Aside from whether those that choose to go to the war are innocent dupes, consider it a wise career move or whatever, and aside from what benefits the military should and shouldn't get, it is fascinating to learn how injured soldiers are treated by the United States government.
There is apparently a program whereby military personnel can transfer some benefits to immediate family members (such as certain education benefits). To be eligible for the program, you need to be in the military for six years and have enlisted for an additional three, but if you have been injured so badly that the military won't reenlist you, you are not allowed to transfer the benefits to your family.
In other words, healthy soldiers can get this transfer benefit, but it is closed off to the most badly injured.
I would not call those dupes who join army - with the full understanding that armies exist to kill - "innocent".
ReplyDeleteThere ain't no such thing as innocent murderers.
A soldier who cannot fight is considered garbage by the Army. Always has been that way.
ReplyDeleteDUH!!!!
ReplyDeleteBadly injured soldiers will get a VA disability check every month. They will AUTOMATICALLY be eligible for the VA to PAY FOR THEIR COLLEGE EDUCATION.
The KICKER!!!!!!!
The VA USES the soldiers "military GI BILL" to pay for the "injured" soldier's VA disability paid for college. If the soldier GIVES IT AWAY, the VA will have to cough up more money to educate the injured soldier.
Averros, I would have agreed a decade ago, but I've learned that the "soldier as hero" myth is deeply ingrained- like a cancerous religion- and cannot be easily exorcised. These young, and often ignorant and innocent, men and women truly believe they are signing up to "protect their country" and it isn't until years of war that they realize the truth.
ReplyDeletePTSD will be the newest and most intractable mental illness of the new century, as these people confront their own crimes and come to grips with them.
I don't blame them- I blame the fucking soulless bastards that sent them there.
Averros and Dale,
ReplyDeleteI did in fact write about my experience
in the military. I have to say that I very much side with Dale on this particular subject. I didn't realize what the hell was going on until I was 2 years in.
I don't mean to
oops, I forgot to finish my sentence. I meant' to say that I don't mean to be a jerk by linking to my own post, but it is easier than restating it here.
ReplyDelete