Quote:
Originally Posted by Scorpius
I am happy for you. No argument from me on the point. However, I was not trying to say that this transformation does not occur, nor that the military is not deserving of any credit in this regard, only that it is oft over rated.
This demonstrates how different people can have different perceptions of basically the same events. It is to be expected, to some degree, given that we are each uniquely chiseled into what we are by our own experiences and knowledge, and this is good - were we all thinking the same, there would be little thinking actually occurring.
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I work with one of the best electronic technicians there is. He's also a devout Christian with a stellar work ethic on top of his technical abilities. In the late 70's, after graduating High School, he did a 4 year enlistment in the Air Force. His experience was that he didn't want to make a career of it and left when his enlistment expired. However, he thanks the Air Force for giving him his foundation in electonics knowledge. He later told me that, on a personal level, it was a lifestyle that countered his deeply religious convictions. The group that he was with worked hard and played hard (too hard for his tastes). He wasn't interested in spending his paycheck on booze and strippers. One can not only become socially isolated and ridiculed but, if your superiors are also amongst them that are doing so, it can harm your chances of career advancement. Another friend of mine had a similar experience while in the Air Force except he wasn't religious in any way. He didn't like to party and drink. He saved and invested. He was ridiculed for it by his group and direct superiors.
This is the sad part about military life which doesn't make it a good fit for some of our more qualified citizens that simple don't feel the need to "play hard" even though they work hard. However, they still did their service and are usually thankful to the military for teaching the foundations of their careers/skill sets. They are still worthy of my thanks for their service and they still respect those that serve.