IPD, I didn't attempt to back track on what I said, I simply apologized for the verbiage I used to say it.

Quote Originally Posted by IPD View Post
oh, and don't give me BS about how the military should do like the civilian world and hire newbies at 1/2 the pay to replace the old-timers who've been there forever. that's a sure-fire way to create brain-drain and to instill a sense of being "get what you can while you can" across the entire DOD. with an average wage of less than 50k across the all branches (last time i checked). that's not a lot of dough for someone who not only is away from CONUS on a frequent basis, but also is sworn to die in defense of the US constitution if necessary.
again though, i guess the rational aspects of it elude you.
I never made any statement remotely close to this. I guess once reading comprehension eludes you, so maybe your core can get a little sicker.

Quote Originally Posted by BaadVR4 View Post
Okay, Vantage, here's your chance.

In the build up for war, policy makers DELIBERATELY recruit men and women who lack the intellect/skills to EVER do much besides cook/clean/act as infantry. We swell the ranks with otherwise nearly unemployable men and women, stick them in where they can contribute, if not excel. We allow them to remain in the service, even if they fail to advance. We know they barely have the aptitude/learning capacity to perform their entry level assignments, and will never be leaders. We promise them a retirement they can survive on if they stay in 20 years. Then, 10, 15 or 19 years on, we tell them "we don't need your services any more, here's a class on how to get a job."
You continually take my statements to the extreme. The "Sanctuary" program is designed to stop things like that from happening, and active duty personnel are automatically enrolled. True, it only kicks in at the 18 year mark, but that seems to be the majority of your examples, so I guess it's quite appropriate.

You talk about fairness and equality, so where is the fairness for the guy in the fox hole next to your sub-par performer? Why should Jimmy be mowed down by the horde because 14 year E-4 Johnny, a decade later, still can't figure out how to reassemble his M240? Where is the fairness in that? Who is going to write that letter to Jimmy's family letting them know their son died because it was only right we gave Johnny a chance. Who's the victim now? I guess you should write a letter to SMA Chandler letting him know he's an elitist, self-righteous asshole because he only wants to keep the "best and brightest" in the Army. Why are you not outside your local MEPS, protesting, letting them know just how terribly their bigotry is when they turn people away for mental or health issues. It's not the fault of those people, why shouldn't they be given a chance to serve their country?

You say the military is anything but a welfare check, but yet here you are, proposing it become exactly that. I guess the intelligent elite like myself and SMA Chandler will never understand why good people should put their lives at more risk than they already do, just to give those who lack intellect/skill a job.