Let me tell you something! An exercise in self-flagellation

[HAL Pilot]

I spend a fair amount of time reading scholarly journals on the state of the military and I think they bring something to the table just like vets do.

Academics pontificating about the military....Those who can do, those who can't teach.

But what I read to educate myself is based off what the Secretary of Defense himself is saying. I would assume he does have that experience to know why these changes are needed.

 

[Flash]

Good thing he got the truth out on the internets before the black helicopters or the New Black Panther Party got to him!

 

[armada1651]

I would never have guessed that the 5th Fleet liberty policies were all part of Obama's - excuse me, Barack HUSSEIN Obama's - plan to destroy the military and ultimately the country because of his sheer, unbridled hatred for America. And yet it makes so much sense now that I think about it.

 

[John Folsom]

There has been much discussion on this topic recently and change is inevitable. I am young(22) and I can say that many of the people I associate with view military service as a delay of entering adulthood and I think there is some truth to that. Some past dating experiences of mine have led me to conclude that I would never want to have a wife or serious girlfriend while serving, I couldnt expect them to remain faithful. Even now, with 2 months to go until I get to Quantico, the Marine career thing is a sort of scarlet letter for dating. A serious relationship isnt possible so girls arent interested. Luckily I have just been hitting up the local college and thats great because girls there dont need to see the potential for a long term relationship. However, I dont want to keep up this strategy of preying on college freshmen until Im 30 and my commitment to the Marines is up.
I would consider myself very financially conscious and I would like to be a home owner. Obviously renting for 8 years of my life before buying is not ideal financially and I am not thrilled about the fact that I will not be able to invest into a home until my military service is up. Im not going to be married or know where I am going to be stationed so why would I buy a home? This is another example of how the military lifestyle isnt very accommodating for typical life goals.

There is going to have to be some change to continue to attract skilled applicants that want some work/life balance. I know my generation has been quoted as wanting "experiences over things" and with the whole PTSD thing in the military, the military isnt offering the desired experiences. A paycheck for a hard, undesirable lifestyle isnt going to attract the best and brightest like we need in today's modern military.

I would predict that in my career, I will get sick of the bureaucracy and the military's unwillingness to change and probably leave, but making changes to the career structure is something I would like to do in my time as a Marine Corps Officer.


Also, there has been talk about a potential 401k like system being instituted instead of just the pension after 20 years. If that is instituted about 3 years into my career, would I be eligible for it you think?

Hold on, Hoss!!!

With your attitude and seemingly lack of maturity I'm surprised that you were selected for OCS. How did you pull that off???

My prediction is that you won't make it through and from what I've read, ok by me.

Just sayin'

 

[jmcquate]

Because of a recent injury, I haven't been able to have a drink for a few weeks (pain pills) and read this abortion of a thread sober. How was this allowed to go on for 5 pages? There is no way this jackass is going to Quantico on my dime, and if he is. someone needs to find the OSO that recruited him and start a good bitch-slapping.

 

[sevenhelmet]

Definite troll.

Don't get me started on the millenial paradigm- I hate being considered part of that generation. I don't need hugs and jolly ranchers to do my job, I just need to be left alone to do it.

 

[Beans]

Definite troll.

Don't get me started on the millenial paradigm- I hate being considered part of that generation. I don't need hugs and jolly ranchers to do my job, I just need to be left alone to do it.

My opinion on "millennials" is that it's total bullshit - every generation has its issues, and this one is simply must easier to view and analyze due to the dawn of the "information age."
I don't need jolly ranchers to do my job, but if you don't want yours, can I have 'em?

 

[nittany03]

My opinion on "millennials" is that it's total bullshit - every generation has its issues, and this one is simply must easier to view and analyze due to the dawn of the "information age."
I don't need jolly ranchers to do my job, but if you don't want yours, can I have 'em?

