People sometimes give up. A financial or marital setback, a problem in the family, even a little bout of ordinary garden variety humiliation can really bother some people. A wrong investment because of a lack of understanding of bond pricing, a divorce, or a tiff with the neighbors can upset their world.
Sometimes, joining the military service can help such people. In the U.S., thousands of young people enlist every year. As any Navy recruitment guide will tell you, thousands of young people are also saved, sometimes from themselves, by joining the Navy or another branch of the military.
It’s not hard to see how military service can give young people a sense of purpose and belonging. There’s easy camaraderie, overwhelming and life changing experiences in foreign places, drill and military discipline, and regimented routines. All these can be very positive factors in the life of a young man or woman who may never have experienced these things before.
Discipline is often a hated term in society. However, those who have ever enjoyed the pleasure of leading a disciplined life know just how important it is to have rules, routines, and expectations. Drugs, alcohol, substance abuse, and petty crimes can be attractive to those who have little or no discipline in their lives.
Joining the Army, Navy, Coast Guard, or Air Force gives many young people the chance to experience discipline for the first time. It also creates a sense of self pride that prevents people from slacking and making poor choices. If you have kept your backbone straight for hours in forced marches, you’re ready to resist the temptations of drugs and alcohol. You won’t want to let down your fellow soldiers or yourself.
