Thursday, October 4, 2012

"No Army for Young Men"?

Soldiers these days need less muscle and more maturity, so why do we still focus on recruiting 18-year-olds?

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

We'll change that attitude real quick the next time we get into a serious ground war, I think.

And watch all the manuals get re-written the next time we lose air superiority.

Being an unchallenged superpower instills a bit of decadence and softness into an empire/nation-state.

We're no different.

AP

Pericles said...

Rosa has never carried a full combat load.

Anonymous said...

Rosa Brooks is a law professor at Georgetown University and a Schwartz senior fellow at the New America Foundation.

And it shows.

She sounds like the kind of person who's ruck would get passed along during a road march to keep them from falling out. This is why desk jockeys making decisions for the military is a terrible idea. Yeah, physical strength isn't important; until you're rucking loads in excess of 90 pounds, inventorying and packing heavy equipment, or carrying your buddy out of a fire zone. Not to mention shifts in excess of 72 hours and exposure to the elements. We've already got a hard enough time getting kids out of high school to the physical standards.

Anonymous said...

I skimmed thru the first few paragraphs of the "story" (and a fable it is) before having to stop before getting ill.
The military doesn't need 'em as young and as strong as they used to? W-T-bloody-F!!
Try telling that to the infantry, busting their hump carrying up to 2/3 of their body weight in guns, ammo, commo, water, armor, etc -- thru the 100+heat of Iraq, and the steep mountains of the 'Stan.
There are other reasons to get 'em while they're still young (fresh out of school & smart, no deep committments, looking for adventure, trainable & teachable). Being in the military, any branch, is not for the dumb or weak.
I don't know & don't care who this limp wristed panty waist is, but he needs to STFD &STFU.

B Woodman
III-PER


Anonymous said...

An 18 year old is easier to get in shape. The main reason is they can be molded easier than those with more experience in life.

Anonymous said...

Yep - old pissed off arthritic soldiers would get on with the job so much quicker and not tollerate non-essential activity!

Age and cunning will trump youth and inexperience most every time.

Kiwi
III

Anonymous said...

She has obviously never been in the Girl Scouts, much less the military.

-JRM