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 : American Presidential Politics and foreign affairs -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: RMF who wrote (13046)	10/13/2006 4:55:00 PM
From: Jim S	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 71588

You misunderstand, RMF. The guys on the production floor of aircraft manufacturing plants aren't engineers. The engineers are are upstairs, behind the glass. The ex GIs I mentioned are just run of the mill people of all sorts, just like you'd meet anywhere. Good people. Better people, I'd say (but I'm prejudiced), because of their service, morals, and commitment to a mission. "...it's just realism to think that the best and brightest of our youth are not passing up college to go into a rather low paying job as an infantryman." Well, duh. But, the best and the brightest certainly WILL enlist and ride in AWACs to gather intel and direct operations, do classified maintenance on missile guidance systems, and help in the design and test of new weapons systems. But, even those who aren't the "best and brightest" are still great people, and are of a caliber to get jobs with GE or J&J, depending on their education and aptitudes. That they CHOOSE to join a military service speaks well for their devotion to their country, their morality, and their desire to be part of something bigger than themselves. This conversation started with the following exchange: RMF-"What we've got now is sort of a "mercenary army" of the Poor and Lesser educated." Jim S-"You really should check that out. I think you'll find that today's volunteer military is as well educated and demographically distributed as any other large organization in the US. Your stereotype is wrong." Message 22899991 I'm still saying that you're wrong, it is NOT a "mercenary army of the poor and lesser educated." It is an army that holds to high principles even in very difficult situations, and is comprised of some exceptional people. Their ranks are drawn from the general population, so they reflect a cross section of American youngsters, some smarter, better, quicker than others. But none of them signed up to be mercenaries, and most of them are at least as good as others of their age groups and localities.