Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: unclewest who wrote (45767)	5/20/2004 12:34:44 PM
From: Neeka	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 793843

I worry that patriotism so strong that young people would fight and die to protect our country is on the wane due to the sour taste left from the Vietnam War (No thanks to the likes of John Kerry and his shaggy band of brothers)and the assault on patriotism r.e., the Pledge of Allegiance and the attempts to demean it's importance as well as the lack of or watering down of instruction of United States history in our schools. The article gave an insight into the type of recruit coming in and how they are handled when they do enlist. It's good to hear some say things like "I want to do my part" and "I think it's our responsibility to the rest of the world to maintain order" despite the fact that the recruiters are "telling it like it is." These kids haven't been pacified. Enlistment applications and inquiries are trending down. And the historical precedent is for recruiting to drop sharply in the 3rd year of a war. I suggest if all of these factors converge (So far, I see no reason to think they won't.), we are going to have to assist Recruiting Command. The only way I see to do that is with the draft or an exorbitant pay scale as Maurice once suggested. Besides what you've offered, the only other incentive I can think of that would cause an increase in recruitment would be another horrific attack on American soil. Something I think is inevitable and will even get old goats like us up in arms.-g- I take Christmas presents during the holidays and cakes and cookies on and off year round down to the two recruiting stations in my town....Marines and Army. I've met some really neat young men who were full of the same type of enthusiasm as Jordan Hunkin and Jeremy Wellenreiter. One in particular...Sean....stands out in my mind because he was a 31 year old, college educated with a successful career in telecommunications enlistee. He told me he had done it all and seen it all and had lived a life that was the envy of most of his peers. He was grateful to be an American and wanted to do his part to pay back this country for everything it had given him. He had thought of joining the military on and off while growing up, and he said September 11th was the catalyst that convinced him he had a responsibility to defend his country and our way of life. I think about him often and wonder where he is. Our local offices are keeping up with their quotas, but that is to be expected. We live in a prosperous middle to upper middle income bedroom community......perfect breeding ground for patriots. Can you tell me why recruits who signed on in April will have to wait until early next year to get a slot at boot camp at Parris Island, S.C.? Do we need more boot camp facilities? What do these young people do while they wait for space to become available? M