These are all views many believe and so did I. I did not like the military because of the things I have seen on television or even the rumors I heard. It all changed my life three years ago on April 10, 2000. On that day I enlisted in the US Army for a contracted three years and five years reserve commitment. This event changed my life forever and how I viewed the military service. I have the view of a person who once made fun of kids who wanted to be in the armed forces marching and spinning rifles in their high schools ROTC program. I have the view of someone who has spent time serving this country. Now I have the view of someone who is out and now adjusted back to normal civilian life. I was never a military brat and many times I said I would never be dumb enough to join the military because it was full of idiots or people who could never make it far in life. Things happen and now I changed my ideas and views on the military.
Most people believed the Army is filled with idiots who lacked intelligence. That isn't true, all officers from lieutenants to generals have a degree and in order to get their position they had to enroll in a four year college for example Indiana University-Purdue University ROTC program. Education is highly emphasized in the army. After a couple of ranks in order to get promoted faster you will need to have enrolled in school and earn promotion points for every credit hour you finished. The Army is also offering programs for free college for example the EArmyOnline offers a free laptop and all the courses to the college you attend online are free including books, registration or anything else. Thos who can not find jobs or get into college find the army as an alternative where they can find new job experience or join an area of special interest. We have computer jobs to nursing that are vacant and need people so the army has spent millions on promoting itself though schools and offering college money up to fifty thousand dollars.