What are the best excuses you have heard for people not joining the military?

From a female friend of my cousin "I don't want the join the Army becasue I don't want to get raped" She went to college and had "unregulated" sex three times since college.

My dad was a recruiter when I turned 17. I told him I wanted to join, he told me no its dangerous...... WTF really. So what did I do, I turned 18 and I went to the other recruiter in the office and he signed me up. No excuse not to join

I have a problem with authority

"I did jrotc for a couple weeks and decided the army wasn't for me. I do civil war reenactment now, so I understand what you guys are going through."

I was the Unit Movement Officer (UMO) for one of my deployments and on one particular day prior to deploying I had takin my daughter with me to work. She looked a tad bit bored so I asked her if she wanted something to do. I had about 10 ea ARBO boxes lined up ready to receive equipment that needed to be stenciled. I gave her stencils and said to work your way down the line marking all four sides and the top of each. Box 1, box 2, box 3 etc... I had walked away for for about an hour and when I returned she looked disgusted. I asked her what was wrong and she said "this is exactly why I won't join the Army, everybody knows it's a box. Why do I have to paint box 1, box 2? This is stupid" My only answer... Because I said so... :)

My younger brother did not join because I would have kicked his ass all over every bit of the property. One son per family is enough per generation. My father did not serve because he was at the time, the sole heir. My boys will not serve. See younger brother reason, and I served so they would not have to.

What I have heard from civilians is nothing more than one bad excuse over another, and most are based in cowardice when I ask 'why' six times. It is because they are afraid. A few claim righteous injury or physical issue which does preclude them from service, but at least they tried. All the ones who could not because of a physical issue some tried once and were stopped at MEPS. A few tried every way possible. Letters to federal reps, waivers, you name it, they tried HARD and were told no. The way I see it, those people would have been great fobbits or REMF's who could have been admin, finance, or other type so as to allow someone else to be outside the wire.

"I'd like to be in The Army Show, just not the Army..."

I don't think I could kill some one.

I was going to be a pilot, but I'm too tall

The "Oh you're in the Navy? If I was gonna join I'd be a Marine so that I could shoot people. I'm just hardcore like that."