THE Pentagon Thread (merged)

by **strider3700** » Fri 22 Jul 2005, 21:18:23

damn, I'm only 28 and my knees are beaten up bad enough that I'd have trouble passing the physicals. I'm pretty sure the military is a young mans game.

by **dmtu** » Fri 22 Jul 2005, 22:48:32

At this point, if they tried to induct me I'd have coke smeared under my nose, a joint behind each ear and a tab on my tongue.

by **Laurasia** » Fri 22 Jul 2005, 22:54:47

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Madpaddy', 'H')mmm

42 - the answer to the ultimate question

by **frankthetank** » Fri 22 Jul 2005, 23:21:23

Theres a large group of elderly sitting around doing nothing..maybe they should recruit them?

by **cube** » Sat 23 Jul 2005, 00:20:03

I find it difficult to have any sympathy for the military. Besides, back in the old days when you joined the military is was practically for life. Soldiers today only have to go to Iraq for 1 year and they're already complaining.

My gosh can you imagine if Alexander the Great had to deal with this type of belly aching? He never would of gotten past Greece let alone conquer the known world. I propose we reintroduce the British Naval tradition of giving soldiers a good lashing with a cat-o-nine tails. Let the flogging continue until the morale improves.

How long do you think the British Empire would of lasted if troops went on only 1 year rotations? :roll:

by **savethehumans** » Sat 23 Jul 2005, 03:19:44

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', '4')2 - the answer to the ultimate question

by **Hawkcreek** » Sat 23 Jul 2005, 03:42:48

by **Madpaddy** » Sat 23 Jul 2005, 17:14:48

dmtu wrote,
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'A')t this point, if they tried to induct me I'd have coke smeared under my nose, a joint behind each ear and a tab on my tongue.

by **Leanan** » Sat 23 Jul 2005, 17:58:48

Remember a couple of years ago, when the Army booted out a bunch of men because they were gay? They were Arab translators, a desperately needed specialty, but they got kicked out anyway.

I wonder how long they'll be able to keep up that policy? It would be ironic if Bush's war achieved what Clinton's "don't ask, don't tell" couldn't: legalizing gays in the military. One thing that's very striking about American youth: they are far more accepting of gays than their parents. Earlier generations would never pretend to be gay to get out of the military; the social stigma was too great. I don't think that's true of kids today.

I don't think we have the stomach for running an empire. Many British officers and experts spent 10, 20, even 30 or more years at overseas posts, keeping the Empire going. These were the cream of the crop: people from good families, who had graduated at the top of their class from Oxford and Cambridge.

Can you imagine Americans ever doing that? Graduates from Princeton or Harvard, wanting to spend their careers in Iraq? It's not going to happen.

And in the end, even the Brits couldn't maintain their empire.

by **MicroHydro** » Sat 23 Jul 2005, 18:46:48

Number of gallons in a barrel of oil: 42
Age of Army recruitment: 42

Coincidence, I think not.

by **cube** » Sat 23 Jul 2005, 19:19:33

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('MicroHydro', 'N')umber of gallons in a barrel of oil: 42
Age of Army recruitment: 42

Coincidence, I think not.

by **MonteQuest** » Sat 23 Jul 2005, 19:37:20

42? Ah, that's the cut-off age for Carousel. [smilie=eusa_whistle.gif]

by **shortonoil** » Sat 23 Jul 2005, 20:10:25

.

42? The price of a gallon of gas in 2012!

.

by **Denny** » Sat 23 Jul 2005, 21:36:05

I always wondered why nations always put their young in "harm's way", as this trite saying goes, first when it comes to war. It seems to me it would be best to take on the 40 to 55 year olds first, at least those who were fit and healthy.

Three good reasons:

1) Since most of the legislators and rulers are in that age bracket it would make it more psychologically difficult to think of themselves and their peers marching off to an unknown fate before they launched into hostilities.

2) For every military death at age 20, societiy loses about 45 productive years of life, but for a 45 year old, its only 20 years.

3) Deaths of military men under age 30 ultimately reduce the potential births, but not too many men over age 40 become fathers.

I am over age 40 myself (in fact many years more "over" than I care to think about) and to be candid, I'd rather take the chances with my own life than risk my sons, daughter or even their friends lives. I feel I am far more expendable to society.

by **duke3522** » Sun 24 Jul 2005, 02:51:03

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'O')ne thing that's very striking about American youth: they are far more accepting of gays than their parents. Earlier generations would never pretend to be gay to get out of the military; the social stigma was too great. I don't think that's true of kids today.

by **Denny** » Sun 24 Jul 2005, 12:30:14

Sorry, I don't get it. Why would the U.S. government give special priveleges to gays, excluding them from the draft?

In fact, it would seem that they may be more logical candidates for military action, as they will not procreate, so less is lost if they die in action.

If you look back at the effects of WWI in France or Germany or WWII in the U.S.S.R., it left a terrible void of young men, and left so many women without marriage prospects.

by **Leanan** » Sun 24 Jul 2005, 13:24:53

Gays are not allowed to serve in the U.S. military. At least, not if they tell anyone they are gay.

Traditionally, gays have been banned from the U.S. military altogether. Clinton instituted the "Don't ask, don't tell" policy: they won't ask, and you don't tell, and you can stay. But more people have been drummed out of the military under don't ask, don't tell than ever.

I joined the Air Force back in the '80s. I had to sign a paper swearing that 1) I was not gay 2) I had never used illegal drugs and 3) I was not a Communist, and neither was anyone in my family.

And if you've ever seen the old movie, Hair...it's about the draft for Vietnam. There's a scene where one guy almost makes it through, then they take off his socks, and see he's wearing toenail polish. He's rejected.

by **cube** » Sun 24 Jul 2005, 14:35:42

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Denny', '.')..................
In fact, it would seem that they may be more logical candidates for military action, as they will not procreate, so less is lost if they die in action.

If you look back at the effects of WWI in France or Germany or WWII in the U.S.S.R., it left a terrible void of young men, and left so many women without marriage prospects.

by **EnemyCombatant** » Mon 25 Jul 2005, 11:47:02

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Denny', 'S')orry, I don't get it. Why would the U.S. government give special priveleges to gays, excluding them from the draft?

In fact, it would seem that they may be more logical candidates for military action, as they will not procreate, so less is lost if they die in action.

by **Doly** » Mon 25 Jul 2005, 11:55:55

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Denny', 'S')orry, I don't get it. Why would the U.S. government give special priveleges to gays, excluding them from the draft?

THE Pentagon Thread (merged)

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