anyone else worried about the future military recruits?

So how is that worse then people who only joined the military during the draft just to avoid going to jail? At least now people are joining voluntarily.

The fact is, the military is really good at getting to work together as a team and for something beyond themselves. So even if people join the military with that attitude, it really doesn't take much for them to come around and start learning how to work together. And if they can't even pretend to be a decent soldier, they get kicked out of the military, and the rest leave when their enlistment is up.

Honestly, I don't really see the problem here.

I agree with that assessment.

But you have to look at the environment we live in.

the majority of this generation has been given everything without any effort to earn it. So why not benefits of service without patriotism.

I am seeing the answers to these questions and I just cringe over the future we are looking at.

I have a neighbor who was given a pickup so he would not have to walk four driveways (1000 feet) to visit his friends. High school parking lots are filled with cars that they do not have to pay for.

All the gadgets, phones, electronics and other stuff and absolutely no community service or effort.

They would not know what to do if they broke down somewhere without their cell.

I would be afraid of complete desertion if they were on the battlefield.

I have four draft age children (three are 22 this year) that were NOT raised that way. Their current argument to serve is that they already have jobs in excess of 35K a year, why trade?? Understandable.

I wonder if that worry is what they mean by 2012??

I worry more about the quality joining, not so much their reasoning. If they will perform well, I couldn't care less what their personal agenda is. We all have our own reasons for serving and I can't deny there were other things on my mind than just the good of our nation when I signed the papers.

No.

I joined because I didn't want to be repaying college loans till I was 50. And I wanted to get paid while I learned a new language! I got both.

Of course, patriotism and family tradition played a role as well, but I might never have gone through with it if weren't for that deal sweetener.

I was a little spoiled when I came in. But I got over in a hurry thanks to caring attention of several Drill Sergeants. :)

Every generation thinks that everyone else (kids, adults, recruits, high school students) is less "pure" or dedicated than themselves.

If everyone really lived like the previous generation claims their "good" old days were, the APFT standard would be a 2.4km run in 4 minutes with 200 pushups to top it off.