Posted on Dec 13, 2015
Millennials support 'boots on the ground' to fight ISIS, but not necessarily their 'boots'. Is this survey surprising to you?
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The institute has asked millennials about the idea of American boots on the ground at three different times this year, and the survey results have fluctuated somewhat, but there seems to be a "hardening of support." In this most recent survey, 60 percent of the 18- to 29-year-olds polled say they support committing U.S. combat troops to fight ISIS. But an almost equal number (62 percent) say they wouldn't want to personally join the fight, even if the U.S. needed additional troops. The disconnect in joining the fight comes down to how millennials feel about the government writ large, according to Harvard IOP Polling Director John Della Volpe. "I'm reminded of the significant degree of distrust that this generation has about all things related to government," said Della Volpe. "And I believe if young people had a better relationship with government ... they'd be more open to serving."
http://www.npr.org/2015/12/10/459111960/millennials-want-to-send-troops-to-fight-isis-but-not-serve?utm_source=npr_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=20151213&utm_campaign=bestofnpr&utm_term=nprnews
http://www.npr.org/2015/12/10/459111960/millennials-want-to-send-troops-to-fight-isis-but-not-serve?utm_source=npr_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=20151213&utm_campaign=bestofnpr&utm_term=nprnews
ISIS
Service
War on Terror
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 59
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While it is understood that no one wants to fight this bunch needs to not open thier pie holes and talk tough wheni comes to putting thier butts on the line....the meme says it all!
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Not only Millennials. There plenty of people from all generations who say this. It's prefaced with "I'm too old, but...or my so and so served and I support..." or my favorite, "I'm the child of a military vet and I think...". This was one poll, I won't lay it all on one group. One percent of those same Millennials have served or will, so this is terrible troll bait. The entire nation hasn't mobilized since WWII yet every generation since lays claim to something they didn't do because they were alive during the following conflicts. If they would've posed this poll 50, 40 or 30 years, heck 15 years ago, the poll would look similar.
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Every one always thinks it is a great idea as long as it does not effect them directly.
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I think very few Americans are ever truly invested in something like this. Support always grows as the danger grows but it is always left to a few...like those on RP.
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CPO Andy Carrillo, MS
MSG Brad Sand: it seemed that for a very short time right after 9-11 our country was unusually united and most everyone seemed invested in 'payback', much like after the attack on Pearl Harbor. But then...
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MSG Brad Sand
CPO Andy Carrillo, MS
But then self interest trumped national interest. We were attacked, and left the border unsecured? I think it is actually a symptom of a much bigger problem but these thing do have ways of correcting themselves.
But then self interest trumped national interest. We were attacked, and left the border unsecured? I think it is actually a symptom of a much bigger problem but these thing do have ways of correcting themselves.
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My supervisor and I just discussed this. So, many people my age are very selfish, and only care about what's best for other people when it benefits them as well. Many people my age that serve with me in the Air Force only joined for the benefits, the guaranteed pay. I'm one of the few people that I have met that joined because they felt an obligation to serve. That perceived obligation is slowly fading away.
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CPO Andy Carrillo, MS
A1C (Join to see), I enlisted because I knew I needed to learn more discipline as I learned also how to serve my country (despite having grown up in Kalifornia). My son shares my motives as he completes USMC boot camp.
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A1C (Join to see)
Capt Seid Waddell - Very distant relatives, sir. I wish they would send me a free Desert Warrior II as a 21st birthday present... in a week. Haha
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SGT (Join to see)
I joined cause I felt I needed to serve and be a defender of freedom. Benefits, money didn't cross my mind when I signed on the dotted line.
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Did anyone poll middle aged and senior citizens to see if this same feeling does not exist in those age groups as well?
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CPO Andy Carrillo, MS
Unknown. This specifically polled what I would assume would be service-eligible respondents. The poll you propose would be interesting in terms of contrast, if any.
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PO1 Cameron Rhyne
Another question to ask would be "If the baby boomers could be drafted, would they answer the same way?" Because somehow I don't think it would be. It's really easy to say "Well, I'd do it!" when there's no chance of you being put in harms way, it's quite another to say the same when you have a very real chance of being sent to the front.
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CPO Andy Carrillo, MS
Sadly I am not surprised. "We should fight, but I don't want to." So what that tells me is that these people love our Constitutionally guaranteed rights, they just don't want to defend said rights. Rights that men like your son are about to defend when he graduates Marine Boot Camp.
Sadly I am not surprised. "We should fight, but I don't want to." So what that tells me is that these people love our Constitutionally guaranteed rights, they just don't want to defend said rights. Rights that men like your son are about to defend when he graduates Marine Boot Camp.
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CPO Andy Carrillo, MS
Yes, PO1 John Miller, and to paraphrase my favorite "Marine Col. Jessup": ...I just as soon you said, 'Thank you,' then be on your way...otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon and stand a post..." My son is choosing to stand a post. Semper fi!
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PO3 David Fries
It's amusing how my view of the Col changed as I got older. When I first joined the Navy, he was the bad guy. When I went FMF, he stopped being the bad guy and I understood where he was coming from.
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The biggest chunk of servicemembers who are lower leadership and below are mellenials. Really dont like constantly having my whole generation denegrated all the time. Your generations all had their own problems, and your parents generations, and their parents, and so on.
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I am not really surprised, war is not a video game, there are no "do overs," and that blood sprayed on you is real. This generation is the next step in the erosion America, and more like most of the Western Europeans, gutless. Not all of them, but unfortunately, the majority are this way.
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CPO Andy Carrillo, MS
I think you will enjoy this link, CW3 Kevin Storm given your reference to European gutlessness and the price they are paying for their "inclusiveness":
http://10news.dk/nicolai-sennels-psychologist-islam-root-cause-of-grooming-and-rape-wave/
http://10news.dk/nicolai-sennels-psychologist-islam-root-cause-of-grooming-and-rape-wave/
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Screen out for the moment that a large proportion of the services are millennials, but that proportion is minimal compared to the total number of millennials, less than a percent. The serving millennials have my respect. The non serving millennials (ah, the 99%!) are well versed in seeing something, mastering a power point "depth" of understanding of said thing, expressing complete and utter social media level outrage over it, then follow up with nothing tangible. It is easy to have ideals when you don't have skin in the game. Put up or shut up. They have no tradition of service and in many cases, no family role models to look to for service. They also learned from a previous generation, that ingrained a disdain for all things government and war fighting.
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CPO Andy Carrillo, MS
LTC Jason Mackay, yes, my millennial son and 60+ other surviving members of his platoon have entered week 9 at MCRD San Diego, but of course they would not have been available to participate in this poll. They're voting with their backs.
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