Levi

[Lord Trout]

My nephew Levi is a wonderful kid. He graduated from high school just this last June, and has spent this first summer of 'freedom' building a new computer and hanging out with his girlfriend. levi and I have also spent some time chatting, mostly about life in general, but sometimes about the serious threats we face today.

Like many kids nowadays, Levi despises the Bushies. He hates the war, the fact that we've lost crucial freedoms to the Patriot Act, and plans on voting for Kerry this year. He hopes that Kerry will pull the troops out of the Middle East, and do something to fix the economy (perhaps helping his family pull themselves out of poverty). Since he just turned 18, it will be the very first time he's getting to vote.

Unfortunately, Levi will be casting his very first ballot as an absentee voter, from some military base. He signed up for the Army at the start of his senior year in high school, since it was the only way he could get money for college. Despite his hatred of this stupid conflict, and the freaks behind it all, he still chose to sign on that damn dotted line.

The Recruiter assured Levi that his chosen duty would keep him far, far away from the war. So, what is the duty Levi signed up to be, which will keep him safe and sound (according to the ever-honest Recruiter)?

Combat Engineer. I shit you not.

So now Levi spends his last remaining summer days with his friends, and hopes he will return to see them someday soon. He ships out at the end of August for boot camp, then is scheduled to be sent to Germany for advanced training. Beyond that, Iraq, Afghanistan... who knows?

You may be asking yourself, "Just what the fuck does this have to do with me?" Very little, actually. Levi is just one of many young men being duped into joining the Military, on the hope that they will live long enough to make use of the benefits bestowed by the "G.I. Bill".

For his part, Levi has already prepared a short 'Last Will & Testament", just in case he does not return. Everything goes to his mom. I'm doubt she'll find comfort in that, if the day comes when somber men in uniforms knock on her door.

[Slarti]

well that's depressing. damn army. college should be free.

[Malaul]

       

[Horab Fibslager]

well that's depressing. damn army. college should be free.

you're right, college should be free, btucoporate america has conspired to make it not only mandatory, but expensive. remember, the world in which we live in is one in whcih anything may be bought or sold.

[gnimbley]

college should be unnecessary

joining the army should be unnecessary

having to say these things should be unnecessary

but such is life

tell Levi to duck, and to watch his buddy's back so he will watch Levi's

those who work best as a team are the most likely to survive, I think

[Slarti]

you're a wise gnome.

[gnimbley]

there is no such thing as a wise gnome


only lucky ones

[Bella]

I'm sorry to hear about Levi, Shecky.

My daughter has been watching her friends and old classmates
go off to Iraq and Germany and Afghanistan and Korea for the past couple of years.
Every single one of them signed up in order to get a college education. So far, everybody's okay.
We'll add Levi to the list of people we're keeping our fingers crossed for.

[Lord Trout]

Thanks. I really didn't mean to depress anyone. It's just bugging me, now that his date for shipping out to Boot is drawing nigh (8/25).

1) Yes, college should be free, or at least it should be a hell of a lot easier to get an advanced education.

2) I can see the Army as a necessary evil, if it were used for National Defense, and not to mete out Bush's religious war, and to line the pockets of his corporate masters.

Once again, the poor fight and possibly die for the rich and privledged.

[Trollax]

well that's depressing. damn army. college should be free.

Over here, you join the military and they pay you to go to university...

I didn't do that for three reasons:

1.) despise the modern military in western society

2.) you must serve in the military for a period of four years plus twice as many years that you spent at university.

3.) not fit enough.

[Zurtok Khan]

Uggh, I'm 18 too, and I laughed at the recruiters when they came around to talk to me.  And I'm lucky enough (in some sense) that I have Asthma, Carpel Tunnels in both wrists (which on it's own won't keep you out of the army, but adds on to other things that will), and gay.  Not that being gay disqualifies me, but I would tell the draft officer, "I'm queer, do I HAVE to wear green?  I mean it just doesn't look good on me, red or blue are much better colors with my skin tone."  And you just imagine how it would continue from there.  I'd have the recruiter's panties in such a twist he would know what to do with himself.

[Gimoz]

Im unlucky enough to live in a country with compulsory military sevice, but luckily that country is Sweden so I probably wont get sent to Iraq.
Yay.

[Hwarang]

It seems weird to offer condolences for something he willingly agreed to... but still- good luck to him.

[chaosgraves:agentoferis]

Thanks. I really didn't mean to depress anyone. It's just bugging me, now that his date for shipping out to Boot is drawing nigh (8/25).

1) Yes, college should be free, or at least it should be a hell of a lot easier to get an advanced education.

2) I can see the Army as a necessary evil, if it were used for National Defense, and not to mete out Bush's religious war, and to line the pockets of his corporate masters.

Once again, the poor fight and possibly die for the rich and privledged.

It is not Bush's religious war.

[Slarti]

it's bush's oil war!