Hot Takes/Unpopular Opinions?

flieger83 said:
"two types of substances once illegal now totally legal or mostly legal."

One of those two is completely and totally illegal per federal law, which governs the military. Until that changes, you won't see much leniency in the process.

I find it fascinating, in a VERY bad way, how hypocritical most of the country is on this topic. The "left" says "Legalize pot." The "right" (even those that don't agree with banning) say "no" mostly, IMHO, to counter their opposition party. The same way the "left" will say "no" to things the right proposes, just to be contrary.

Stupid.

But here's the catch, and yes it hurts recruitment. When the party of legalization held the Presidency and BOTH houses of Congress, did anyone sponsor a federal law legalizing it? I actually dug into the Congressional record and the answer is: no.
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I disagree that this is a left right issue.

I believe that legalization is one of the few things that unites many on the left and right and those in the middle.

Mostly legal in that many of the states our service people will be stationed in it will be fully legal.
 
Small Team Bacsi said:
I disagree that this is a left right issue.

I believe that legalization is one of the few things that unites many on the left and right and those in the middle.

Mostly legal in that many of the states our service people will be stationed in it will be fully legal.
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I "hear" you, however...it remains a federal crime, illegal in all 50 states and all USA territories. The fact that the Fed isn't openly prosecuting in those states that "allow it" still doesn't clear the books.

Until the FED changes federal law, it will never be "fully legal."
 
Small Team Bacsi said:
I disagree that this is a left right issue.

I believe that legalization is one of the few things that unites many on the left and right and those in the middle.

Mostly legal in that many of the states our service people will be stationed in it will be fully legal.
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I live in a "legalized" state. The state law that legalized actually bars employers from taking job action based on employees
"popping positive" for cannabis on drug tests.
Despite this, the existing federal laws and specific contract clauses imposed on federal contracts assure that traces of cannabis
on a test will bring about termination for people working in the Aerospace Industry (radios/C4I, etc) as well as Transportation
Industry (not just driving trucks/trains but also building & maintaining them).
 
OldRetSWO said:
I live in a "legalized" state. The state law that legalized actually bars employers from taking job action based on employees
"popping positive" for cannabis on drug tests.
Despite this, the existing federal laws and specific contract clauses imposed on federal contracts assure that traces of cannabis
on a test will bring about termination for people working in the Aerospace Industry (radios/C4I, etc) as well as Transportation
Industry (not just driving trucks/trains but also building & maintaining them).
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Through an acquisition, my wife's company is now (arguably) one of, if not the biggest supplier of MCUs, and other semi's to aerospace Once they made that acquisition, they informed EVERY employee that drug tests (previously only used if there was a noted problem) would become a more common thing due to DOD contracts. And the result for a positive test, as OldRetSWO stated, would be immediate termination. And yes we live in a "legal" state and there was MUCH howling, anger, etc. The CEO, a very beloved individual, stood up and simply said something like: "I hear you, I understand you, however, this is how it is and there's no option. We all have to make choices and this is one the company has made for our continuing growth and success."

She hasn't mentioned any issues since then and she'd know...so it may have been a non-issue (her company compensates VERY well so that could be a factor.)
 
flieger83 said:
Through an acquisition, my wife's company is now (arguably) one of, if not the biggest supplier of MCUs, and other semi's to aerospace Once they made that acquisition, they informed EVERY employee that drug tests (previously only used if there was a noted problem) would become a more common thing due to DOD contracts. And the result for a positive test, as OldRetSWO stated, would be immediate termination. And yes we live in a "legal" state and there was MUCH howling, anger, etc. The CEO, a very beloved individual, stood up and simply said something like: "I hear you, I understand you, however, this is how it is and there's no option. We all have to make choices and this is one the company has made for our continuing growth and success."

She hasn't mentioned any issues since then and she'd know...so it may have been a non-issue (her company compensates VERY well so that could be a factor.)
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We disagree on nothing. While I do think it would be a help on enlistments I would also not expect to live long enough to see it happen.

The constant reports about how we are not meeting enlistment quotas does worry me.

I also think it’s time to consider a foreign legion concept.
 