 

[MikeMillerUK]

And I fail to see how many of you think that we can attract the best applicants by using the marketing slogan "yea it sucks but its about service." I know I grew up witnessing pointless wars with many dead that have left us in a worse situation than before. I dont want to sacrifice if thats what my sacrifice is for. I know I have no say in this as 0-1 and I will suck it up and do my job to the best of my abilities without thinking about the greater plan. I dont know any other accepted candidates who agree that our service and sacrifice is for the greater good.

I think you "fail to see" how we can attract the best applicants using the "it sucks but it's about service" slogan because YOU aren't about service. There are those who are all about what they can get from the military, and there are those who are all about what they can give to the military. It's very clear where you fit in this dynamic. Also, just so you know, I am another accepted candidate who wholeheartedly believes that our service and sacrifice is for the greater good. Why the hell else would I be joining?

 

[mb1685]

Duffel Blog's latest reads a bit like a future version of this thread: http://www.duffelblog.com/2015/04/resigning-commission/

 

[wink]

My opinion on "millennials" is that it's total bullshit - every generation has its issues, and this one is simply must easier to view and analyze due to the dawn of the "information age."
I don't need jolly ranchers to do my job, but if you don't want yours, can I have 'em?

True, except the "issues" we have with the millennials is just what their issues are and how much they have affected our society in, I think, a negative way (yes there are some positive attributes as well). Just because you don't fit the archetype of the generation you were born into doesn't mean it isn't accurate. Just because you don't like being associated with the popular view of millennials doesn't mean you have to reject the facts as compiled by lots of social scientists, market analysts, demographers, etc. Don't forget, the technology of the information age can be used, and has been to study and analyze previous generations. And while some data would not have been collected due to the technology of the time, there is plenty of archival data to put under the same microscope the milennials have been put under. It isn't just that we can be more critical in this day and age. For the record, I am fairly certain that any successful military officer is very likely to be an outlier of the millennial generation. So whatever opinion I have of that generation as a whole is not intended to be extended to any of the fine young officers that continue to protect my freedoms as I am no longer in the business.

 

[hlg6016]

Wildcat in all honesty you still have some growing up to do. If the military does not meet your lofty standards then please do not join us.
It is not a life style suited for everyone, but a commitment is essential for those who join its ranks. You would be better off charting a different course for your future.

*This is about as articulate as this Sgt can get on this subject without profanity*
**I would like to state my objection to your use of a Battle Herk as your avatar also**

 

[Spekkio]

My opinion on "millennials" is that it's total bullshit - every generation has its issues, and this one is simply must easier to view and analyze due to the dawn of the "information age."

I'm pretty sure that previous generations weren't calling the police when their 4th grader walked home alone.

Fuck, if I didn't live in a gang infested shithole then I'd be more afraid of my whitebread neighbors calling CPS if they saw my kid riding a bike more than anything else.

The word "millenial" is often associated with a young 20 somethings who have dependency issues, but the oldest millenials are now 35.

 

[Spekkio]

True, except the "issues" we have with the millennials is just what their issues are and how much they have affected our society in, I think, a negative way (yes there are some positive attributes as well). Just because you don't fit the archetype of the generation you were born into doesn't mean it isn't accurate.

I think that the flaw in the generation labeling system is that it captures too wide of a gap and then establishes a cliff at some random cutoff time. Do you think that someone born in 1946 had the same experiences and trends as someone born in 1960? Because according to the current labeling system, both people would be classified as baby boomers...except they were born 20 years apart.

Then you get weird things like my wife and I technically being in different generations. Do you really think that our market and demographic habits are radically different because we're on the opposite sides of a line drawn in the sand?

 

[MIDNJAC]

Exactly.....I was born in the early 80's........by some accounts the tail end of Gen X, and by most, the beginning of Millennial. I feel like I have nothing in common with either. Particularly this gen. Didn't grow up with the internet or cellphones, did grow up with a lot more video games than Atari 1.0 had, still had parents that generally let us roam free in the neighborhood all day having rock fights and breaking people's car windows (which we got crushed for, but didn't do prison time over, get expelled, or get told that it was ok to express our "feelings" in such a way because we were special snowflakes).