ANSWERS: 48
  • although I was younger when I joined I do feel that raising the age to 21 is a great idea.
  • I think that it's a huge contradiction that the drinking age is 21 but the military age is 18. Not that drinking alcohol is on par with fighting in a war, but still, it only makes it more of a paradox that 18 is too young to drink and party but old enough to sacrifice your life for your country. I am not sure which age should be changed, but at a time of war, it is so tempting to say that the age should be changed to 21 to protect the lives of the young. If the government feels that being 18 is too young to accept the responsibilities that come with drinking safely, why are these same young individuals subject to life and death responsibility?
  • Why should they do that?
  • Even though I am a dove dove dove, the military in time of peace can sometimes be a lifesaver for a young person just out of high school with no money/incentive to continue education. The military can educate you and help you to grow up. In time of war, then yes..maybe even 25! The military in time of war can be a very evil place! :(
  • Seems to me an awfully huge responsibility to lay upon an 18 year old right out of high school...that they put their life on the line and take the lives of others at such a young age. You're not considered adult enough to drink until the age of 21, but you're adult enough to be handed a gun and take lives at 18? Seems a little out of whack. I know it's a great opportunity for education and career training for young people, however.
  • If you have to be 21 to drink alcohol then yes!
  • Joining the military is a serious commitment, especially considering that we are at war. If anything I think that the people that would have joined simply for tuition assistance for example, are less likely to for fear of deployment. This means that those that do volunteer do so knowing the risks and the seriousness of their decision. Each military member is trained in bootcamp, and those that make it through continue on to train in their selected fields. Many young people deploy, but they are also surrounded by older more experienced people who help guide them and keep them safe. I don't think anyone is "old enough" or "mature enough" to not be effected by taking someone else's life, whether they are in the military or not. We are all individuals, and at 18 we are given the right to vote, and are legally considered adults. If we can vote to change our world, then we should also be able to chooce to fight for it.
  • No they should lower it to 14. All those little teenaged car thieves and drug dealers should be forcibly enlisted.
  • What problem would it solve? I joined the Navy before I DECIDED to because the recruiters are so manipulative. I think it would have happened if I was 21 anyway.
  • No. For starters, they don't have to join up when there 18. It's not like Nazi Germany for christ's sake! You where forcibly enlisted at 15 in 1945! Second, it provides an option for those who did terribly at school, otherwise it's just a few years on misery until there 21.
  • No, I think the age to be in the military should be raised to 35. That way, the military would be full of people who understand the world and are comfortable with ethical complexity. That would be a sharp contrast to those that are currently used as cannon fodder.
  • If it were allowed, I would have joined a branch of the military in lieu of going to high school. At least it wuld have been a productive four years, not just a monumental waste of time and effort. The option to join the military instead of going to high school should be offered. A good career is more important than memorizing Shakespear lines to a lot of us.
  • Only if we start wearing diapers until we're 8 and likewise raise the ages for driving, voting, and everything else. How is it that we're treating 19 year olds like babies yet treating 7 year olds as adults, pressuring them to look pretty in the pageants, to learn academia beyond their comprehension, and behave less like kids?
  • No way. If we had to wait until 21 to join we would be smart enough by then to realize it's probably not the best Idea. Because of that we will have a huge down fall in enlisted soldiers thus they will have to recreate the draft in order to replenish our numbers.
  • yes I do, My son wanted to join the forces at seventeen, luckily we talked him out of it. now hes nineteen and often says that hes glad we didnt let him join as he realises how serious a decision it is now.:-)+
  • I'm not sure but if the government considers 18 as being too young to be responsible with alcohol then, really, shouldn't 18 be too young to join the military? My point is an adult is an adult. Maybe they need to raise the age of being an adult to 21. :-)
  • No. Some people need to join the military for sake of having some sort of income after they leave home. I.E. my parents.
  • It would make sense but if they would less people would join...
