Military Monday

What you should know before
joining the military

Military Discipline and Living Conditions

Do you enjoy being bossed around? Do you want someone constantly telling you what to do and how to do it? If your answer is “no,” you may have a hard time adapting to military life. Federal law states that the military places “numerous restrictions on personal behavior that would not be acceptable in civilian society.” Military members are subject to military law 24 hours a day — even if they are off duty and off base—from beginning to end of their term (10 U.S.C. Sec. 654).

Disobedience in the military can result in court-martial, prison, or even the lifetime problem of a bad discharge. Furthermore, the enlistment agreement says that your status, pay, benefits and responsibilities in the military can change without warning and regardless of any promises in your agreement! Not surprisingly, a lot of people express unhappiness after joining the military. For example, in 1999 more enlistees in their first term were dissatisfied (41%) with the military way of life than were satisfied (35%). And only 29% of them said they were likely to stay on active duty in the military (1999 Survey of Active Duty Personnel, Dept. Of Defense).



Racism

In 1991, the head of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights received hundreds of complaints of racism in the military. He issued a report saying discrimination haunts African-Americans, Latinos and women in the military. In 2000, 37.5% of the enlisted personnel were people of color, but only 16.2% of the officers were. Latinos in the Marine Corps, for example, made up 13.5% of the enlisted ranks, but only 5.8% of the officers. When the Los Angeles Times investigated the Ft. Leavenworth military prison in 1994, it found that 50% of all the inmates, and 83% of those under a military death sentence, were people of color.



Homophobia

Discrimination against gays, lesbians and bisexuals
is not only intense within the military, it is official
policy.

Witch hunts to kick lesbian and gay personnel out of the military continue. Since the so-called “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy was introduced, the pace of forced discharges has actually increased. Violence and threats against those suspected of being gay are routine.



The Easy Money for College Myth

Recruiters might promise you tens of thousands of free dollars for college, but it’s not free—you must work for it. And it’s not automatic. Unless you qualify for special jobs or sign up for an extra-long term, you’ll never see the higher amounts of money. To qualify for any college aid at all, you have to pay a $1200 non-refundable deposit to the military. If you receive a less-than-honorable discharge (as about one in four people do), leave the military in less than 3 years, (as one in three do), or later decide not to go to college, the military will keep your deposit and give you nothing.

57% of the veterans who sign up for the GI Bill have never seen a penny in college assistance, and the average net payout to veterans has been only $2151. 29% of veterans have been determined not eligible for benefits at the time of their discharge, either for being discharged early or with a less than honorable discharge. These veterans have thus lost both their $1200 payroll deduction and any hope of benefits at all.

Even for veterans who qualify for the MGIB, there is still one more surprising twist. When a veteran files for Federal Student Aid to determine how much they can pay for college, money from the GI Bill is counted as an asset, and subtracted from whatever aid package they would have received if they weren't getting money from the GI Bill. Therefore, the expected out-of-pocket financial contribution from a veteran will be exactly the same as if they never entered the military. The total financial aid package will be no greater than for a non-veteran of equal financial status.

The military takes in a lot of money that will not be paid back. In other words, it’s really the military that profits, not veterans. Colleges can help you find aid if you need it, and it pays to investigate these options before agreeing to give away years of your life to the military. Once you complete school, you can start earning the higher wages of a college graduate right away.