Small Team Bacsi said:
We disagree on nothing. While I do think it would be a help on enlistments I would also not expect to live long enough to see it happen.

The constant reports about how we are not meeting enlistment quotas does worry me.

I also think it’s time to consider a foreign legion concept.
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I kinda thought we agreed...and your points are all valid.

The enlistment numbers are disturbing. Sadly, I see the "not my kid, not the military" trend in the high school I teach at. I teach JROTC; the AF version is NOT a recruiting program; in fact, it's in our AFI that we are NOT to recruit. We teach life skills. Of course, we do "expose" the student to the AF "a bit."

However, globally, AFJROTC student numbers have PLUNGED. They're similar to the recruiting issue, but perhaps even worse. I've been trying to get the numbers to do a study. The main reasons I hear from parents? "You're not going to get my kid into a 20-year war where they'll be maimed or killed for no reason. We're not at war, the country's not at risk." When I speak with them, just a friendly discussion, everything revolves around "if it's not impacting ME personally, then it's not a real issue and my child will NOT be involved in any way." I "get" that but...I see parents forbidding their kids from speaking to me, or anyone associated in ANY way with the military.

I don't know the root cause...I've been doing this for 11 years...it wasn't like this four years ago...it "feels" like it started around the same time as SARS-CoV-2 but I haven't tracked it.

Re: Foreign legion concept...I'm going to have to dig now as this sparked my antiquated curiosity...but I think there's a legal prohibition on something like that. But, again, I don't know...
 
We certainly have foreign nationals enlist in the US military. This just takes it a little farther.

And this is not just a move to get more enlistments. This is to develop elite teams or companies with those foreign born now US troops specializing in eod, intel, recon , cyber etc.
 
flieger83 said:
I kinda thought we agreed...and your points are all valid.

The enlistment numbers are disturbing. Sadly, I see the "not my kid, not the military" trend in the high school I teach at. I teach JROTC; the AF version is NOT a recruiting program; in fact, it's in our AFI that we are NOT to recruit. We teach life skills. Of course, we do "expose" the student to the AF "a bit."

However, globally, AFJROTC student numbers have PLUNGED. They're similar to the recruiting issue, but perhaps even worse. I've been trying to get the numbers to do a study. The main reasons I hear from parents? "You're not going to get my kid into a 20-year war where they'll be maimed or killed for no reason. We're not at war, the country's not at risk." When I speak with them, just a friendly discussion, everything revolves around "if it's not impacting ME personally, then it's not a real issue and my child will NOT be involved in any way." I "get" that but...I see parents forbidding their kids from speaking to me, or anyone associated in ANY way with the military.

I don't know the root cause...I've been doing this for 11 years...it wasn't like this four years ago...it "feels" like it started around the same time as SARS-CoV-2 but I haven't tracked it.

Re: Foreign legion concept...I'm going to have to dig now as this sparked my antiquated curiosity...but I think there's a legal prohibition on something like that. But, again, I don't know...
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Obviously my son is serving.

But to be honest, I can understand parents not wanting their kids to be used as pawns because “intelligence” said there were wmd in Iraq, for instance.

What did all of the blood and tears and money get us in Afghanistan? Iraq? Ukraine?

What was the actual goal in Afghanistan?

When can we audit the expenditures?
 
I'd let immigrants enlist in exchange for advancing their citizenship process. Having trouble getting a green card, how about applying for an OD card instead where you get to stay and work after a hitch or could earn permanent residency after several hitches. It'd sort of be like letting the Army be the sponsoring employer and converting them to a green card after their service. Limit it to a fixed number of spots each year until the kinks are worked out, and maybe give preference to people with family sponsors who are buried in that line.
 
