By LaQuan Daniel For USMilitary.com
Upon asking over 500 people ranging from ages 17-24, ?What would be the main reason(s) for not enlisting into the U.S. Army?. The three most common reasons people did not enlist were
1) Fear of Death
2) Laziness
3) Political Discontent
My response to these three objections respectively were 1) Death and the military are not exclusive. Death is coming for each of us regardless of whether we put the uniform on or not. 2) Continuing a cycle of laziness will keep you on a relentless cycle of failure. 3) Nowhere in the oath of enlistment do we swear to a political party. We swear to defend the U.S. Constitution and the American way of life. Of the three objections listed, the one main reasons people do not join is simply laziness.
In the past, I have had people ask me if they can get the benefits the military offers without serving. The thought of taking a nine week and four-day transformational journey through Basic Combat Training scares the living daylights out of most people. The reality is most people are afraid to become a better them. They would much rather settle for mediocracy over excellence. It does not take any work what-so-ever to achieve mediocracy. However, much more effort is needed to achieve excellence.
To those who may be considering serving in the U.S. Army. You have everything to gain and nothing to lose. Everything you do in the U.S. Army is for you to become a better you. In my 18 years of service in the Army. I have never come across anyone who said I am worst off after I joined the Army than before. Consider this, serving a two-year enlistment in the Army gets you a guaranteed job in the Army of your choice and your college paid for. Not to mention all the other tangible and intangible benefits of military service. If you can muster up just enough selfless-service and courage to do one enlistment. You will open a lifetime of doors for your future.
At best, going to college after high school, in two years you might be a sophomore. Two years in the Army after high school you will be a well-trained professional ready for the challenges of life. People ask me all the time, ?why should I join the Army over going to college?? I reply with ?Why not do both at the same time?. The discipline, problem-solving skills and time management you gain in the Army. These skills will transfer to focus and strategy during your college studies, therefore increasing your chances of success. If you can commit to yourself by serving in the Army, you can commit to anything.
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By LaQuan Daniel For USMilitary.com
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author
and do not reflect the official policy or position of the U.S. Army Recruiting Command, Department of the Army, Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.
