Today's Military

The history of the United States Armed Forces is one that resonates the West Point Creed  "Duty, Honor, Country" as General Douglas McAuthur so eloquently put it in his speech at West Point in 1960. Our modern military today is vastly different than the World War I and II soldiers of the 20th century. Sure there were women serving in overseas operations but not like what is occurring today within the different branches of service. New technologies and more scientific data have now come to light that essentially proves that women unlike decades ago who never envisioned that they now would be placed in positions of utmost importance for the success of any military operation are now experiencing almost equal responsibilities as there male comrades.
 
More women than ever are now not only capable but excel where men seem to falter. This is evident in the Air force and Navy Pilot training programs. With more acceptance they are now in position and are actually performing military operations flying combat missions around the world. In the other branches of service like the Marines and Army women are still finding themselves in a much weaker position, mostly physically. Where in aviation women have a higher threshold for better control of aircraft when exposed to the tremendous G forces than their male counter part. In ground forces the physical demands favor the male. In actual combat situations the male is still more capable. Although, there are many women who have the genetics that are equal with that of the male soldier. But, mostly the women are in supportive roles rather than in full combat situations.
 
With the many conflicts around the world today our military is finding it more difficult in maintaining the level of personnel needed to enforce the policies of the United States. Ever since the mid 1970's our military especially since the draft was no longer enforced the military has had a decline in recruitment. There are many factors that have contributed the actual causes why our armed forces have become almost incapable meeting today's challenges.

With more technology being deployed into the military it is increasingly more imperative that those who serve must be not only physically able to handle the demands but be mentally capable to operate the devises and equipment that are now becoming standard issue. This bring us to the fact that our educational systems from elementary to secondary have been sadly lacking in the overall preparation of our youth to perform and achieve academic as well as physical requirements. Some of the same requirements that were standard and achieved by the majority of students back in the 1950's through the early 1970's. Sad to say that the military branches have been turning down would be recruits because of their failure to achieve basic academic and physical skills. This is true for both men and women. This is just one of the reasons there is not enough enlistments into our military today.
 
Ever since the Vietnam era the military has had a bum rap sort of speak. The governmental policies were such that disillusionment and waning patriotism formed in the minds of our youth and young adults. This attitude from that conflict carried over to new generations. A trust that our government was doing the right thing disappeared from the conscious minds of so many back then. To this day there continues to be that certain amount of distrust that our government will do the right thing. The Attitude of the American public just right after Pearl Harbor toward our government and the policies of FDR the military was overflowing with personal. They wanted to enlist and serve this country because the United States was on destinies course to eradicate one of histories most evil regimes. A national sense of duty prevailed and because it did the United States and our Allies defeated the Nazis and preserved democracry. It is too bad that after 9/11 this same type of enthusiasm wasn't carried over to our military. But, only a small percentage of our young adults felt that the nation was calling them to serve. Today, many now perceive that any branch of the military is only an extension of governmental policies that don't or won't really benefit the majority of Americans.
 
With the economic picture in the United States today the costs involved in having more women in all branches with more deployment of women on navel vessels, overseas operations, and all other bases that train, support and carry out our objectives is ever increasing. Defense budget cuts continue to drain the resources needed and have allowed many in our military to suffer financially. Those who have served especially our wounded veterans are still not fully receiving the kinds of financial and medical support that is warranted to any one who puts their life on the line to serve our country. All of this puts a negative light on those who want to make the military a career
 
If the United States expects to succeed in their domestic and foreign policies a military that is equipped with the safest most efficient tools along with adequate personal the resources must be furnished. This starts with reform of our economic policies as well as our educational systems so that our military will actually be able to succeed. We must remember that a strong viable military is a most valuable deterrent to any threat form armed aggression. A sad reality in today's world. But necessary for the immediate future of the United States.