Free Republic

The average age of the military man is 19 years. He is a short haired, tight-muscled kid who, under normal circumstances is considered by society as half man, half boy. Not yet dry behind the ears, not old enough to buy a beer, but old enough to die for his country. He never really cared much for work and he would rather wax his own car than wash his father's, but he has never collected unemployment either. He's a recent high school graduate; he was probably an average student, pursued some form of sport activities, drives a ten year old...

Why Dems Wanted Military Ballots Not to Count in 2000 From The State. Excerpt: Another benefit of an all-volunteer military is that it saves taxpayers money; there's less turnover as troops stay in for longer periods. During the Vietnam War, the average tour of duty was less than two years, according to a Defense Department study. Today, the average tour is about seven years. But critics fret the United States is developing an all-volunteer warrior class recruited from the nation's more politically conservative areas. Between 1976 and 1996, for instance, the percentage of military officers who said they were either...