• Marine Corps and Army Tuition Assistance Stops, Other Services May Follow Suit.
    73 replies, posted
If you are joining solely for college, that is the wrong answer. That is a fast track to becoming a 60% soldier, and being super unmotivated.
Like others have said: don't blame congress for these specific cuts. They did not choose where to cut. You should all be blaming whoever is in charge of those specific financial decisions. If they wanted to I'm sure they could get all the necessary cuts out of waste alone.
[QUOTE=SKEEA;39861979]If you are joining solely for college, that is the wrong answer. That is a fast track to becoming a 60% soldier, and being super unmotivated.[/QUOTE] the military actively recruits at high school just for that reason.
[QUOTE=SKEEA;39861979]If you are joining solely for college, that is the wrong answer. That is a fast track to becoming a 60% soldier, and being super unmotivated.[/QUOTE] Right, so should my reason be killing people, hoping to be killed, seeing the amazing wonders of the 120 degree desert, or basically wanting to become a slave for 4 years (since you can't leave)?
[QUOTE=Forumaster;39866042]Right, so should my reason be killing people, hoping to be killed, seeing the amazing wonders of the 120 degree desert, or basically wanting to become a slave for 4 years (since you can't leave)?[/QUOTE] Or you know, helping people? I'm trying to join up as an Air Force Physician soon, hopefully. Might go for one of the other branches though, either way from what my recruiter said I would be doing a lot of humanitarian aid shit like responding to disasters, working on base at their hospitals, etc. regardless of what branch I got in to. Not everything in the military is "shoot brown people commit war crimes hehehe fuck the military!", you know. Educate your self a bit before you talk.
[QUOTE=Forumaster;39866042]Right, so should my reason be killing people, hoping to be killed, seeing the amazing wonders of the 120 degree desert, or basically wanting to become a slave for 4 years (since you can't leave)?[/QUOTE] That is a pretty skewed view of things. So much so that it is laughable. No, you join to serve your people, to perform a duty that you feel needs to be done, to answer the call, to improve yourself mentally and physically, and learn technical skills. College is simply a bonus. It is fine to join for college, but if that is the one and only reason, that is the wrong answer because you won't be a good soldier. All of the guys that I have seen only joining for college just became super disgruntled. That is not good for anyone, including themselves. Also, I have not killed anyone, nor hoped that I was killed (been afraid for my life several times, though. Not fun.), we are not in a 120 degree desert anymore, more like 90 degree mountains, and I am hardly a slave because I get pay, access to many services, and medical care, and I signed for 6 years. Basically my point is, don't join for only one reason, and don't make that reason a benefit that can be taken away at any moment. If you really care all that much, the GI bill is still intact. Post 9-11 GI bill might go away, but the Montgomery will still be there. [editline]10th March 2013[/editline] I don't serve for the pay and benefits. I serve to help the people I serve, and to improve myself so that I may serve them in a greater capacity.
[QUOTE=SKEEA;39861979]If you are joining solely for college, that is the wrong answer. That is a fast track to becoming a 60% soldier, and being super unmotivated.[/QUOTE] Oh shut up, not everyone joins to be a career soldier. As for my reasons: I joined for the experience, benefits, steady paycheck, and because I had nothing else going on in my life at 19. It was great for the most part and I've also had my moments where I didn't want to be there, but everyone does at some point. I did my time in 2 branches and got out. Like you though, I did join to better myself and I think I've become a better person because of my experience in the military.
[QUOTE=-Rusty-;39866137]Oh shut up, not everyone joins to be a career soldier. As for my reasons: I joined for the experience, benefits, steady paycheck, and because I had nothing else going on in my life at 19. It was great for the most part and I've also had my moments where I didn't want to be there, but everyone does at some point. I did my time in 2 branches and got out.[/QUOTE] I know that, but none of the initial contract guys in my unit that are now ETSing (just did their 6 and are popping smoke) joined ONLY for college. Like I said, it is fine to join for college, just don't make it the only reason otherwise you are going to be miserable.
Oh hey, here's your new budget! We hope you cut the most ridiculous overspent parts of the military, and not the parts that actually need more money. God these people are fucking dumb.
Isn't this like, one of the main reasons people join the armed forces in the US?
[QUOTE=Dark-Energy;39866275]Oh hey, here's your new budget! We hope you cut the most ridiculous overspent parts of the military, and not the parts that actually need more money. God these people are fucking dumb.[/QUOTE] I am actually not surprised that this is one of the first things cut. Personnel costs make up about 50% of operating costs in the Army. We also have to cut around 189,000 Soldiers. What better way to get rid of Soldiers than to eliminate benefits? That is their reasoning, I believe. Get rid of some commonly held benefits, then watch the number of personnel re-enlisting plummet. [editline]10th March 2013[/editline] [QUOTE=Morbo!!!;39866289]Isn't this like, one of the main reasons people join the armed forces in the US?[/QUOTE] One of them, yes.
Were they required to cut these specific programs, or did they just take the route that would screw over the most people in the hopes that public opinion would give them their funding back?
[QUOTE=Greenen72;39866485]Were they required to cut these specific programs, or did they just take the route that would screw over the most people in the hopes that public opinion would give them their funding back?[/QUOTE] The thing is that tuition assistance is pretty expensive to run, and we need to get rid of people as well. Benefits are always the first thing to go with budget cuts for some reason. It cuts a lot of money quickly, and you also lose personnel. I don't really know what those in charge of these kinds of decisions think, nor do I know what they are required to do. I can only offer my best guess.
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