This past week I was listening to a radio talk show and an interesting topic came up.  There were a number of calls that went like this:

"My son has taken his tests and physicals to join the Marine Corps.  He's just waiting for the election.  If Kerry is elected he's not going to swear in."

This shows how military-minded folks generally feel about him if he were to get the CinC's chair.

Having served under both Carter and Clinton, I can say the more important thing is to serve your country in its time of need, but in a way I can empathize with the way these folks feel.

The best thing about having my career span the Carter and Clinton regimes is the Reagan/Bush years.  Serving under Reagan was a golden time to be in the military.

So, what would you say to someone who is waiting for the election results before committing to the military?

in the unlikely event that kerry is elected, it would be devastating to our military and consquently to the war on terror.  i know several other people like that guy that is waiting on President Bush to be re-elected before making the commitment

I don't blame them. I'm at 20 years and waiting on the results to see if I retire.

I'm also waiting.... and i know more then one or two people who are getting out if he is elected...

-Roth

Serving your country in a time of need is a good and noble thing to do, but walking with your eyes open into service under a CinC who will send you off to be killed without a second thought and who will not support you either with money or with true force of will takes a bigger set than I've got.

I wouldn't mind being sent to a war to possibly die under the command of a CinC who actually understood what was going on and was willing to do what it took to support me and make my death mean something, but you know that the first thing Kerry will do when and if he takes over is start planning the exit from iraq.  He will pull a "Vietnamization" type plan and withdraw US troops FAST and allow Iraq to backslide.  It'll end up under the control of Iran, and that will be a disaster.

A clear measure of the man President Bush is, is the fact that despite sliding poll numbers, he is staying the course in Iraq.  He may lose the election over Iraq, but he knows it is the right thing to do for the US, for the middle east and most of all, for Iraq, so he's getting it done regardless of the personal political costs.  That's a CinC I can stand behind and fight under.

What the American soldier wants is not safety, but a President who will keep faith with him (or her) and make their service meaningful.  President GW Bush does that, John F*ckface Kerry will not, and they know it.

Quoted: Serving your country in a time of need is a good and noble thing to do, but walking with your eyes open into service under a CinC who will send you off to be killed without a second thought and who will not support you either with money or with true force of will takes a bigger set than I've got. I wouldn't mind being sent to a war to possibly die under the command of a CinC who actually understood what was going on and was willing to do what it took to support me and make my death mean something, but you know that the first thing Kerry will do when and if he takes over is start planning the exit from iraq.  He will pull a "Vietnamization" type plan and withdraw US troops FAST and allow Iraq to backslide.  It'll end up under the control of Iran, and that will be a disaster. A clear measure of the man President Bush is, is the fact that despite sliding poll numbers, he is staying the course in Iraq.  He may lose the election over Iraq, but he knows it is the right thing to do for the US, for the middle east and most of all, for Iraq, so he's getting it done regardless of the personal political costs.  That's a CinC I can stand behind and fight under. What the American soldier wants is not safety, but a President who will keep faith with him (or her) and make their service meaningful.  President GW Bush does that, John F*ckface Kerry will not, and they know it.

Very well said!

whether kerry wins or not (I hope to god not or I'm screwed). we still need good people in the military. I don't like it any more than anyone else but even if that peice of shit wins we still need a military. don't leave those of us who are in now to carry all the load.

Quoted: whether kerry wins or not (I hope to god not or I'm screwed). we still need good people in the military. I don't like it any more than anyone else but even if that peice of shit wins we still need a military. don't leave those of us who are in now to carry all the load.

It might be kind of selfish of me, but I'm not leaving anyone if I retire. I've earned that right!
On the other hand, I would love to stay in to see every last one of the Terrorist scum dead. With that said, it will be with my choice of CINC, or nothing. I WILL NOT SERVE KERRY!

I'll give up trying to find a clever way around eye regulations.

Kerry would pretty much need to institute a stop-loss order for all MOS's.

Kharn

I left the Corps primarily due to Clinton's election.

Quoted: I left the Corps primarily due to Clinton's election.

I was too far in at that point to call it quits, but this next election is on my terms.

I don't blame them.  I wouldn't want to be in the military under a Kerry administration either.  He'd be much more likely to throw their lives away for nothing then retreat, a la Clinton in Somalia.

Quoted: I don't blame them.  I wouldn't want to be in the military under a Kerry administration either.  He'd be much more likely to throw their lives away for nothing then retreat, a la Clinton in Somalia.

Yes, Kerry would waste lives, and then flip flop and run after the political fallout.

If Kerry wins we won't need a military anyways since he'll just pave the road for the UN to occupy us.  

