My brother in law is an ex-marine, no college and now easily makes 4x what I do. Free network, free training, free career, low-interest loan on his house. I promise I’m not bitter… But if that’s not socialism I don’t know what is.
Believe it or not, there are a subset of us that understand this and want those things for the citizenry (we’re now part of) too. Seeing taxes tangibly invested back into you is a wonderful thing.
Yeah I get it, he’s a good dude and you sound like one too. The only real resentment I harbor is towards our government. Because the military seems to offer the only real path to a life like that if you don’t have the means to get on that track yourself. Plus, it’s such a perilous one, not for everyone. My bil was lucky enough to serve at an allied base during peacetime - he still ended up half-deaf from all the live-fire drills.
I know a handful of military folks who are now doing so much better in their lives. Came from a shitty background, and now work IT or management.
Unfortunately, I also know a lot of military folks who didn’t make it. Some are in prison. Some suffer from issues in society. Many still work for the military/government because they have no other skills.
The most common bond: they tell their kids not to join the military.
They get free clothes and free housing too.
My brother in law is an ex-marine, no college and now easily makes 4x what I do. Free network, free training, free career, low-interest loan on his house. I promise I’m not bitter… But if that’s not socialism I don’t know what is.
Believe it or not, there are a subset of us that understand this and want those things for the citizenry (we’re now part of) too. Seeing taxes tangibly invested back into you is a wonderful thing.
If anything, being in the military keeps driving me further to the left
Yeah I get it, he’s a good dude and you sound like one too. The only real resentment I harbor is towards our government. Because the military seems to offer the only real path to a life like that if you don’t have the means to get on that track yourself. Plus, it’s such a perilous one, not for everyone. My bil was lucky enough to serve at an allied base during peacetime - he still ended up half-deaf from all the live-fire drills.
But if everyone got it no one would have a reason to join the military
The most desperate wouldn’t join, but plenty still would.
The bigger question is; if we were a smarter more generous country, would we need such a big military?
I know a handful of military folks who are now doing so much better in their lives. Came from a shitty background, and now work IT or management.
Unfortunately, I also know a lot of military folks who didn’t make it. Some are in prison. Some suffer from issues in society. Many still work for the military/government because they have no other skills.
The most common bond: they tell their kids not to join the military.