Who serves

[Peter1469]

Who serves

An interesting article that shows the majority of people who enlist come from military families.

It is just another bit of proof that the vast majority of the US population has no connection to our armed forces.

The sergeant in charge of one of the busiest Army recruiting centers in Colorado, Sergeant First Class Dustin Comes, joined the Army, in part, because his father served. Now two of his four children say they want to serve, too. And he will not be surprised if the other two make the same decision once they are a little older.

“Hey, if that’s what your calling is, I encourage it, absolutely,” said Sergeant Comes, who wore a dagger-shaped patch on his camouflage uniform, signifying that he had been in combat.

Enlisting, he said, enabled him to build a good life where, despite yearlong deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, he felt proud of his work, got generous benefits, never worried about being laid off, and earned enough that his wife could stay home to raise their children.

“Show me a better deal for the common person,” he said.

Soldiers like him are increasingly making the United States military a family business. The men and women who sign up overwhelmingly come from counties in the South and a scattering of communities at the gates of military bases like Colorado Springs, which sits next to Fort Carson and several Air Force installations, and where the tradition of military service is deeply ingrained.

[nathanbforrest45]

My father was wounded in WW2 while serving in the Army in the South Pacific, I was in the Navy, two brothers were in the Army and one in the Marines

[Peter1469]

My father was wounded in WW2 while serving in the Army in the South Pacific, I was in the Navy, two brothers were in the Army and one in the Marines

My father was in the Army but doing research for NASA so he missed Nam. My uncles were in the Navy in Nam.

I went to basic in 1987 with an airborne infantry contract and knew I was going to get a war. And I did. Twice.

[Ethereal]

I didn't come from a "military family" in the way it's normally understood, although my family history has LOTS of people who served in the military dating all the way back to the American revolution. My grandfathers served in the military, but it was never part of their identity. They never talked about it. And I always thought that was really cool of them.

[Peter1469]

I didn't come from a "military family" in the way it's normally understood, although my family history has LOTS of people who served in the military dating all the way back to the American revolution. My grandfathers served in the military, but it was never part of their identity. They never talked about it. And I always thought that was really cool of them.

I don't think talking about it was part of the study. Even if you don't raise your kid to join the military, your military bearing and what others say about you is going to affect you.

Most kids don't have that.

[Tahuyaman]

Several of my family members spent a few years in the military, but none other than me made the military a career.


Does this study consider a military family to be a family who had any member spend any amount of time in the military?

[Peter1469]

Several of my family members spent a few years in the military, but none other than me made the military a career.


Does this study consider a military family to be a family who had any member spend any amount of time in the military?

I would guess yes.

I think they were just looking for any connect to the military.

[John Galt]

I would guess yes.

I think they were just looking for any connect to the military.

Complex issue. My dad served in WW2, and ran his home as if we were all in the damned military. The draft ended about a year before my 18th bday.

For a long time, we had peace. Many joined the military because it offered pretty good benefits once you got out, and there was a great chance that you wouldn't see the front lines. That changed after Desert Storm.

I think we'd see a big difference in who serves, and how military actions are declared if we reinstated the draft with no exemptions for politicians' families.

[Peter1469]

Complex issue. My dad served in WW2, and ran his home as if we were all in the damned military. The draft ended about a year before my 18th bday.

For a long time, we had peace. Many joined the military because it offered pretty good benefits once you got out, and there was a great chance that you wouldn't see the front lines. That changed after Desert Storm.

I think we'd see a big difference in who serves, and how military actions are declared if we reinstated the draft with no exemptions for politicians' families.

I went to basic in 1987. It was perfect timing to get experience for Desert Storm.

I don't think there will ever be a draft. It simply does not mesh with how we fight today. And under current standards any draftee could easily get discharged. Fail two PT tests- oops. Eat your way out- too fat.

[John Galt]

I went to basic in 1987. It was perfect timing to get experience for Desert Storm.

I don't think there will ever be a draft. It simply does not mesh with how we fight today. And under current standards any draftee could easily get discharged. Fail two PT tests- oops. Eat your way out- too fat.

I don't think we'll see a draft either. Tomorrow marks one year since I lost a dear friend who served in Vietnam in the mid sixties. He fought agent orange related cancer and died at 70. He used to tell me that the Marines didn't take anyone who was drafted, as they wanted those who chose to join the military willingly.

The draft does force quite a few who don't want to be there, to be in the military.