Wary of Joining

[Dukes]

So here's the thing,

I'v been thinking of joining the guard for the past few years, and in the past couple months I have finally figured out the one thing that is stopping me from joining: My extreme distaste for the war in Iraq. I'm totally against it but want very badly to help my country on the home front, to better myself physically and educationally. I want to be able to provide a secure future for my fiancee and future children.

I want this very badly but I don't want to fight a war I don't believe in.

I've known soldiers who have said the exact same thing to me. Who feel the same way I do.

I want the chance for a great education, but after it's completion I've been told that I'd be shipped out right away.

All I truly want to do is protect my country here, to work to make it better and to help those who have been hit with misfortune such as the hurricanes and flooding.

I feel somewhat confused that something I want and love so badly carries the risk of something I detest just as passionatly.

Anyone have any advice for me?

[Mr_Loki]

I want this very badly but I don't want to fight a war I don't believe in.

I've known soldiers who have said the exact same thing to me. Who feel the same way I do.


There is your answer.
They're still soldiers. And they're still doing their job.

[matthew.ritchie]

So here's the thing,

I'v been thinking of joining the guard for the past few years, and in the past couple months I have finally figured out the one thing that is stopping me from joining: My extreme distaste for the war in Iraq. I'm totally against it but want very badly to help my country on the home front, to better myself physically and educationally. I want to be able to provide a secure future for my fiancee and future children.

I want this very badly but I don't want to fight a war I don't believe in.

I've known soldiers who have said the exact same thing to me. Who feel the same way I do.

I want the chance for a great education, but after it's completion I've been told that I'd be shipped out right away.

All I truly want to do is protect my country here, to work to make it better and to help those who have been hit with misfortune such as the hurricanes and flooding.

I feel somewhat confused that something I want and love so badly carries the risk of something I detest just as passionatly.

Anyone have any advice for me?

The Guard has existed for 400 years. Perhaps you shouldn't let a temporary condition such as Iraq drive your entire decision-making model. I joined to fight the Soviets in the plains of Germany, and that's now a distant historical memory. Right now you're thinking about Iraq, but your conflict may be years in the future and completely unpredictable.

You may also consider that as someone inside the military, you may have a better chance of affecting outcomes in a positive manner.

Soldiers are not policy makers. Our elected officials -- President and Congress -- make the decisions that we live with. As a citizen, you are free to petition your elected officials for changes of policy. As a Soldier, you follow the legal authority, even if you're not a big fan. I personally thought Bosnia was a bad idea, but I still showed up a did my duty 10 years ago.

Whatever you do in life, you'll be called upon to participate in something that you don't like or agree with. Of course, in the military those disagreements are usually about life or death issues, so they're more important than in most other jobs. Nevertheless, no matter where you go you'll have disagreements with something.

[LabCat]

What are the chances of there being a campaign you actually agree with?
Put it into perspective. So far we have lost roughly 6% of the number of troops of Vietnam. World War II, 2%. We have had 0 attacks on The United States since 9-11. Our troops are fighting an enemy who does not have any reservations about killing civilians in the name of god. Bad Guys dont get any Badder than these A-HOLES. This is what we are looking at until these guys go away forever. You might find it to be of interest that Mein-Kamph is and has been on the best seller list in several middle eastern countries. There is a plague of hatred
spreading around the globe. No one believed Winston Churchill in the early nineteen thirtys. Look what happened then. I have a five year-old son who I very much want to see grow up in a peaceful world. I am going back in after fifteen years. A 38 y/o spec four. Let your conscience be your guide. God Bless.

[plano2001]

So here's the thing,

I'v been thinking of joining the guard for the past few years, and in the past couple months I have finally figured out the one thing that is stopping me from joining: My extreme distaste for the war in Iraq. I'm totally against it but want very badly to help my country on the home front, to better myself physically and educationally. I want to be able to provide a secure future for my fiancee and future children.

I want this very badly but I don't want to fight a war I don't believe in.

I've known soldiers who have said the exact same thing to me. Who feel the same way I do.

I want the chance for a great education, but after it's completion I've been told that I'd be shipped out right away.

