Truly Sickening....

[Raging Squirrel]

The Army was good enough for me, so there's no objection from me for National Service. It's funny how those that object most vociferously to the thought of national service have never had the backbone to join up themselves.

just a sec, are you implying that everybody who hasn't joined up to the army hasn't done so because they haven't had the "back bone"?

 

[Drago]

There is no implication.

There is only the observation.

 

[Raging Squirrel]

i didn't join the army purely because all the bell ends from school joined the army. either the ones who felt like they were hard cases and had something to prove, or people who got picked on, again thinking that they had something to prove. and the ones who didn't last came out and joined the police because it was next best thing.

 

[al78]

There is no implication.

There is only the observation.

I'll file that one alongside the "observation" that cyclists are red light jumping, pavement riding lycra louts, since it is about as valid.

 

[Drago]

Hhhmnm. I wasn't bullied at school. I was the biggest kid and happy to keep my head down. Only one tried it, and his broken collarbone hurt more than the 3 day suspension i got for not letting some fat kid with a point to prove beat me up.

Kept out of any real trouble. Left school, couldn't find a job likely to lead to a career or future. I joined. Did my 4.

Stayed on a retainer and served again on 2 more tours during Gulf II despite being able to have easily not gone because of my profession.

So wrong and wrong, but thank you for validating my observation.

 

[Canrider]

So wrong and wrong, but thank you for validating my observation.

What a joke.
So let's get this straight: When you say something, it's an inerrantly true 'observation'. When anyone else 'observes' anything, your personal experience makes them wrong?

 

[Drago]

I don't recall saying that at all. Because funniky enough i never did.

That's 3 different respondents with 3 different views in how they interpret that which I wrote.

Try reading the words, and not the spaces between them.

 

[jdtate101]

You don't have to have served to have an opinion on NS, but those who havent have no clue as to what a military life involves. It's not a job, it's an all consuming life change. The army has a proven method for taking angry young men and turning them into productive soldiers, it might not be 100% effective, but it sure is hell better than the wholly ineffective way that society deals with these types. NS could take that methodology and put it toward a non-military end such as I have mentioned before. I spent 6yrs as an infantry platoon commander, and came across some of the worst examples of angry young men, from the worst backgrounds and most of them, faced with authority and discipline, developed over time a sense of purpose and self worth. Something they never had before. I know that system works, and it has been proven to work, and I would rather we spend time and effort on a proven system rather than something which has been shown to be a failure, which is what the current model is. Every time we make excuses for these scrotes, we just further enable them. Every time we let them off with a light punishment, we just insult their victims and teach them that there are no consequences to their actions. It has to stop somewhere.

 

[Hip Priest]

The military may help to rehabilitate 'scrotes' but what about the decent, law-abiding majority? Why should they have to give up two years of their lives? Military life might suit some people, but it'd be a living hell for others.

 

[Canrider]

The military may help to rehabilitate 'scrotes' but what about the decent, law-abiding majority? Why should they have to give up two years of their lives? Military life might suit some people, but it'd be a living hell for others.

Statistically, everyone I know who's done the equivalent of NS was kicked out for punching their CO...
(n=3)

 

[Hip Priest]

Statistically, everyone I know who's done the equivalent of NS was kicked out for punching their CO...
(n=3)

Ha! A friend of mine appeared on Lads Army. He got a few quid but barely appeared onscreen because he just kept his head down and got on with it. I think that's why they changed it to Bad Lads Army and got a load of nutters in.

 

[StuartG]

The Army was good enough for me, so there's no objection from me for National Service. It's funny how those that object most vociferously to the thought of national service have never had the backbone to join up themselves.

I thought you were a police officer. Your view that people who choose not to join te army have 'no backbone' is offensive as it is wrong. If it colours your policing it demeans it.