StPaulDad said:
I'd let immigrants enlist in exchange for advancing their citizenship process. Having trouble getting a green card, how about applying for an OD card instead where you get to stay and work after a hitch or could earn permanent residency after several hitches. It'd sort of be like letting the Army be the sponsoring employer and converting them to a green card after their service. Limit it to a fixed number of spots each year until the kinks are worked out, and maybe give preference to people with family sponsors who are buried in that line.
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Expedited citizenship is already US law.
www.uscis.gov

Naturalization Through Military Service | USCIS

If you are serving or have served in the U.S. armed forces and are interested in becoming a U.S. citizen, you may be eligible to apply for naturalization under special provisions of the Immigration
www.uscis.gov
 
There was a recent post about someone wanting to be a pilot and, to me, the replies made it seem like the poster's prospect was a guarantee. I looked on Google and couldn't find info about the number of pilot slots assigned to AFA and number of pilot selects for a particular year. If someone is led to think they'll surely fly for the AF, shouldn't that happen?
 
flieger83 said:
The enlistment numbers are disturbing. Sadly, I see the "not my kid, not the military" trend in the high school I teach at. I teach JROTC; the AF version is NOT a recruiting program; in fact, it's in our AFI that we are NOT to recruit. We teach life skills. Of course, we do "expose" the student to the AF "a bit."

However, globally, AFJROTC student numbers have PLUNGED. They're similar to the recruiting issue, but perhaps even worse. I've been trying to get the numbers to do a study. The main reasons I hear from parents? "You're not going to get my kid into a 20-year war where they'll be maimed or killed for no reason. We're not at war, the country's not at risk." When I speak with them, just a friendly discussion, everything revolves around "if it's not impacting ME personally, then it's not a real issue and my child will NOT be involved in any way." I "get" that but...I see parents forbidding their kids from speaking to me, or anyone associated in ANY way with the military.

I don't know the root cause...
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This is actually a really disturbing share. And sad. So many patriotic, earnest, almost to the point of corny, young men found some purpose in Civil Air Patrol or JROTC… I imagine they’re probably “safe” in their parents basements these days. Good job, parents.
 
Our younger generation is fat and lazy. That's because of junk food, too much time wasted wallowing around watching TV and scrolling through worthless social media posts, and corruption of societal norms.
We wonder why we aren't meeting enlistment quotas. Most young people would rather sit around and get money from the government or a low-paying, easy job than actually have to work their *** off to achieve something like a successful military career.

Another reason why not enough people are enlisting is the image the military is conveying about itself (and what it is turning into). Woke agenda and low physical standards are not going to give aspiring youth the impression that the military is something worth committing to and working up to.
 
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Part of the collapse of conditioning in this country is the increase in suburban living. People say "No one walks anywhere anymore, blah blah blah" but there aren't even sidewalks in many developments so you literally have to drive to a place where you can walk. And spending time on your feet, moving around, not sitting, makes a world of difference as well. A lot of modern jobs involve a lot of sitting, and hiring someone else to mow your lawn and shovel your snow perpetuates the problem. The diminished amount of effort it takes to get through a modern day will eventually kill us.
 
aetosArmy said:
Our younger generation is fat and lazy. That's because of junk food, too much time wasted wallowing around watching TV and scrolling through worthless social media posts, and corruption of societal norms.
We wonder why we aren't meeting enlistment quotas. Most young people would rather sit around and get money from the government or a low-paying, easy job than actually have to work their *** off to achieve something like a successful military career.

Another reason why not enough people are enlisting is the image the military is conveying about itself (and what it is turning into). Woke agenda and low physical standards are not going to give aspiring youth the impression that the military is something worth committing to and working up to.
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World War I vets used to say that we had no chance against Japan because of how "soft" the young men and women of that time were. They're now called the Greatest Generation.
 
StPaulDad said:
Part of the collapse of conditioning in this country is the increase in suburban living. People say "No one walks anywhere anymore, blah blah blah" but there aren't even sidewalks in many developments so you literally have to drive to a place where you can walk. And spending time on your feet, moving around, not sitting, makes a world of difference as well. A lot of modern jobs involve a lot of sitting, and hiring someone else to mow your lawn and shovel your snow perpetuates the problem. The diminished amount of effort it takes to get through a modern day will eventually kill us.
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To be fair - I used to walk or ride my bike all over the place in rural upstate NY. Even hitchhiked.

Today - I wouldn’t let my kids do what I did. I drive them instead. We live in a different environment.
 
We exist in a state of induced cultural paranoia. Kids are safer now than they were 50 years ago, but the induced anxiety caused by the constant barrage of hysteria perpetuates and increases the sickness of helicopter parenting.
 
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