Ageism in the United States Military Has To Cease

Did you know The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) forbids age discrimination against people who are age 40 or older. It does not protect workers under the age of 40, although some states have laws that protect younger workers from age discrimination.

But the average age of military enlistees is 17-24- Approximately, 87 percent of new recruits are 18- to 24-year-olds, compared to about 29 percent of the comparable civilian population. The Marine Corps enlists the greatest percentage of 17- and 18-year-old recruits (48 percent) and the smallest percentage of those over age 21 (11 percent). The Army has the greatest proportion of recruits older than age 21 (24 percent) and the smallest proportion of 17-and 18-year-old recruits (37 percent) The reason this is important is because when these young people get back into “civilization” there is very little here for them-Someone said, “the marines taught me everything, but how to survive going back home”. With the average ages posted above this means that the person re-entering civilian life is still a young person-The average age will be between 22-28 and then it broadens to 28-32 if they “re-up” and decide to stay in another tour. With each extension of that duty, the amount of time it takes to get back to ‘normal” is also extended.

The VA as it is currently, is not set up to deal with and assist young people returning to society from the military. The military is huge on disparaging “civilian” life. It goes out of its way to drill into each recruit how fortunate they are to be a soldier. It makes certain you realize early, you are not your ethnicity, but you are your position-a soldier, you are not your sexual orientation you are a soldier. Its your lifestyle as long as its military based and regimented with strict time restraints.

But then, when that person is released back into civilian life, where is the training?

How is this brainwashing reversed? How is the person, by themselves able to get it together-The techniques of brainwashing typically involve isolation from former associates and sources of information; an exacting regimen requiring absolute obedience and humility; strong social pressures and rewards for cooperation; physical and psychological punishments for non-cooperation ranging from social ostracism and criticism, deprivation of food, sleep, and social contacts, and continual reinforcement.

The reversal must occur when they come back home-

The VA is responsible for assisting our family members in getting it back together. Right now the VA see’s its members as being elderly gentlemen with WW2 badges, they see them as Vietnam men in their 70’s but they don’t see them as 32 year old black women. They don’t see them as 29-year-old women at all-they don’t make much fuss over the children of these vets. Its hit or miss, depending on where you are and how far the favoritism train runs your way- Daycare allowances are needed, as the vet gets back to being a civilian, job placement is needed instead of having our vets get what ever is left. Mandatory mental health counseling is needed upon returning for families and vets as to better assist them in this journey. Vets working at the VA that mirror vets in the military now is needed. VA you have to do a better job at assisting our returning veterans. There are roughly 18 million Americans, or about 7 percent of the adult population, who were veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces as of a few years ago and they all deserve better. Selah