2008 Woodie Awards
Oath breakers deserve the worst punishment
Issue date: 9/4/08 Section: Opinions
Some say America and its government are full of deceitful, lying bastards with no morals who always have a hidden agenda. Others think that they are always scheming, stealing money, robbing the poor and giving to the rich. Despite this, the truth is that America's strength has always been to protect its people by virtue of the armed forces.
Several of our forces are deployed overseas. Many people with loved ones or friends in Iraq would like nothing more than their friends and family to return safely home. Many people wonder why American troops are stationed there in the first place and this puts our government and its leaders into question.
Throughout the years, these same questions have been asked about the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, the Korean and Vietnam Conflicts and Operation Desert Storm. Since the last U.S. act of conscription ended in 1973, for the last 35 years our armed forces have been completely volunteers.
These are people who are willing to serve their country, feeling they owe a debt to America or perhaps they needed money and couldn't go to college. One way or another, people have been signing up for the armed forces. These people did not join the debate team and are not politicians. They are being paid to fight for their country; nobody asked them if they think they should be stationed in Iraq. They are not in Iraq or Afghanistan to talk politics, they are there to do what politicians will not.
Countless U.S. troops have gone AWOL for political or moral reasons of their own. This is unacceptable. The simple truth is no U.S. troops were, in any way, tricked into joining. Servicemen who go AWOL or try to escape their active duty are the lowest of low. If they did not know what they were getting into, they should have learned beforehand.
Sure, some slick marine recruiter could have filled your head with ideas of fame, wealth and glory, but in the end, it comes down to your own decision.
Anyone can do research and decide for themselves. Some might even read about how the troops going AWOL and deserting increases every year, mainly in boot camps and basic training, before they even get to Iraq.
This is the Information Age. People have an infinite amount of information and articles at their fingertips, readily available across the world. If you do a little searching on the Internet, you will find that some people were bamboozled out of their promised college money as well as other G.I. Bill benefits.
While this is unfortunate, servicemen (and women) who claimed that they had no idea what they were getting into deserve nothing better.
They signed a contract, they have to adhere to whatever that contract says and obey every little clause. They could have read it over dozens of times, asked a number of questions and should have full knowledge of their military status before they sign anything.
We have all seen war movies, read newspapers, books, magazines and virtually all other forms of media that depict the horrors of war. To a degree, these are based on actual events and should be taken into consideration if you are looking to join the armed forces.
Not a day goes by where there is some new mini-series, book, press statement or biography about the current situation in Iraq.
Nevertheless, people still join. Either there are people who still do not read fine print and don't want to know about a commitment to their country or there are still people who want to serve this country.
I like to think the latter is true - that the volunteers don't exactly relish being in Iraq, but they made their choice and are willing to stay. I am sure many people do. I have friends overseas fighting for America. They know what they have signed up for, they realize they could die fighting, but they wanted to sign up. It is their choice, and they are not tucking their tail between their legs.
Nobody physically forced them to sign a contract, nor there were there any threats. Just a phone call and a visit to a high school.
James Niedzinski is a freshman majoring in journalism. He may be contacted at jniedzinski@keeneequinox.com
Several of our forces are deployed overseas. Many people with loved ones or friends in Iraq would like nothing more than their friends and family to return safely home. Many people wonder why American troops are stationed there in the first place and this puts our government and its leaders into question.
Throughout the years, these same questions have been asked about the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, the Korean and Vietnam Conflicts and Operation Desert Storm. Since the last U.S. act of conscription ended in 1973, for the last 35 years our armed forces have been completely volunteers.
These are people who are willing to serve their country, feeling they owe a debt to America or perhaps they needed money and couldn't go to college. One way or another, people have been signing up for the armed forces. These people did not join the debate team and are not politicians. They are being paid to fight for their country; nobody asked them if they think they should be stationed in Iraq. They are not in Iraq or Afghanistan to talk politics, they are there to do what politicians will not.
Countless U.S. troops have gone AWOL for political or moral reasons of their own. This is unacceptable. The simple truth is no U.S. troops were, in any way, tricked into joining. Servicemen who go AWOL or try to escape their active duty are the lowest of low. If they did not know what they were getting into, they should have learned beforehand.
Sure, some slick marine recruiter could have filled your head with ideas of fame, wealth and glory, but in the end, it comes down to your own decision.
Anyone can do research and decide for themselves. Some might even read about how the troops going AWOL and deserting increases every year, mainly in boot camps and basic training, before they even get to Iraq.
This is the Information Age. People have an infinite amount of information and articles at their fingertips, readily available across the world. If you do a little searching on the Internet, you will find that some people were bamboozled out of their promised college money as well as other G.I. Bill benefits.
While this is unfortunate, servicemen (and women) who claimed that they had no idea what they were getting into deserve nothing better.
They signed a contract, they have to adhere to whatever that contract says and obey every little clause. They could have read it over dozens of times, asked a number of questions and should have full knowledge of their military status before they sign anything.
We have all seen war movies, read newspapers, books, magazines and virtually all other forms of media that depict the horrors of war. To a degree, these are based on actual events and should be taken into consideration if you are looking to join the armed forces.
Not a day goes by where there is some new mini-series, book, press statement or biography about the current situation in Iraq.
Nevertheless, people still join. Either there are people who still do not read fine print and don't want to know about a commitment to their country or there are still people who want to serve this country.
I like to think the latter is true - that the volunteers don't exactly relish being in Iraq, but they made their choice and are willing to stay. I am sure many people do. I have friends overseas fighting for America. They know what they have signed up for, they realize they could die fighting, but they wanted to sign up. It is their choice, and they are not tucking their tail between their legs.
Nobody physically forced them to sign a contract, nor there were there any threats. Just a phone call and a visit to a high school.
James Niedzinski is a freshman majoring in journalism. He may be contacted at jniedzinski@keeneequinox.com
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Justice of the Peace
posted 9/04/08 @ 9:10 PM EST
Pretty soon it won't really matter if you're coerced into soldiering up or not. We're going to go to war with the big countries in Asia (read China and Russia) soon, make no mistake. (Continued…)
Apocalypse Never
posted 9/05/08 @ 10:36 AM EST
Oh please. Do you honestly think there's going to be a draft? No there is not. We're not going to war with the Chinese, or the Russians. Stop getting all in a panic and relax, things will work themselves out. (Continued…)
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