text: I understand about wanting to go into the service. It looks like it might be a way to pay the bills and get some education and a way up. For some of us it was. I was a chemical staff specialist. My job started out being in radiation protection. That was great. It eventually got me where I am today. I teach the stuff in a nuclear power plant.\n\nBut wait.\n\nThe Army decided that they needed me to make and drop napalm, agent orange, white phosphorus, and other stuff like that. I got sent to Vietnam. I was a good soldier. Did what they told me. Even got tortured in training without talking (South Koreans broke my knee in a training exercise). I dropped napalm on people, dude. Burned them to death. Sprayed Agent Orange that we later found out caused all sorts of genetic defects and liver problems in the Vietnamese and in our troops. I watch a helicopter blade take off my pilot's head when we crashed once.\n\nDid not seem much like radiation protection somehow. \n\nAnd then when I got back people spit on me. They called us baby killers. The sentiment about the war had changed. There was no money much to treat vets either (a lot like it is now, btw) and my buddies were very screwed up. I hear that US soldiers coming back now 1 in every three are seeking help about PTSD. Yeah, good idea to seek help. I still have it. Fourth of July is hell for me. Hate unexpected fire crackers.\n\nThe job of the military is to meet with and kill the enemy. The recruiters will try to tell you there are lots of other things to do, but that is the number one job. Right now we are not at war, we are occupying a country that does not want us there. The Iraqi president and VP have both asked for us to leave, have talked about granting amnesty to those who have only killed Americans. The troops on the ground there are tired. They are there to protect the contractors who are raking in the dough on fat no-bid contracts. \n\nAre you sure you want to do this?\n\nHow about something like Americorps or Peace Corps? \n\nIf you still are intent on the Army, get everything in writing. When they try to weasel out, show them the paper and leave. Seriously. Recruiters lie and cheat.