Before you enlist, you should carefully consider:

Are You Ready to Kill Another Human Being?

If you are in active duty, you may be ordered to kill other humans who have never done anything to you or your family. You can be court-martialed for refusing to follow orders to kill.

Being a soldier means, you may have to take lives and risk your own, whether or not you agree. One of the causes of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in veterans is having killed others. Many veterans never recuperate from the trauma of their wartime actions.

• Are you willing to risk your life? You can be killed. As of May 26, 2005, 1,653 American soldiers have died in Iraq.
  
  
• Are you willing to give up life as you know it? You can be injured and permanently disabled. As of May 26, 12,630 American soldiers have been wounded in action in Iraq.
  
  
• Did you know that there are reports of soldiers taking their own lives while in Iraq, due to the stresses of active duty?
  
  
• There are many stories of soldiers refusing to serve a second tour of duty in Iraq. The military is forcing people to extend their service contracts without their permission. Check out individual stories at http://www.notinourname.net
  
  
• More than 5000 US soldiers have deserted from military service since the beginning of the war in Iraq.

If you wish to become a conscientious objector go to   http://www.objector.org/   and obtain information about the procedure before it’s too late!

Reality of Military Life

• You will be constantly bossed around. For a period of four to eight years you will give up your freedom and put your life into other peoples' hands.
  
  
• Federal law states that the military places “numerous restrictions on personal behavior that would not be acceptable in civilian society.”
  
  
• The military has a history of homophobia, racism, and sexism.
  
  
• If you join you will lose your basic human rights. What you can say, wear, or think will be restricted.
  
  
• Any disobedience will be subject to possible criminal punishment, sometimes without the right to a trial or a lawyer.
  
  
• You will be routinely tested for drug use.

You do not have to join the National Guard To Have a Bright Future.
THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS!

Financing College

• The myth is that you will get money for college. However, the reality is that only 35% of recruits receive any education benefits from the Military. They rarely give out as much money as recruiters advertise. The other reality is that if you get killed you will not be going to college. 7 out of 10 students receive financial aid without joining the military. There are many ways to finance college.
  
  
• One of the first steps you should take is to fill out a Free Application Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. Your need for financial aid will be determined by the cost of the school you wish to attend and your family’s expected contribution to your education.
  
  If your family cannot afford to pay for your college, and you are accepted into a school, YOU WILL RECEIVE FINANCIAL AID.
  
  
• You can ask your school advisor or go to http://www.ed.gov/thinkcollege for additional information
  
  
• There are also private scholarships and grants available for people with specific interests, skills and backgrounds. Most public libraries have information about such scholarships. In addition, a number of Web sites offer information and FREE scholarship searches.

All of these options might seem tedious and time consuming but, if you enlist, you will have to get up at 6 am to scrub floors, march for miles, and get your face pushed in the mud at boot camp.

Applying for grant money is a lot easier than being ordered to KILL other people and a lot less time consuming than years of military service.

Career Opportunities

• Many people enlist because the military seems to offer career opportunities and job training.
  
  
• However, you do not have to enlist to find a career or a job. Finding a job is hard work but it is not impossible even without college education.
  
  
• If you are a high-school student, your guidance counselor will help you figure out what career would best suit you.
  
  
• For instance, trade schools offer short job training programs. At the end of these programs, the schools usually work hard to get you a job. You have many choices. Careers such as plumber, carpenter, or medical secretary can be fulfilling and well paid.
  
  
• Adults who cannot afford the time to go to trade schools can still get help finding a job without enlisting. At unemployment offices, you will find several sources of information about finding jobs or short-term job training.

Other Ways to Serve Your Country or Community

• Many people who choose to enlist do so out of a sense of duty for our country.
  
  
• There are other and safer ways to serve your country. Several programs administered by the Corporation for National Service allow you to serve your community and earn a stipend for college.
  
  
• Americorps, VISTA, and the National Civilian Community Corps hire 40,000 people a year to do service work while earning money for College. http://www.nationalservice.org or call 1-800-942-2677.

Are You Thinking About Enlisting With the National Guard?

The National Guard is not protecting America as they claim. They represent a large part of the military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan.

This leaflet was prepared by the Indiana Peace and Justice Network
Local Contact: Michiana Peace and Justice Coalition, 1036 N. Niles Ave., South Bend, 46617,
Email: mpjc@michianapeacejustice.org, Web: www.michianapeacejustice.org