What is wrong with teens?

[cgyflames01]

     You can't blame the teachers for teens disinterest in the military, based on the fact that few kids actually listen to there teachers. I ve wanted to be in the military for a long time now, and the only time i really second guessed myself, was during a rememberence day assembly.

      During the service we had a speaker talk to the whole school, now from what i remember, he served in the balken's as a peacekeeper, and he told about the horror's that he saw, and had to endure. In the middle of his speech he started to lose his composer, eventually full out crying. What he said may have been touching, but i doubt anyone wanted to enlist, after hearing that. Now I know rememberence day isn't about recruiting, nor happy times. But this reenforces  the problem at hand. The only time i hear people talk about the military, is when somthing negative happens. For instence I didn't even know Canada had subs, until this month. Anyway the problem isn't the teens, teacher's or parent's fault. Its the media, who only focuses on problems facing the military, insted of celebrating them.
   
      -sean, calgary age 19

       

 

[NavyGrunt]

Well, you're definatly going to take heat for that, Maybe you should sit down and talk to a few people who have come to the Canadian Military from the British? I guarantee you're outlook will change. I've looked into joining the RM's extensively, and have come to the conclusion that even though they have all the fancy vehicles, It isnt going to make me any happier over there. No matter what military you're in, you're always going to catch **** here and there.

This is what Ive come to accept as well. Ive got apps for the RM's, PARA, the USMC, and the Brit army on my desk at home. I wanted "high Speed"...but I've come to a point where I've had to ask myself what i was looking for, and where my allegiance lay. I could try and track down the action or I could stay in MY country, where I live and owe so much. I'm staying put. I'll stay here and give 150% and be the best I can. I'll show the world a soldier that should be respected. I'll earn respect. And I've dealt with a multitude of different nationalities and they think highly of the Canuck soldiers.

I challenge you guys who are leaving. If the CF is so damned easy you should have no problem being an elite here. I suspect you find yourselves lacking....

 

[winchable]

I must be an anomaly or maybe I'm just in the right crowd??

My highschool was supportive of the military (maybe that's Halifax)
My teachers, even the super liberal, all jumped at the opportunity to write my reference letters.
My friends all patted me on the back and when I talk about my job you can see how much they envy it.
Any negative feedback has almost certainly been so miniscule I've forgotten it.

It's not any on particular thing, maybe it's nothing, I'm almost certain my grandfathers generation complained about my fathers and so on.
Maybe we get things handed to us nowdays and there are those who work regardless and those who sit on their asses because..hey who wouldn't?

As for the foreign forces thing.
If you choose to leave, you leave by your own choice (I'm in the process of house hunting in England right now and it's difficult enough when I'm a UK citizen, I don't imagine it would be a cakewalk for a Canadian)
But when you leave, slagging those who stay is low, very low.
I've been contemplating my decisions alot and many members here may be familiar with that, but I will never slag the CF and fantasize about the superior English forces. (Grass ain't always greener)

I will say this, if you're looking for any army to be gung-fucking-ho about you'll find one here, you'll find one anywhere, once you get to the bare bones of every army they share alot of things. So why pack up and travel to the exotic smelly isles for it?
If you're a UK citizen familiar with England, Love England and you also happen to be a potential soldier, then by all means.

Not even sure where I'm going with this.
I will make my decision based more on whats inside me than the tools gvien to me.

 

[arctictern]

Hello, I'm 17 turning 18 in December. I remember when I first told my friends about the military they said some really nasty things, some of which I will quote.

"Why do you want to get shot?"
"Don't drop the soap"
"Your going to marry a girl that can bench press you"

Anyways lets just say that they are not my friends anymore.



When a told people around me though... They supported me, I found out my boss at was once in the military and my dentist was, the women who was doing some mental testing on me came from a military family. It feels good to know there is people who support us but you can never have one without the other.

 

[NavyGrunt]

"Your going to marry a girl that can bench press you"

LoL I wish....250.....

 

[Alex252]

Seems ive got a lot in commen with some of this replys from people when im asked what i want to do when im older i either get
a)Youre Gay
b)You Wont Make It Through Basic
c)Do You Want To Die
But none of this crap has stopped me and to this day ive finally convinced my mom that its a good thing, and believe me it wasnt easy! 
As for "Don't drop the soap" where the hell do they think youre going jail?

 

[NavyGrunt]

Seems ive got a lot in commen with some of this replys from people when im asked what i want to do when im older i either get
a)Youre Gay
b)You Wont Make It Through Basic
c)Do You Want To Die
But none of this crap has stopped me and to this day ive finally convinced my mom that its a good thing, and believe me it wasnt easy!  
As for "Don't drop the soap" where the heck do they think youre going jail?

