it ever crossed my mind was back when I considered med school to be on the table.

gonna sound bad, but I think people from some places do it because they should be warriors, and some are glad to do it. other places, people want the college fund or job experience. Joining the military for money is an idea only Billy Mays could sell you. :P [/offend]smc91352

I wouldn't join the military, but if I did, it wouldn't be for some primitive human reason such as "I'll get to kill terroristsz!!1" or out of some patriotic love affair with a country whose policies I often don't agree with or even condone. It would be to get the benefits and pay. But like I said, I'd never join the military so it's a non issue for me.

It's 50/50. It was for me.

I don't know, I didn't ask each one of them.Neon-Tiger

Probably 50/50..

It's not all about that.
I want to meet interesting and stimulating people of an ancient culture... and kill them. I want to be the first kid on my block to get a confirmed kill!

Lto_thaG

this. to kill people legally.

[QUOTE="smc91352"]gonna sound bad, but I think people from some places do it because they should be warriors, and some are glad to do it. other places, people want the college fund or job experience. Joining the military for money is an idea only Billy Mays could sell you. :P [/offend]funsohng

What's the point in asking or answering if you don't have actual data? Without actual facts, it's just a guess. You might as well ask "what would you do it for?".

Besides, you can't even really measure something like this. I would imagine that most people have multiple reasons, but that's just an assumption. The two (college and patriotism) are not mutually exclusive.

What's the point in asking or answering if you don't have actual data?SgtKevali

I just asked what people think is the motivation. I want to know what people think. I didn't say that makes the majority answer correct.

My friend is in the army and hes gets paid crap. Been to Iraq and back too. Well, that is at least what he saids. Fuhgeddabouditt

[QUOTE="SgtKevali"]

What's the point in asking or answering if you don't have actual data?StopThePresses

I just asked what people think is the motivation. I want to know what people think. I didn't say that makes the majority answer correct.

As I said in the rest of my response, you might as well ask "what would you do it for?". Making assumptions about other people's choices based on your own experience/opinions makes no sense. It's pointless. There is no general motivation: the military is made up of individuals whith different reasons.

The only reason I would want to be in the military would be to defend the country I live in. Even then, I would try to become an officer

I'm going to join for the country and the money is a nice bonus.

Both but i don't know if its around 50/50. Also wheres the opition *they didn't have anything else to do?*

It's a 50/50 situation for a lot of people. Some people just can't afford college, so they join a branch of military to help out with their funding.

[QUOTE="jalexbrown"][QUOTE="nintendog66"]My 18 year old cousin(as old as me) just joined the military 'CUS IT'S SOOO COOL OMG OMG OMG. I get to shoot people liek in teh call of dutyss". *sigh* and there here are MANY that joined the military for the same reason.GrandJury

"Generation Kill". There are just a few people here and there who just want to kill.

For the majority of armed forces in the majority of countries, unless they are really brainwashed, nobody wants to take another human life unless completely necessary. Thats why you never ask a serving soldier how many people he has "killed", because as a Vietnam war vet I talked to said said, there is nothing good that comes from taking a life, unless you want something that will haunt you the rest of your life. And this is a Ranger who was in the 82nd airbourne division (he served both in the Dominican Republic and Vietnam. They were the first division to enter the Dominican Republic).

[QUOTE="Lto_thaG"]

It's not all about that.
I want to meet interesting and stimulating people of an ancient culture... and kill them. I want to be the first kid on my block to get a confirmed kill!

tocklestein2005

this. to kill people legally.

But you have to kill who they tell you to kill.

I joined the Navy as a means to an end -- simply to travel, see the world, and start my life as quickly as possible, whereas many college students wont start the lives they want to live until well after they acquire their college degree. I'm not what most would consider "patriotic", but then again, I have never seen combat, and I really do not know what it means to be a patriot right now, but that could definitely change. War changes people and makes them appreciate ambiguous things such as honor, courage, and especially loyalty. Who knows, maybe after I have served for five years, I will say that I served for my country.

I joined the Navy as a means to an end -- simply to travel, see the world, and start my life as quickly as possible, whereas many college students wont start the lives they want to live until well after they acquire their college degree. I'm not what most would consider "patriotic", but then again, I have never seen combat, and I really do not know what it means to be a patriot right now, but that could definitely change. War changes people and makes them appreciate ambiguous things such as honor, courage, and especially loyalty. Who knows, maybe after I have served for five years, I will say that I served for my country.

TheAbbeFaria

Thats the only reason I wanted to join too, to travel the world, and you definitely do a lot of that, especially in certain jobs in the military. But the problem is working that and my career, and I've known a few people who have been a bit screwed when asked to go to different places, and they have to go.

look at me! i want to kill! i'm not afraid of anything because I'm trying to gain attention from behind a computer screen!Perd1t1on

The question shouldn't be what do you think most people join for. It should be what would you join for. Everyone has different motivations for me it was a mix of everything. Pay, learning a trade, money for college, benefits, serving and repaying this country.

I dislike how people view anyone who went to war to be viewed as heros or is doing this out of sacrifice. Sure a few are , but most went in there for the fun or to get to shoot some people or drop a few bombs on people (especially in a time like this where war is not a neccessity [iraq and afghanistan])

I dislike how people view anyone who went to war to be viewed as heros or is doing this out of sacrifice. Sure a few are , but most went in there for the fun or to get to shoot some people or drop a few bombs on people (especially in a time like this where war is not a neccessity [iraq and afghanistan])

gogly

You do know most jobs in the military doesn't involve directly shooting or dropping bombs on people don't you? But lets just keep making assumptions.

I think its just what they wanted to do. I don't plan on joining the military, but if I would, I would do it for my country more than anything.

[QUOTE="Perd1t1on"]look at me! i want to kill! i'm not afraid of anything because I'm trying to gain attention from behind a computer screen!StopThePresses

Anyone who joins the military is a puppet in a certain sense. This idealistic veiw of fighting for freedom and justice needs to be put to rest. Anyone who thinks such a thing is extraordinarily naive. They're fighting for their country's interests, nothing more. Which, I'm sorry to say, are not always the most moral nor admirable.