Rural soldiers more likely to die in Iraq, Afghanistan

AP ^ | Sunday, December 17, 2006

[Minus_The_Bear]

ie the people from the reddest sections of the country

[dighton]

Full reading not needed to grasp its idiocy.

[Billthedrill]

The AP couldn't make it any more obvious, could they? Despite the actual statistics to the contrary they're going to try to portray this in Kerry's and Rangel's twisted terms, as an army where even though you volunteer, you're being oppressed. I don't think you could dishonor the troops more than that. Here's what they're really about -

"And if I gotta die for my country, I will."

Somebody gets it. And it isn't AP.

[cardinal4]

Full reading not needed to grasp its idiocy.

No, just the first couple of sentences..

[armymarinemom]

Leftist goons more likely to become journalist.

[quantim]

[Sir Gawain]

the death rate per million population aged 18 to 54 was 60 percent higher for soldiers from rural areas compared with those from urban areas or the suburbs.

Does this assume an equal number of enlistments from each area type? I wouldn't think that would hold true. Maybe more rural soldiers are dying because there are more rural soldiers in the military.

[fat city]

AP using New Hampshire data to tell a story about Kansas soldiers. Journalism 2006.

[Thunder90]

Here is the liberal's interpretation: "Rednecks die more in Iraq because they are right winged God fearing gun toting nationalist warmongering conservatives....blah blah blah.."

My interperatation-Rural area people are more likely to take infantry and other high-risk positions within the military than their suburban or urban counterparts.

[ClaireSolt]

There is a lot more money and sophistication in those Kansas towns that an AP reporter would be able to discern.

[Rembrandt_fan]

You wrote, "My interperatation-Rural area people are more likely to take infantry and other high-risk positions within the military than their suburban or urban counterparts."

I agree wholeheartedly. Another thing, too: most of the guys I served with were like me, from a rural area, with a strong family tradition of service in combat arms. Every male member of my family has served since we came over on the boat, since the Civil War. Of course, none of the skills I learned in the airborne infantry translate to the civilian world, but I didn't join for the paycheck or the benefits--back then, twenty-some years ago, there wasn't much of either, anyway.

[1COUNTER-MORTER-68]

Anybody ever heard of a "GRIT"???

[Michael81Dus]

From the article, just two sentences after your quoted:

Researchers said the higher death rate is linked to higher enlistment because of smaller job opportunities in rural areas. That means combat deaths are felt more keenly in rural parts of the country.

[Aussieteen]

So, conservatives from rural areas tend to sign up more for these sorts of things. And they're generally braver, so they're more often in the line of fire.

Damn, but the media chooses to report on the stupidest of things. Why not do a report on how more women give birth than men, next?

*walks off, muttering about the media*

[madison10]

So is the AP saying only "hicks" are willing to die for their nation? Are they saying there are more troops from rural portions of the country who are too naive to say "no" to the recruiter?

Are they saying the best and the brightest from all of America's classes and races from flyover country are willing to fight, but the geniuses on the left and right coasts are too sophisicated, Liberal, brainwashed to deal with reality?

C'mon, AP, spit it out.

[KeyLargo]

More Rangle and Kerry crap.

This is evidence though that service to our country is very important to those living in the heartland.