An 'exclusive club' now has just two members

[metalman]

http://wvgazette.com/News/201102280638


http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/world/uks-last-wwi-veteran-florence-green-turns-110/story-e6frev00-1226008977800


http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/australias-last-wwi-veteran-notches-another-milestone/story-e6frg13u-1225832524710

[wildfire0310]

Buckles enlisted in World War I at 16 after lying about his age.

Buckles visited a string of military recruiters after the United States in April 1917 entered what was called "the war to end all wars." He was repeatedly rejected before convincing an Army captain he was 18

That say so much about the difference between the current post baby boomer generation and the pre-baby boomers.

[dmonroe2008]

That's some hooah ****. And dedication. I wish the people in todays army want to actually be serveing. I come across to many who don't actually wanna be here in the army.

[damham]

LOL How true, but it pays better than McDonalds or Home Depot

[dmonroe2008]

LOL How true, but it pays better than McDonalds or Home Depot

Its not about the pay tho. Well is should not be atleast. I do it to know I help keep freedom and let my loved ones sleep easy here in the states.

[wildfire0310]

LOL How true, but it pays better than McDonalds or Home Depot

It really doesn't. If you are deployed you get paid **** if you try and break it down by hour. E-2 makes 1644.90 a paycheck. If you are deployed that means you are working 24/7. Yes truly it 12 to 18 hour shifts, but even when you are off not like you can go home. So you make roughly $4.89 an hour without bonus for being deployed which if I recall is only about $200-400.

Either way the physical hourly pay sucks, the good pay is the benefits.

[VitaminD]

110 is amazing, I cant even imagine what it would be like to live that long.

[Beastinthebushes]

Bryan, when you break it down that way, yeah, the pay sucks. However, when they are deployed, they are getting payed, but aren't spending the money, they have shelter and food taken care of. They have no bills so there money is just sitting, you'll notice when young soldiers are back home, they are able to buy cars flat out because they have nothing else to pay for. Ive met plenty of soldiers who have come home who own brand new lancer evo's, FD RX7's, new f150's, etc.

And dmonroe, we thank you for serving, however, you'll have to admit that a majority of people in military are there because they needed a quick escape. A lot of them would be working at mcdonalds or some other ****ty job if it weren't for the military. There are those who serve because of the reasons you gave, but those are few and far between from what I have discovered.

And yeah, living to be 110 is insane.

[wildfire0310]

Bryan, when you break it down that way, yeah, the pay sucks. However, when they are deployed, they are getting payed, but aren't spending the money, they have shelter and food taken care of. They have no bills so there money is just sitting, you'll notice when young soldiers are back home, they are able to buy cars flat out because they have nothing else to pay for. Ive met plenty of soldiers who have come home who own brand new lancer evo's, FD RX7's, new f150's, etc.

And dmonroe, we thank you for serving, however, you'll have to admit that a majority of people in military are there because they needed a quick escape. A lot of them would be working at mcdonalds or some other ****ty job if it weren't for the military. There are those who serve because of the reasons you gave, but those are few and far between from what I have discovered.

And yeah, living to be 110 is insane.


Yea I know. My buddy is oversea right now, comes back in a few weeks :banana:. Trust me when I was looking to join and enter the Warrant Officer program I looked at everything. In the end the pay shouldn't be the reason you join. The benefits are nice but when you end up working 18+ hours for a week straight(as my buddy was telling me he has been doing often), the money doesn't matter.

It seems from my point of view that to many people join for the money/benefits, which seems like the wrong reason. I really wish that the government did something similar to Israel where anyone eligible at 18 served for 2 years. I feel it would help our generation have more respect for people serving, and just a more united country.

Either way, living to 110 and severing in either of the great wars, is a big deal. I hope they do something big to honor him and give him a great and proper burial.

[oldgrayfrog]

I am truly proud of the fact that we still have an all volunteer armed forces. There continues to be an unending supply of young patriots who serve. Believe me when I say, that having served in the role of recruit company commander, at recruit training in Great Lakes, Il., that recruits can find any number of ways to get out of their service. If you don't want to be there, you probably won't. The kids serve for money for college, went in because their Fathers told them that they would never amount to sh*t, they came and served because there were no jobs in Grand Rapids, but they came and served. They are not stupid. Those that serve in this War on Global Terrorism as the medal they sent me tells me this is, the longest war our nation has fought, the serve as volunteers. They watch the evening news and see casualty rates and the mortality count edge higher, and yet they volunteer. They serve long hours in a Citizen Army, for little in the ways of thanks, sporadic applause as they come up the escalator at Hartsfield Jackson perhaps, and occasional "Thank you for your service." Please know that for all the *****ing about long hours and short pay, our armed forces remain volunteers. Perhaps as a road to citizenship, each adult could be made to serve two years as Isreal does, but I think that would cheapen the sacrifices of the men and women who have volunteered, not just for this conflict, but every one our nation has had, there have been brave young men, and women who have raised their hand when called, if only by their own hearts. Perhaps the reason that you hear members say that they've joined is they want a job, because is that it's no longer cool to say you hear that voice in your head, telling you it's your job. It's a hard call to answer, and once you do, you'll serve as all the men before you have, not for yourself, or really for country, but for the men and women in the line beside you. That is something that few conscript armies will ever have. Bless our troops, and bring them home safely, as soon as the mission allows.

[jester911]

Well said Dave. I went in at 17 having my parents sign for me. This was right after Vietnam in 1975 when practically no one thought it was cool or even the right thing to do. What I found though were a bunch of guys that felt it their duty just as I did. Would I do it again if I had to do it over?

Without question.

I don't see the volunteers of today being any different.

[oldgrayfrog]

Me either. Which is why I wrote what I did. It seemed the terms like "most of the soldiers I know" or "most I talked with" get folks to thinking that the sampling is somehow indicative of how our troops feel. I know better, having recruited, trained and fought alongside our volunteer force. I'm proud of each and every member of our volunteer forces, for answering that call which so few in our nation seem to hear.

[metalman]

Part of the reason I posted this was because early in my life I learned
a lot about life from a elementary teacher and principle I had who was a WW1 vet. In fact, what he taught me about history carried me through later HS & college classes without even opening the books...and what he taught me about life still rings completely true today. His story telling ability rivaled any movie production I have ever seen. He made history come alive. RIP T.E.B.

The other reason I posted this is because I respect those who serve my country.

[damham]

I have served over 30 years now and been on every continent. Been in both Desert Storm and Iraq freedom as well as Afghanistan. I'm proud of my service but many of the young folks now a days have and demonstrate the mentality its pays better the McDonalds, and yes it does pay better but at a price, if you factor straight pay, it may not seem like it but add in clothing, free medical and dental, meals, housing allowance none of which is taxed as income there is a big difference not counting a retirement for which you do not have to pay into. At what cost--- well you miss your kid’s birthdays, anniversary, and seeing them grow up, you’re deployed for months at times. I am proud and I also have a son serving now on flying status getting ready to deploy in April. So don’t mistake my comment about pays better as contempt for the services I was merely pointing a common statement by many of younger troops, not all but all it takes is a few...And in these tough economic times it does appear as a better choice, I would like to say that’s not the reason to join and service in the military.