  • it's always seemed strange to me that our government deems us to be responsible enough and mature enough to choose our leaders and to die for our country at 18, yet we're too immature to drink. very strange indeed. so, by using their logic, there are two options. raise the voting and military enlistment ages to 21 to match the drinking age or lower the drinking age to match the voting and enlistment ages. it makes no sense to me to have those three items to be at different ages.
  • I joined when i was 17 even though it was a good choice, when i look back I remember missing my family a lot and sometimes feeling pressured on to things. I have grown into a strong individual now. I do thik they should raise the aga to 21 if you cant drink at 18 but join the millitary is just not fair. if you are allowed to fight for your counrey then you should be able to enjoy a cold one.
  • yes since if you are gonna go to war u should be able to drink.
  • The question is simple, should the age requirements for joining the military be raised to 21. my personal point of view is no. All to often this question gets lumped in with the drinking question, and to me they are two separate issues. Do I feel that you should be able to drink if you are in the military, yes. but not being able to should not effect the ability for those who grow up, are educated, and knowing the risks choose to do their part to serve this country. I joined the service before I turned 21 and yes it upset me at times that I couldn't drink but I have now been in almost 9 years and I am a better person for it. I have always wanted a career in the military so if I would have had to wait an additional 3 yrs to join, I would have been nothing more than a burden on society waiting for my life to start.
  • no ,but they should give soldiers more support
  • No it should be lowered to 15 and made compulsary for all the violent thugs and yobs (male and female) out there. It would make our streets so much safer.
  • No,It should be lowered to 15
  • Actually, the world should send the old men to fight. Lowest age, let's say 35. Highest should be if the volunteer can understand things. Too many young people dying.
  • No, the age is fine, however it should become mandantory like it used to be.
  • i think that your age should be raised to 21
  • I don't think it should be. I think it is fine where it is.
  • I think leave it as it is, and I will no matter what not join.
  • Yes, but only with a note from your mother included!
  • No. Research (some time ago) has shown that the younger person is more impressionable and therefore, makes a better soldier in terms of attitude and temperament. They haven't yet formed their lifetime opinions, etc.
  • I don't fink so, join the army relly could give a good lesson for life. In Israel you must join the army when you are 18 years old, i fink its relly good like thet. The army help many people in there life.
  • I would say is should be raised and even 21 is quite young.When one is a teenager they should not be given such a drastic decision.The choice could ruin their lives for the military is not for most people.They need to realize that they cannot leave if they do not like the job,which is nutty in it's own way.One can leave any other job when they want.
  • No, it should be raised to 81. And made optional.
  • no they should raise the combat age to 21
  • i hope they dont. but thats just my opinion. im only 14 and i wouldnt mind risking my life/being killed for my country when i get out of high school.
  • I wish they would lower it to 14 so i could join..wait... maybe not
  • nope..i think they should allow them at 18!!! irespect if they are willing to serve we should respect them as men/women....:)thatsJustme
  • Yeah! That's what the "drinking" age is! If a person isn't old enough to "drink" are they old enough to decide to potentially loose their life in a war?
  • i dont think so 18 is a prim fighting age and drinkin is at 21 cuz the brain isnt develop enough.
  • hell no i think they should LOWER it to 17 for all branches!!!!!!!
  • NO, BECAUSE IF YOU PLAN TO MAKE A GOOD CAREER OF IT, 18 IS A GOOD AGE TO START. MILITARY IS'NT ALL WAR.
  • problably
  • I don't realy see the diference between a 21 year old and 18.
  • Nope. The age of majority and legal adulthood is 18. Anything should be legal at 18, such as army enlistment, alcohol consumption, tobacco purchases, etc.
  • I used to insist upon this when I was serving. Yes, absolutely. There are many between the ages of 18 and 20 who are mature enough to do the job but not nearly as many to constitute the current age allowance. And it would cut down on underage drinking and the hypocracy behind how our service members are old enough to take a bullet but not old enough to take a shot.

Copyright 2023, Wired Ivy, LLC

Answerbag | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy