Military service: soooooo lower-class...

[Piglet 0]

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05223/552161.stm

Staff Sgt. Jason Rivera, 26, a Marine recruiter in Pittsburgh, went to the home of a high school student who had expressed interest in joining the Marine Reserve to talk to his parents.

It was a large home in a well-to-do suburb north of the city. Two American flags adorned the yard. The prospect's mom greeted him wearing an American flag T-shirt.

"I want you to know we support you," she gushed.

Rivera soon reached the limits of her support.

"Military service isn't for our son. It isn't for our kind of people," she told him.

[AURaptor 1,126]

Wow. You found 1 person who perpetuates a stereo type. Guess you're gonna use that 1 example as a broad brush or something.

[DKW 86 7,440]

AHHH. Raptor, you beat me to it!

[CCTAU 3,344]

Not so true. There are many parents like that out here today. To them, service seems very low-class. And in reality, it is not a quick way to get rich. But if you put in your 20, you'll retire a helluva lot better than most parents. 20 seems like forever when you are young, but seems like just a few years when you get older. I am hoping my son decides to make a career out of it. He would retire at 37 and then could really start his life.

[AURaptor 1,126]

Not so true. There are many parents like that out here today. To them, service seems very low-class. And in reality, it is not a quick way to get rich. But if you put in your 20, you'll retire a helluva lot better than most parents. 20 seems like forever when you are young, but seems like just a few years when you get older. I am hoping my son decides to make a career out of it. He would retire at 37 and then could really start his life.

173794[/snapback]

Parents don't send their kids to the military. Never have here in the USA, and likely never will.

[DKW 86 7,440]

WOOHOO, I am White Trash.

Gee, any of you other veterans want to chime in on this and make peace with the board. Afterall, we are just white trash, n-words, and spics that serve in the military.

Yep, came from a nice middle class home, but the real truth here is that I am just trash because "ONLY THOSE PEOPLE SERVE IN THE MILITARY."

Man, Sto, Tiger Al, AUJarhead, etc. We are so sorry to have been found out....

[japantiger 4,051]

Unfortunately there is always the country club crowd who does think Service is beneath their children. But I don't know that that view is uniformly held. Or maybe I just prefer to think it is not. Heck, my folks weren't too thrilled when I told them my choice; and my Dad had served in two wars.

I remember when I stood under the arches at MCRD and looked around, about 2/3 of my platoon were kids from inner city Detroit. I'm sure that prospect would scare the heck out of the Mom cited in this article. These kids were looking for a way out and up; just about all were. Some of us thought we were there because it was our duty; but in looking back I think it was more to prove something to myself vs. pure duty to country.

In general, the Detroit kids mostly new each other; had gone to the same schools. It was a loud mouthed, ill disciplined group that did not know what they were in for. It wasn't many weeks before that group had tears streaming down their faces when "we" were finally given the priveledge of saluting the Starts and Stripes for the first time (only after we had earned the priveledge).

I just don't think most people appreciate our troops; not just the country club crowd. It's not until you need them that you appreciate them.

[DKW 86 7,440]

Well, when I went to boot in San Diego, I found out that the judicial system was sending some kids into the military. I found out that these guys are okay if misguided. My Company was about a full 40% inner city Latinos.

But by the time boot was over, they had learned to accept a Waspy southern accented geek heading to nuke school. Guys, there are some inner city thuggish types in the military. And there are certain very misguided mom and dads out there that dont want to let junior show that he has a spine.

But, the military I saw, and was part of was not drenched in any one type of anything. It is and always will be the great melting pot. The place where you are just who you are and nothing more or less.

I really liked the idea that WE GOT ALONG SO WELL. My best friend in boot was an inner city NY black guy named Kevin Smith who was heading on to Annapolis. If I ever get to see him again. I will be a very happy man.

These stereotyping events are getting old.

[CCTAU 3,344]

Not so true. There are many parents like that out here today. To them, service seems very low-class. And in reality, it is not a quick way to get rich. But if you put in your 20, you'll retire a helluva lot better than most parents. 20 seems like forever when you are young, but seems like just a few years when you get older. I am hoping my son decides to make a career out of it. He would retire at 37 and then could really start his life.

173794[/snapback]

Parents don't send their kids to the military. Never have here in the USA, and likely never will.

173839[/snapback]

You would be VERY surprised at how many 17 yr olds are "signed" over to the military. Only a "parent" (guardian) can sign them over.

[AUJarhead 70]

But by the time boot was over, they had learned to accept a Waspy southern accented geek heading to nuke school. Guys, there are some inner city thuggish types in the military. And there are certain very misguided mom and dads out there that dont want to let junior show that he has a spine.

But, the military I saw, and was part of was not drenched in any one type of anything. It is and always will be the great melting pot. The place where you are just who you are and nothing more or less.

I really liked the idea that WE GOT ALONG SO WELL. My best friend in boot was an inner city NY black guy named Kevin Smith who was heading on to Annapolis. If I ever get to see him again. I will be a very happy man.

These stereotyping events are getting old.

173951[/snapback]

David, you are 100% correct. For the very statements you said, I recommend the military to everyone. We were all green in bootcamp, forced to bunk with people you'd have never associated with before enlisting, but by the end of the 12 weeks, you discover that there ain't a whole lot of difference when it comes down to it.

I grew up in middle class New Orleans, going to a private catholic high school. I had scholarship offers to LSU and UNO, but felt that I owed a debt to America. I took a year off, got basic and my MOS school out of the way, and joined the reserves. If that's white trash, then I'm white trash.

[stoic-one 1,549]

WOOHOO, I am White Trash. 

Gee, any of you other veterans want to chime in on this and make peace with the board. Afterall, we are just white trash, n-words, and spics that serve in the military.

Yep, came from a nice middle class home, but the real truth here is that I am just trash because "ONLY THOSE PEOPLE SERVE IN THE MILITARY."

Man, Sto, Tiger Al, AUJarhead, etc. We are so sorry to have been found out....

173876[/snapback]

Damn!!! Busted!!!!

[Ranger12 46]

Since I joined the Army, I have been a believer that all graduating high school males must attend at least boot camp. Depending on their age, they could either do it the summer before their senior year of high school or the summer before their freshman year of college. I think it would help resolve some of our society's problems. Of course, I guess that only certain types of people would benefit from it. The upper class are already superior to us, so they don't need it.

[jaydubb121 22]

I basically owe my whole life that I have now to the military.

I came from a small Missouri town and had never been too many places. I don't think we were considered poor but looking back now I can't imagine how my folks raised six kids with the jobs that they had.

When I partied myself out of college halfway through my sophomore year, I immediately turned to the service.(they had been recruiting me for some time). I thought I would do my time and then come out and go right back to school.

Well, to make a long story short I never went back home. I was on a ship with a guy from Talladega and when we visited here once for a race, he introduced me to a cousin of his and the rest is history.

His cousin and I just celebrated our twentieth anniversary, have a nineteen year old son, and both have jobs glomming off the taxpayers. Couldn't ask for anything more

If it wasn't for the military I would have never ended up here. I think military service crosses all the lines (race, class, etc.) If this one uppity person looks down their nose at the military she does it because she has a right to based on other "po' folks" who have given their lives over the years to give us all the rights and freedoms.

To each their own, but I wouldn't change my service for anything.