I was an officer, but the Navy enlisted guys I served with were some of the most intelligent people I've ever met. I personally know dozens of officers that are in the top 1% of the nation intellectually.

As far as minorities in combat, I read a study once that compared the number of minorities in direct combat roles vs. the number of minorities in support positions. The results were a bit surprising, in that the numbers don't support the idea that minorities are unfairly shouldering the burder of combat. If I can find the study, I'll post it.

Grim

 

I was in during the Seventies.
There were 30 guys in my barracks.
Policy was if you were taking GED classes you were exempt from duty.
There were 7 of us on the duty roster.
I got so pissed at pulling duty once a week rather than once a month that I got all seven of us with HS diplomas to sign up for a night class at the local communty college.

When HQ learned that EVERYBODY in the barracks was now exempt, they changed the policy.

I then dropped the class and earned my first college 'F'.
But everyone in the barracks learned a valuable lesson, don't **** off Raoul.

 

When stationed in Oklahoma the Air Force was pushing physical conditioning and sports. Once a week we'd leave work at 10 AM to play golf. Get done at 2 PM and drink and play cards at the golf course clubhouse until 5!! God the military was great. Sucky pay but great life!!

 

I spent my tour of duty low crawling thru unspeakable filth and dodging sporadic gun fire.

(But, I hear that since then Fayetteville has completely cleaned up Hay Street.)

 

Kerry meant exactly what he said. In fact it isn't the first time he said it.

http://apnews.excite.com/article/200...D8L4QH580.html

And now Seymour Hersh is getting into the act.

http://www.mcgilldaily.com/view.php?aid=5450

 

I'd watch the sweeping statements. I was going to college, as was my wife when we decided to join the military. Many of the young enlisteds I worked with also had degrees. However if you want to be a police officer, which was my job in the military, most agencies will not take you unless you can show some kind of responsible work history (not McDonald's).

To make it to the higher enlisted ranks in the military, it is almost a requirement to have at least a 2-year degree (with an outstanding career), but a 4-year one is preferable for the normal people.

 

Same deal in my house. My girl has a degree. I didn't even finish HS, got my GED though.

I learned a trade. It didn't just teach me the aspects of the trade but many other aspects of life as well. I would guess that serving in the military does the same.

 

When I graduated high school I had some toiletries in a small paper bag and my mother gave me a ten dollar bill. An Army recruiter gave me a one way bus ticket to Richmond and I had the clothes on my back. My brother got all I left behind.

That was years ago and many ups and downs. I made the most of that bus ticket. Even though the toiletries are long gone I still have about $6.25.

I have no idea what happened to the paper bag.

 

Article 1 - Kerry says that the only way you can do any thing in life if poor or a minority is join the military. You have not chance otherwise.

Article 2 - If talking about WWII, not matter what anybody did, we would have eventually been involved, and rightfully. In fact if we had been involved earlier, it may not have been as bad as it was.

 

I guess things have changed a lot. We were so poor that I could not play Little League baseball. I started working half a day as a junior in high school, got married at 19 and worked my way through college. We are not wealthy like him, by any stretch of the imagination, but we live very comfortably. Raised to great kids along the way. I guess he does not think you can do that anymore. I think he is full of it.

 

This thread isn't my "thing", but I have been checking in from time to time.

I like your post Jim.

 

Thanks Jamzy! I almost said FB but decided that would not be nice.

 

One of the biggest incentives today is to enlist and earn money towards college. I joined because I was getting no where and had no future. My friends were the same way. And I'm pretty sure that the large majority in the regular military that are wearing stripes in Iraq don't have bachelor degrees.

To be a NJ State Trooper a bachelors degree is mandatory. Military police background won't get you in.



If you had a bachelors degree why would one stay enlisted? Doesn't want the money maybe?

 

I really don't know why I stayed enlisted, I'm pretty sure I was smarter than the General.

Maybe it was because my documentation was screwed up.

My Medical records were all mixed up with my Personnel records.

All I remember is, under the heading 'TYPE OF DISCHARGE' one of them said 'Yellow'.

 

you're sick!