I believe the true faith of an American is shown when they join a branch of the armed forces. At this point, joining the military runs in my family. My dad’s dad was in the US Army, my mom’s dad was in the German Army, two of my five brothers are Marines, and two of my other brothers were considering joining the Army, but were not eligible because of health issues. In addition to this list, there is a long line of uncles and cousins in my family who are in the Army/have served. As a seventeen year old in the process of joining the United States Army, I’ve been exposed to many individuals with their own ideas, beliefs, and...other...mythical thoughts about the Army and I feel I should inform people of the truth.

 

MYTH #1: People who join the military will be killed.

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        This is one idea I’ve heard many times personally and it just seems crazy to me. When I tell people I’m joining the Army, most of the time, they basically beg me not to and follow up asking if I want to die/be killed. Obviously, if you've ever met me you’d know I’m the last person on Earth to want to die. According to a table I found, only 15 military personnel were killed in combat situations in 2017 (Coalition Military Fatalities By Year.) In 2017, the United States had 1.3 million active duty soldiers. If conditions were still the same or even remotely similar to that of the World War II era where 417,000 soldiers died (Research Starters: Worldwide Deaths in World War II), I would understand and expect the questions and comments. If it weren’t for the men and women who fought and helped in WWII, many of us wouldn’t be here and many of us wouldn’t know what we do because of the stories we’ve been told by our grandparents. Times have changed and technology and military tactics have advanced, so the beliefs should also.

 

MYTH #2: Military pay/benefits do not compare to those of jobs in the civilian sector.

 

        In 2016, the average salary in the US was $48,642.15 (National Average Wage Index). In the military, your pay is dependent on your rank/pay grade; you can make anywhere between $20,000 and $60,000 (Soldier Salary). No matter your pay, however, you receive phenomenal benefits. Your GI Bill covers education and/or training for you or your children, you are given free healthcare including dental and vision, and, if you’re active duty, you get 30 days of paid vacation a year. Though I fully believe members of our military should be paid more on salary, there’s still material benefits available that you just won’t be awarded anywhere else.

 

MYTH #3: Military training does not translate to jobs in the civilian sector.

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        Many people, for whatever reason, believe the military only trains soldiers to go out and kill enemies. Yes, all soldiers undergo weapons training and combat training, but they’re not just killing machines. I say this because soldiers also undergo months of job training that teach and prepare soldiers for everything they’d possibly need to know for the jobs they choose or are assigned to. The military has hundreds of careers ranging from Cyber Operations Specialist, Orthopedic Surgeon, to Cryptologic Linguist. They have a job for almost anything you could possibly think of and, if not, there’s something very similar or closely related. According to the United States Army’s official website, “the U.S. Army is one of the most diverse career training institutions in the United States, with support for thousands of jobs in more than 150 career fields” (Job Opportunities). It’s no secret that, in a lot of situations, ex-military personnel are chosen over college graduates quite often. The reasoning for this is because they’re trained by the US government and are assumed to have discipline and work ethic at a level that’s unmatched outside of the military.

 

        I understand that not everyone agrees with war, which is another misconception that can be loosely tied to Myth #1, but the military isn’t all about war or even remotely close. It’s about stepping up, being “different”, working for your country, and being prepared to defend your country for your family if the time comes. Our military is extremely important for us and other countries; we actually have individuals from other countries joining the US military because they want to help us and they want to be an “American.” There’s a huge sense of pride that comes from being an American, especially being an American soldier. Instead of hyping up the myths about all or most of our soldiers dying/killing, about the incomparable benefits and pay, and about the lack of translation of jobs and training to the civilian world, let’s be supportive and help the cause of the men and women who defend our glorious country.