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Military eyes 16-year-olds as ranks and candidates dwindle
The Washington Times ^ | July 18, 2019 | Ben Wolfgang

Posted on 07/21/2019 8:27:59 AM PDT by Towed_Jumper

As the Army, Navy and other services contend with a thriving economy and a directive to expand their ranks, there is a growing debate over whether the military should consider lowering the minimum enlistment age from 17 to 16. More than a dozen countries, including the United Kingdom, already have adopted the policy.

Critics say the idea is deeply flawed and presents a host of societal problems, but supporters argue that the Pentagon needs to think outside the box if it wants to continually overcome one of the toughest recruiting environments in decades.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...


TOPICS: Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: army; military
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To: Towed_Jumper

No.

If they cannot drive without restrictions, own a gun, drink and smoke then they should not serve.


121 posted on 07/21/2019 12:08:43 PM PDT by Vendome (I've Gotta Be Me https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BB0ndRzaz2o)
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To: Towed_Jumper

more robots, drones, automation, AI, remote controlled vehicles, remote controlled weapons systems


122 posted on 07/21/2019 1:28:48 PM PDT by Wuli
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To: Poison Pill
Base pay for a newly minted E1 is $9.70 per hour if I understand correctly (and please correct me if I don’t).

Plus room. Plus board. Plus healthcare. Plus 30 days paid vacation. Plus savings plan and pension. Minimum wage jobs don't offer all that.

123 posted on 07/21/2019 1:39:31 PM PDT by DoodleDawg
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To: Towed_Jumper

This is part of the campaign to lower the voting age.

They pushed it down to 18 with “Old enough to die but not old enough to vote”.


124 posted on 07/21/2019 3:20:41 PM PDT by Farcesensitive
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To: bluejean
“Reinstate the draft.”

Har! Can you imagine the backlash of America-hating, anti-military, anarchist, hysterical, braindead pussyhats and snowflakes in the streets, sobbing all over the 24/7 news, along with their millions of enablers? It would be an epic meltdown.

Exactly! Historians are going to note the "all volunteer" military to placate a generation of spoiled cowards as a significant step in our demise as a nation.

125 posted on 07/21/2019 4:57:29 PM PDT by SanchoP
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To: DoodleDawg
Plus room. Plus board. Plus healthcare. Plus 30 days paid vacation. Plus savings plan and pension. Minimum wage jobs don't offer all that.

I didn't say it wasn't a good deal. But given all that, they still have trouble making the numbers. IIRC the pension kicks in after 20. Most people that go in won't serve that long.

126 posted on 07/21/2019 5:11:47 PM PDT by Poison Pill
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To: billyboy15

Yeah, everyone pays supposedly...bit I’m willing to bet I’ve paid more than you have earned in your lifetime so go gfys

Btw..if you read the whole thread you might learn something..my father was I hired badly in ww2, his dad was gassed in ww1 and later killed himself due to the pain


127 posted on 07/21/2019 9:56:49 PM PDT by Manuel OKelley
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To: Manuel OKelley

Lol, so you paid more in taxes then I’ve earned in my lifetime? Wonderful for you.

You’ve lost the argument.

Bye


128 posted on 07/22/2019 1:04:53 AM PDT by billyboy15
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To: Track9

Yep - and takes them out of the liberal ‘conditioning” system while adding a sense of responsibility and potential to develop some real personal responsibility.


129 posted on 07/22/2019 2:12:42 AM PDT by trebb (Don't howl about illegal leeches, or Trump in general, while not donating to FR - it's hypocritical.)
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To: Towed_Jumper

if they had a requirement that anyone under the age of 19 could not be deployed outside the continental united states or in combat units and limited to training for there first two years I would have no problem with the military recruiting at 16 in fact it would be good for them but the reality is that 16 is way to young to put some one that young in war type situation except in the most dire situation for this country best not to mess with the recruitment age.


130 posted on 07/22/2019 2:29:46 AM PDT by PCPOET7
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To: fso301

I don’t believe most 16 y/o kids today are ready for the discipline required and most are not mentally or physically fit to qualify.

I enlisted 1 1/2 months after turning 17, in the Fall of my Sr. year of HS. This was in the Navy Air Reserve, so was a weekend warrior for a year, permitting me to finish HS and partake in a two week active duty stint with the Squadron another for an accelerated boot camp.

Went active one year later and just that 1 year of reserve service seemed to mature me a couple of years ahead of other school mates. Correspondence courses and weekend duty, permitted me to be promoted to E-2 before going active.


131 posted on 07/22/2019 2:53:42 AM PDT by octex
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To: Towed_Jumper

This is just a back door attempt to give them voting rights.


132 posted on 07/22/2019 3:09:28 AM PDT by meowmeow (In Loving Memory of Our Dear Viking Kitty (1987-2006))
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To: Poison Pill

When on active duty your are paid for 24 hours a day.

When I was active as an E-3 in ‘61-’62 we were paid every 15 days (360 hours). ...I was paid $80. ...That’s just a little over 22 cents/hr.!

If they paid $9.70/hr., that would have been $3492.


133 posted on 07/22/2019 3:15:15 AM PDT by octex
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To: fso301
Accepting recruits at 16 means dropping the diploma/GED requirement.

Then there's the likelihood that judges will use the military as an alternative to sending the kids to jail. I served with two such guys......

134 posted on 07/22/2019 3:27:12 AM PDT by Hot Tabasco (I'm in the cleaning business.......I launder money)
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To: CodeToad

Good catch! The left in some States are already proposing lowering the voting age to brainless 16 y/o kids.


135 posted on 07/22/2019 3:31:32 AM PDT by octex
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To: Poison Pill
Base pay for a newly minted E1 is $9.70 per hour if I understand correctly

But you get free room and board and an education if you want one.

I play senior softball with a guy who retired from General Dynamics in Egypt last year. He was a tanker in the Army and his training got him his job with GD.......

136 posted on 07/22/2019 3:32:18 AM PDT by Hot Tabasco (I'm in the cleaning business.......I launder money)
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To: jacknhoo

It is because of the education they receive today that the dems would push for brainwashed 16 year olds to enlist because once they are in they would push for their RIGHT to vote! This is all a plot to destroy our country.


137 posted on 07/22/2019 4:47:12 AM PDT by New Jersey Realist ( Be kind to your children. They will determine where you live when you get old.)
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To: Towed_Jumper

An educational level of at least a high school diploma must be required in the today’s military.

There is no requirement for 16 yo canon fodder at present


138 posted on 07/22/2019 5:51:27 AM PDT by bert ( (KE. NP. N.C. +12)There were Democrat espionage operations on Republican candidates)
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To: Poison Pill
Sounds problematic. Base pay for a newly minted E1 is $9.70 per hour if I understand correctly (and please correct me if I don’t). Hard to compete when everyone is headed to $15/hr.

For 2019, an E1 makes $1680.90 per month. That breaks down into, as you said, $9.70/hr, or just over $20M per year. However, that does not include the following:
- Healthcare is essentially 100% covered, no premiums or deductibles.
- Food is nearly 100% paid for.
- Housing is fully covered onbase, or you get a housing allowance if there's nothing available. It varies by zip code, so for Dallas area it's an extra $1266 per month. ($1689 if you have a dependent!)

So sure, you really aren't getting paid much, but you're hardly spending anything at all. Getting paid $10 an hour and having $9 an hour to spend freely is better then getting paid $25 an hour and having $20 of that go straight to living costs.
139 posted on 07/25/2019 3:12:28 PM PDT by Svartalfiar
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