reply to post by lewman
i have expressed my thoughts one this several times, i joined the marine corp when i was 17 had to have my parents sign. the question was asked one
day in boot camp why they wanted mainly younger men. the company commander said that they wanted younger men because " you'd be surprised what a 17
year old can do with a M 16 in their hand" and that at a younger age you are more impressionable, and better able to be brought into physical shape.
in others words they want to make you think that your, ten feet tall and bullet proof.
now i joined back in 1979, while i was still in high school. and i couldn't wait until i turned 18 so i could drink a
beer with out the cops bugggin me. but here in fl, they changed the law from 18 to 19 in 1980, this pissed me off,
i always thought if i am old enough to go and die for my country, then i should be allowed to drink a beer if i want.
i joined the corp when i was a jr. in high school, under the delayed entry program. and then i found out that if you were active military that 18 was
still legal.
as time has gone on most all the states in the us have changed to 21, thanks to all the mad mommas out there. also there are a few us territories that
18 is still the legal age. it seems to me, that if you are old enough to die in
the service of your country, you can join the armed services at 17 ( with a parents signature), vote when your 18.
you should be able to drink a damn beer at that age. if the fed thinks, you can defend the country or make a decision on who or what runs this
country, you should be able to par take of all the rights it has to offer it's citizens.
now for the question of minimum age, i think that the age is fine, but there should be a test on the mental make up of the individual. to see if they
are mature enough to understand what they will be asked to do, and if they can
make the right choices in a life or death situation. also this may sound sexist, but i feel that women that want to be in combat should have to prove
that they are able to do the same as men, carry the same load and take all the physical stresses that a man does. now i know that i will probably be
slammed for that last comment, hell more than likely every thing that i have said. but every body knows that some people are wired different than
others.
i could go on and on about all the differences there are in both sexes and how the mental make up is different in all, men and women. but that would
turn into a book and i don't want to be labeled as a sexist, raciest, bigot,
and or any other uncomplimentary name there is. fact is i'm not, i just feel that should be some higher
standards made, and all that apply should meet them.