Comments on: Class warfare in Afghanistan deployment http://wagingnonviolence.org/2009/10/class-warfare-in-afghanistan-deployment/ People-Powered News and Analysis Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:33:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Nathan Schneider http://wagingnonviolence.org/2009/10/class-warfare-in-afghanistan-deployment/comment-page-1/#comment-1458 Nathan Schneider Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:02:43 +0000 http://wagingnonviolence.org/?p=2334#comment-1458 Sounds to me like an excellent idea. Sounds to me like an excellent idea.

]]> By: Bill http://wagingnonviolence.org/2009/10/class-warfare-in-afghanistan-deployment/comment-page-1/#comment-1457 Bill Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:50:23 +0000 http://wagingnonviolence.org/?p=2334#comment-1457 I'm reminded of the story of Jessica Lynch, the army private captured in the early days of the Iraq invasion, her story embellished by Pentagon officials (and others) no doubt to juice recruitment efforts. Too often left out of her tale was her reason for enlisting: She wanted to be an elementary school teacher, not a career soldier, but couldn't afford college. The military offered money for education. She enlisted. It's enormously troubling that in exchange for higher education we ask young people to take up arms. As suggested in this post, it's one of those "deeply entrenched" habits: Military service in exchange for education and career opportunities. It's a selling point. Might it be a better investment of our tax dollars simply to train the Jessica Lynches of today as teachers, and pay for their education in full, leaving out the military entirely? Given how highly we say we value education (and teachers), this would seem to be something quite achievable. I’m reminded of the story of Jessica Lynch, the army private captured in the early days of the Iraq invasion, her story embellished by Pentagon officials (and others) no doubt to juice recruitment efforts.

Too often left out of her tale was her reason for enlisting: She wanted to be an elementary school teacher, not a career soldier, but couldn’t afford college. The military offered money for education. She enlisted.

It’s enormously troubling that in exchange for higher education we ask young people to take up arms. As suggested in this post, it’s one of those “deeply entrenched” habits: Military service in exchange for education and career opportunities. It’s a selling point.

Might it be a better investment of our tax dollars simply to train the Jessica Lynches of today as teachers, and pay for their education in full, leaving out the military entirely? Given how highly we say we value education (and teachers), this would seem to be something quite achievable.

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