No they think he's joining the Navy.....and thats sound advice LOL..... >

 

[Alex252]

No they think he's joining the Navy.....and thats sound advice LOL.....  
Right i forgot about the whole Navy/Gay jokes ;D

 

[armyrules]

The whole drop the soap thing  and the whole navy/gay jokes ;D i know thats not nice but some of those jokes are friggin' funny

 

[Korus]

I think a lot of teenagers perceive the army as being the shower scene from "Starship Troopers", but without the women.

 

[armyrules]

that's not rifght man :crybaby:

 

[Gunnerlove]

I love it when people throw up their hands and say "Whats wrong with teens today?". Short answer, nothing. The military has never really held that glow of potential that the rest of Canada offers. "Poor pay, poor equipment, poor morale, lots of time away from home" wow can we put that on a poster. I like teens, I work with teens, would I recommend the military as a first choice career for anyone I know? Not a chance. 

 

[Alex252]

Gunnerlover chill out.......and where did the whole poor morale thing come from? From what i hear(yes i know i actually havent talked to the soldiers so i might be wrong) our soldiers in Afganistan, Bosnia are great in the morale category. And youre not nessecarily always going to be away from home....

 

[NavyGrunt]

The pays pretty good to if you dont **** yourself and buy a brandnew car the year you join as well...

 

[THEARMYGUY]

Just wanted to throw my 2 cents in here.  As a youth leader for cadets, many of whom are teens, I do see most of what has been said here at some time or another.  Cadets are usually spouting off about wanting to go into the RegF or Pres when they reach about 15-16 yrs of age.  For the rest of the country though I don't see all that much interest.  I also believe that the media is to blame.  They don't really paint a glowing picture of our military as a whole.  You never hear about humanitarian aid or peacekeeping unless someone gets hurt or dies.  It's almost always a negative spin.  If the rest of Canada's core commercial business received the same media coverage I don't think teens would be all that interested in joining those companies either.  I can see the headlines now "Apple Corp needs more money so they can build state-of-the-art computers to compete with Microsoft".  I'll bet the teens would be lining up to join Apple. :

Yes our military could use some help in some areas, but I don't think we have a morale problem.  I also agree with Alex that soldiers are not always away from home, and even if they were, they knew that when they signed on the dotted line thats what they were getting into.  Thats my 2 cents worth.  Feel free to disagree.

Cheers!!

The Army Guy

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

I think the reason you don't see 15 or 16 year olds saying they wish to join the military is the same reason you don't hear them say
" Can't wait till the day I get to work in the mill"or'I've always dreamed of cleaning barn stalls".....its because they're 16 and have more important things to think about ....like hiding a hicky. :-[

 

[skura]

You'd be surprised at how many kids know what they want to be by the time they're 15 and 16, my sister already knows what she wants to be and she's only 12, to be fair she knew at 11.   Last year (when I was 15) I felt like I was in trouble because I didn't know what I wanted to be.   Why?   Because what seemed like everyone around me knew what they wanted to be and what they needed to do in order to get there.   I don't know if it's the age we're living in or what, because even though I'm part of this upcoming generation with no knowledge of the generations before me (in terms of childhood development), I'd say kids today are developing (mentally) a lot faster then they we're say 10 - 20 years ago.

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

Skura,
Not to sound condescending but there is a difference from what you think you want to be at age15/16[or 12] and what you start to accept that you can be at age 19/20.

At 15 there was no way I would be in the military, "cut my hair and have people always telling me what to do?...yea right"
Well circumstances can change pretty quick and there I was, 7 weeks shy of my 18th birthday hopping on the train.

 

[skura]

I agree...

I guess I should have said have an idea of what they want to be at an earlier age, because even though I know I want a career in the Army, my parents are always telling me "You're only 16, you can change your mind a million times before your 20...", and they're right, so again, I should have said guess.

And I don't mean have an idea of what they want to be as in "I want to be Superman" ...a reasonable age.   From my experience most of my friends knew what they wanted and already planned out how their lives will be lived according to their profession.   I have a friend already knowing what University, grades, and probably building he wants to work in, another friend in the same boat but different profession...which is good of course, but they knew at 14 and 15.

So in a way I guess, kids are guessing and deciding at earlier ages...not just one or the other.   But who knows, maybe I'm just throwing darts and missing the board with this comments.

 

[Morgs]

I certainly agree with what you are saying Bruce, but then i agree with Skura too, for the most part. I knew i wanted to be in the army ever since i can remember, then i shifted away from the idea for a while, started my first year of university and now I've got my interview on Wednesday for (043, 011 reg).
there definitely is a difference in what i perceive the army to be now, and what i did when i was younger, but at the end of the day, its what i want to do. and so skura you should definitely stick at it, but explore your other options as well i.e. make sure you keep doing well on school, because who knows what you'll want to do, or where things will take you in the next few years.