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0 pointscrooked-v1d ago0 comments

Becoming an E-1 at age 40 isn't a "career path", it's a last resort for somebody who for whatever reason can't make more than $30K/year with the skills they've gained over the last 25 years, and for whom having functioning knees is less important than needing the money.

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silisili1d ago

So they should just age out in poverty and die? Such people exist. To be clear, I'm 1000% against anything resembling a draft, but if an older person wants to, why stop them? A guy in my brother's medical doctor graduation class was 46 years old. Good thing nobody explained to him it was too late and he failed already.

In all seriousness, I do agree about the functioning knees part. But as long as it's voluntary, I don't see the downside.

loeg1d ago

A career as a doctor has a lot more upside than an entry level grunt.

ncr1001d ago

It seems unhealthy for the sake of our military.

I'm not privy to the decisions about how staffing 42-year-old As infantry men is militarily wise, however.

simoncion1d ago

> So they should just age out in poverty and die?

You referred to joining the US military as an E-1 at the age of 42 as a career path. As an Army brat, I can tell you that it absolutely is not. At that age, it absolutely is a job of last resort.

analognoise1d ago

> So they should just age out in poverty and die?

I like how the options are "age out/die" or "be part of our disgusting military machine", no other options; people have no value unless they've already got money or can risk their blood.

Surely we can think of SOME option better than either of those?

toast01d ago

They had 40 years of functioning knees, but it didn't get them to a place where army wages or army housing looks good. If the army breaks their knees, maybe they can get service related disability.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

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silisili1d ago

In all seriousness, I do agree about the functioning knees part. But as long as it's voluntary, I don't see the downside.

loeg1d ago

A career as a doctor has a lot more upside than an entry level grunt.

ncr1001d ago

It seems unhealthy for the sake of our military.

I'm not privy to the decisions about how staffing 42-year-old As infantry men is militarily wise, however.

simoncion1d ago

> So they should just age out in poverty and die?

You referred to joining the US military as an E-1 at the age of 42 as a career path. As an Army brat, I can tell you that it absolutely is not. At that age, it absolutely is a job of last resort.

analognoise1d ago

> So they should just age out in poverty and die?

I like how the options are "age out/die" or "be part of our disgusting military machine", no other options; people have no value unless they've already got money or can risk their blood.

Surely we can think of SOME option better than either of those?

toast01d ago

They had 40 years of functioning knees, but it didn't get them to a place where army wages or army housing looks good. If the army breaks their knees, maybe they can get service related disability.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse