Hi, I'm an AFROTC student and I'm doing an impromptu study on trying to support my hypothesis that media has played a big part in inspiring civilians to join the military (such as TV shows growing up, action movies, or video games, etc).

But aside from the cadets at my detachment, I have a somewhat limited pool of 'duty bound' individuals to ask the simple question of "Did media influence in your younger years lead you to join the armed forces?"

I would be greatly appreciative for any reply back. As for myself, I grew up watching Stargate, playing a wide variety of video and computer games, but I never had any exposure to military personnel growing up. Its always been something I've thought about, but didn't know how to get into it. Then freshman year at my new college I saw cadets and learned about ROTC. I would have to say that media has played a factor in my career choice. That's my story, whats yours?

I grew up in a military family, that and I just wanted to eat regular.

It was simply that I came from a long line of people who served and felt it the correct thing to do.

I also beat the draft and got to eat SOS for breakfast.

The media had nothing to do with it.

HA! You're talking to a bunch of old farts, around here! "Media" is not it was when a bunch of us enlisted. I'm one of the younger old farts, having retired from the Marines in 2006 (and enlisted in 1983).

Media for us was a TV with "rabbit ears" (do I have to explain that term, or not?) with four channels (maybe we got in the double digits on a good reception day). And we read newspapers. When they were printed on actual paper. And delivered to the house.

Recruiting posters would also qualify as "media" for many of us. And recruiting posters (if you give that term "a Google") were quite popular and successful once upon a war.

I hope you don't mind me poking a little fun at you, but you mention video games and computers as your influences (and knowing the backgrounds of the two folks who have responded to this-- knowing we all remember a time when those things just didn't exist), it seems kinda funny.

Anyway, my purpose was not to poke fun at you.....but to make a reply as well. I did enlist under a certain influence of the media. I was engaged in writing a series of articles for my school and home town newspapers (it was a small town) on the peace keeping mission Marines were engaged in in Beirut Lebanon. My dad was also a Marine (though he only served one tour and was out when I was just an infant). Of course, to write the articles I was writing, I plagiarized national news reporting quite often, so I followed the story quite closely in "the media". Two weeks after the Beirut bombing in October of 1983, I joined up.

Hunger and a paycheck lol

I think that too many people watch movies and think at real life is that way. It is like having sex - it just happens (well maybe not).

For me it was 9/11 and then listening to a recuiter talk to us in school.

Force
well we have an 18month compulsry service here in iran
i went to the IRGC for 6months and then after i was accepted for my MA course i was despatched
i served my 6months in sistan & baluchestan provience,near the afghan and pakistani borders.
it was real hard,bad condiotions,the threat of insurgents crossing the border and the blood smuglers was amongst us
but we were strong!

Jwave,I was not influenced by any media, in fact most people around me did not encourage me to join. It was all a decision on my own, growing up and escaping the family bond and doing something special. The discipline, cameraderie, adventure and the interaction between technic and man that the military has to offer, had fascinated me for many years.

Multi-generation Navy family.

I was pre-9/11, but post Gulf War (1), so media wasn't covering much military stuff.

to quote Steve McQueen in the Magnificent Seven [ how's that for ' media' influence ? ]

"It seemed like a good idea at the time. "

must have been the correct decision because after me, my wife, two sons and two daughters all joined and my third son has his enlistment 'interviews' in September..

then again, it might have been something in the water...

The desire to get away from a not to great home also I wanted to serve. Plus being hungry may have helped. lol And the media had nothing to do with my decision to join the army, Viet Nam was going strong and I did receive my draft notice the day after I got to the reception station at Ft. Dix, Nj.

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You know that you joined for the c-rations!

YUM YUM great stuff them C-RATS



But I bet you joined for the K Rations and MRE's

Harry

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