Military Service for Citizenship

[The_Tick]

This is something that I have been tossing around in my head for a while now.

Faith mentioned the "Dream Act" that Governer Brown recently signed into law in California. Providing State money for Illegal's to go to college. (A really bad idea in my mind.)

Now...this is how I would do it, and it would kill two birds with one stone.

If you have gone to High School in the US of A, and are "illegal", then we have a proposition for you.

Enlist in Military service for a length of 4 years.

This will do a few things for you:

1. Gets you permanent US Citizenship
2. The opportunity to get specialized in a field that can be used after service is complete.
3. Qualifies you for the GI Bill. (Switches the financial obligation from the State government to the Feds.)
4. Qualifies you for a VA Loan when it comes time to purchase your first home.

All of this allows them to fulfill their stated goal...living the American Dream.

This is how my wifes family came to the US from the Philipines. It has been done in the past and I think it would be effective in the future.

Any thoughts?

[happyone]

I don't have a problem with it.

[old_gregg]

I'm not sure I'm a fan of any kind of compulsory military service. It seems like having a bunch of folks for whom English is a second language may hurt unit cohesiveness, not to mention the logistical nightmare. But, some places like Israel have made it work.

[Goatnapper'96]

I'm not sure I'm a fan of any kind of compulsory military service. It seems like having a bunch of folks for whom English is a second language may hurt unit cohesiveness, not to mention the logistical nightmare. But, some places like Israel have made it work.

Most of these kids will have been in the USA for HS so I doubt the language barrier will be an impediment. Further, it is my very old fashioned and likely chauvinistically inspired opinion, but when ESL is not an option folks frequently come to understand english well enough to get along. Especially in the service where adapt and overcome is as the core of the culture. My guess is while the young soldiers might not understand the words, the various grunts and expletives that accompany their instructions they receive from their NCO's will help them to understand what it is they are being told to do right quick and in a hurry!

Saying that I share your concerns about compulsory as there are enormous benefits of an all volunteer military, but this isn't compulsory this is a reward incentive. Serve in the US Military and then you get all of the benefits of Citzenship - such as subsidized public university education. A GI bill type of incentive.

Notice the Marines never gave in to that trend. Gawd, how our collective nipples must get hard when we see a commercial about being one of the few, the proud the Marines. No "what are you gonna do Jack? Eatchyer way to college?" GI bill fluff. The best thing you get about joining the Marines is you get to call yourself a Marine. Period. If that won't do it for you go join the Army, the Navy or the Air Force. It helps that the Marines only need 3 peacetime Divisions, but hell how I love, respect and admire their ethos. Especially in this world of entitlement and as our President pointed out "is getting soft."

[happyone]

I don't think this should be complsory, but a "reward" for military service. I think that some English compantacy should be requred.

[old_gregg]

I don't think this should be complsory, but a "reward" for military service. I think that some English compantacy should be requred.

good point. compulsory vs. reward based is an important difference. i'd go further and say that any dishonorable discharge should mean immediate deportation.

[Goatnapper'96]

I don't think this should be complsory, but a "reward" for military service. I think that some English compantacy should be requred.

This does remind me of a funny story about a chewed up fellow LT I served with down with the 2nd Dragoons at Fort Polk. He was from Puerto Rico and did ok with the english language, as most educated folks from the PR I assume. However, when he got stressed he would wig out and start speaking in Spanish. Whenever his platoon manuevered it would inevitably happen. Once I was the OIC of the Mult-Purpose Range Complex (MPRC) during our Squadron's Gunnery Exercise. His platoon was out executing their Table XII (platoon level gunnery exercise - Tables start at I which is a vehicle gunnery qualification and move through XII which is the platoon, 7 vehicles in my unit, qualification) and when things got stressed he started wigging out and shouting commands in Spanish. His platoon had no clue what to do. Those of us in the Tower were listening to his platoon radio frequency and I have laughed harder few times in my life.

[Goatnapper'96]

good point. compulsory vs. reward based is an important difference. i'd go further and say that any dishonorable discharge should mean immediate deportation.

I could support that for even those who enlisted as multi-generation US citizens!

[The_Tick]

I'm not sure I'm a fan of any kind of compulsory military service. It seems like having a bunch of folks for whom English is a second language may hurt unit cohesiveness, not to mention the logistical nightmare. But, some places like Israel have made it work.

It is only compulsory in a sense that this is the only way you get free money for college. All other avenues would be blocked.

We need soldiers, kids need money for college.

[Joe Public]

I think that some English compantacy should be requred.

I like your style.

[Coach McGuirk]

I want to be a citizen! Where do I sign up to fight the bugs?

[Goatnapper'96]

I want to be a citizen! Where do I sign up to fight the bugs?

That is really a great book. Movie had the requisite falsies voluptuously bouncing around, but the book was superb, IMO.

[happyone]

good point. compulsory vs. reward based is an important difference. i'd go further and say that any dishonorable discharge should mean immediate deportation.

I would say any discharge other than honorable

[happyone]

This does remind me of a funny story about a chewed up fellow LT I served with down with the 2nd Dragoons at Fort Polk. He was from Puerto Rico and did ok with the english language, as most educated folks from the PR I assume. However, when he got stressed he would wig out and start speaking in Spanish. Whenever his platoon manuevered it would inevitably happen. Once I was the OIC of the Mult-Purpose Range Complex (MPRC) during our Squadron's Gunnery Exercise. His platoon was out executing their Table XII (platoon level gunnery exercise - Tables start at I which is a vehicle gunnery qualification and move through XII which is the platoon, 7 vehicles in my unit, qualification) and when things got stressed he started wigging out and shouting commands in Spanish. His platoon had no clue what to do. Those of us in the Tower were listening to his platoon radio frequency and I have laughed harder few times in my life.

I had some native spanish speakers who worked for me as well - When they got excited it was really hard to understand them. Esp when one had a hot cartridge casing go down the back of his shirt! 5.56 mm never looked so big!!!

[Katy Lied]

They do this for citizens of American Samoa already. Probably the PR too. Guam too I think.