All I truly want to do is protect my country here, to work to make it better and to help those who have been hit with misfortune such as the hurricanes and flooding.

I feel somewhat confused that something I want and love so badly carries the risk of something I detest just as passionatly.

Anyone have any advice for me?

Join your State Guard, sometimes called the State Defense Force. They are volunteers who serve solely at the orders of the Governor. They respond to natural disasters, search & rescue, and can even respond to events like 9/11 when the NY State Guard was activated and deployed to NYC to assist. They only serve on the home front and cannot be deployed to a foreign country. Most of them serve strictly as volunteers who are unpaid unless on extended orders from the Governor (depends on your state law).

You could always do this until at such time in the future that you feel joining the Guard would be right again.

[Brandon]

Dukes, what you're feeling is totally legitimate.

However, you need to look at this from a different perspective. We, as soldiers, are not policymakers and therefore do not decide what conflicts exist and who goes. The same thing applies to police officers, who don't decide which laws are "good" or "bad," they simply enforce them.

Whether or not you agree with the Iraq war is irrelevant. The fact exists that being a soldier is more than fighting in Iraq, as Iraq is only one small component of military history. Being a soldier is defending your country. By just HAVING millions of dedicated servicemen and women, foreign enemies dare not attack us because they know our dedication and resolve. As a country composed of patriots who love freedom, we need a solid military, because many countries don't like the fact that we love freedom. The minute we, as a country, turn our back on our military or lose our patriotism, the enemy will exploit us and attack. After all, who wouldn't want to have the most resource-filled country on earth? Life is all about resources. This is also why millions of immigrants come to this country. It's not just because they like adventure and want to risk their lives for fun.

In the end, good and bad things will happen in any profession. Some you may not agree with. But what about the servicemen and women in Iraq? Not all MOS's are on the front lines. There are plenty of support positions available. After all, every unit, for example, needs intelligence, food, logistics, and so on. People in the intelligence community support the troops no matter what the politics of the issue are. They want to save lives. Cooks cook food, mechanics fix things, administration administrates, and the "Army of one" wheel rolls on. Everyone contributes.

So looking at the big picture, if you want to take part in something like this, the Guard is for you. The benefits are absolutely fantastic, and the skills and discipline you learn will remain with you forever. Iraq or no Iraq, no one can take that away from you. Or the fact that you'd be an American citizen-soldier. If you want to serve your local community and state, why not try to get into a specific unit in the Guard? Search and rescue, crisis worker, public information, crisis manager etc. Look into the MOS's offered.

In the end, the choice is yours. YOU'RE the one who said you wanted to do this, but you put a "but" in there. You either want to or you don't. No if's, and's, or but's about it! If you wanna go for it, go for it full force. If you don't, don't worry about it and move on with your life. No one will make your decision for you, but we *can* help guide it by providing you with information so you can make a wise choice for YOU either way that choice may go. Good luck.

[Dukes]

Glad so many people responded. And the State guard makes sense.

I think now I'm sure where the "but" comes in to play regarding my situation. I'm sure now it's my Parents. Everyone else supports my desire to do that especially my fiancee as both of us want to make our future lives as comfortable as possible!

However even though my Dad was in the Marines and early on in my childhood he supported the army, marines any and all soldiers. Now he is totally against them and he has my Mother preaching the same thing to me.

That I'll get blown up, murder gone for years.

I think it just hurts more that even though I've loved everything about soldiers and my parents encouraged my love of such things that now they just belittle me terribly whenever I try to talk as adults to them.

They ignore the benefits, the security, and the strength and knowledge you gain through such things. It all just comes down to me getting blown up :(

I think I will check into the State guard thing. Maybe I can use that as a starting point to calm their fears and intergrate myself into such things.

Since me and my fiancee plan on children in just a few short years now is the best chance I have at providing my kids with a secure and happy future.

Either way I am going to go see a recruiter. My mind got made up for me a long time ago. My family has always been soldiers, ww1, ww2, vietnam and desert storm... Now what kind of person would I be if I let such a rich and proud heritage go to waste?

I just get the honor of being the first Female soldier in my entire family ;)