IMHO I wouldn't want to join if Kerry got elected either.

Quoted: ...So, what would you say to someone who is waiting for the election results before committing to the military?

I would say, "Wise choice".

I was in the Marines & Reserves 87-93, and that last year we experienced training budget cuts and once I saw the scumbag that William Jefferson Clinton was, I chose not to re-up.

Speaking of military opinion re Kerry - Military Rejects Kerry by Wide Margin (Army Times, via newsmax)

its really scary, just think of what clinton did and he was a "moderate" democrat kerry is really liberal and I am guessing he is going to make alot more cuts.

This is related: Right now hardly anyone is building large commercial buildings. They are waiting on the election. If Kerry is elected, they will invest is securitites. If Bush is elected, venture capital.

Quoted: This is related: Right now hardly anyone is building large commercial buildings. They are waiting on the election. If Kerry is elected, they will invest is securitites. If Bush is elected, venture capital.

I know that's the common 'wisdom' on the cablenews finance shows, and market-chasers almost certainly feel that way, BUT -
I see new empty commercial buildings / tilt-ups be established all over Los Angeles. The cost of money is the lowest its been in 30years. Those with the capital and foresight to build the structures NOW, whether they have tenants lined up or not, are doing so as fast as they can.

There are two seperate premises being muddied together - that INVESTORS fear a Kerry Presidency, and that the Economy as a whole fears Kerry. They are interlinked, but they are not the same thing -
Analysts see solid US economy in 2005 under Bush or Kerry

Just how many people are going to be willing to fight for a President who says the war he will be asking them to die in is to quote Kerry “the wrong war, in the wrong place, at the wrong time”.

Kerry’s election will have a devastating effect on moral, retention, and enlistment… then the Democrats may get the draft they have been touting Bush will institute.

I have heard that if he gets elected re-enlistments will fall a lot.

GunLvr

Quoted: I don't blame them.  I wouldn't want to be in the military under a Kerry administration either.  He'd be much more likely to throw their lives away for nothing then retreat, a la Clinton in Somalia.

Kerry will send them on every fucked up UN mission to some shithole that pops up. The ones with the really fucked up ROE's where you can't carry rifles in the middle of a civil war.

See: Canadians, Belgians, et al in Rwanda.

Quoted: then the Democrats may get the draft they have been touting Bush will institute.

Hmmm... this made me think of something. What IF the dems get the draft that THEY have been wanting? And then, just what IF someone who didn't want to die in a war UNDER the U.N. for socialistic causes decided to run to Canada? Would the dems hold them up to be "heros" like they seem to think the "courageous" objectors of this war or the one in Vietnam were/are? Hell no... they would be thrown in the brig. Cause everyone knows that the U.N. is a nobler entity than the U.S. Military and that wars for socialistic and world government causes are worth dying over...

Quoted: Quoted: then the Democrats may get the draft they have been touting Bush will institute. Hmmm... this made me think of something. What IF the dems get the draft that THEY have been wanting? And then, just what IF someone who didn't want to die in a war UNDER the U.N. for socialistic causes decided to run to Canada? Would the dems hold them up to be "heros" like they seem to think the "courageous" objectors of this war or the one in Vietnam were/are? Hell no... they would be thrown in the brig. Cause everyone knows that the U.N. is a nobler entity than the U.S. Military and that wars for socialistic and world government causes are worth dying over...

The would just blame Bush for messing up the situation so bad that the draft was needed and then only prosecute Republican's who try to get out of the draft.  Any Democrats would be given a pass.

I remember seeing a lot of people leave active duty when Clinton was elected adn I'm sure it would happen again if Kerry wins in Nov.

i've talk to a recruiter this summer but now that i have a decent job lined up i'm probably not going to join.  my plan was waiting until after the election though.  i'd rather serve under full support of the president than whatever BS kerry would do.  i really think kerry will clusterfuck iraq if he gets in.

Like Kerry really gives a shit about what the military does, other than salute him when he exits AF1 (hopefully only in his dreams)

I don't understand the people's who against the war on terror.  After 9-11, seems like everybody wants payback, but as time passes and our boys in Iraq gets hurt, the people of this country is blaming Bush for it....Sh*t If Bush didn't do crap after 9-11 and just go havea nice chat with sad- mann  and benlater over a warm cup of tea, that'll just say to the terrorist of how "Chicken-sh*t" this country really is and how they were able to take down U.S. planes with just BOX CuTTers and all those americans on board couldn't do jack about it because they were afraid of a measly little razor blade...Bush wasn't born/raised from a Pussified family....he's been born/raised by a family that is "If you f*ck with me-what's the must that I'll f*ck with you".