"Nick Hull" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Jim Stewart wrote:

B.B. wrote:
But there are some magnificently opinionated people in this group,
so
I wanted to ask here.
I decided to join the army. I don't want to go into a long
description of why and why now, so just accept for the purposes of this
question that the decision has been made.
Here's the thing: I was opposed to this war before it started and
grow more disgusted with it daily. And I have no respect whatsoever
for
George Bush. In your opinions, do you think it'll be possible to
separate that from work in the military? I'll be entering as a
mechanic, not as a fighter, and I plan to do my job--not make some
silly
political statement by disrupting the military.
I have until Tuesday afternoon to chicken out.

I think the question you have to ask
yourself is whether or not you could
pick up a weapon and kill the enemy,
should it become necessary. Regardless
of your MOS, there is always a chance
you could end up in such a situation.
The Army may send you to mechanic's
school, but I bet they won't promise
you that you'll be a mechanic.

There's a reason basic training is
called Basic Combat Training.


Plus, once you sign up you can be recalled later in life for any
purpose. An office mate of mine had a father who had retired from being
a B-52 pilot and was over 65. He was recalled to be a helicopter pilot
in Vietnam and mentioned he was the youngest in his survival school
class. McNamara calculated it was cheaper to have them killed than to
contimue paying pensions.

--


That's only if you retire from service. If you resign a commission or elect
to not re-enlist for another period of service you then have a couple of
years in the Individual Ready Reserve. Once that time is up you are done.

Steve.