On the subject of gap years...

[flossums]

I'm going to put this out there. When I toyed with the notion of a gap year? Joining the defence force for a year would have been right down there on my list of options, assuming it made it on there at all. And yet, that's one of the options that they're talking about to try and deal with the shortage on the 'frontline

Comments

[flowershoes]

I...actually thought it was a pretty good idea >.> And considering children in schools are encouraged to question what they see on tv at increasingly earlier ages now, I sort of doubt that a seventeen year old school leaver is unable to make an informed decision about joining the defence forces.

Obviously it's not as fun as M*A*S*H or as exciting as Xbox's Ghost Recon, but remember, they're not being sent straight over to the frontline (national service isn't even on the table for this scheme) so they've got months and months worth of training, marching and bed making in which they can drop out if they hate. Like you said, we're not drafting them.

[flossums]

Yeah, you've got a point. Although, to be perfectly honest, I don't know that a 40 year old would be able to make an informed decision about joining the defence forces if they've never had anything to do with war except through media.

I'm just reacting partly because of how the media is portraying it as a gap year, as something kind of fun; and partly because I've had friends who've joined and it really has changed them. And I know that they're not being sent frontline or even national services, but once they've joined there'll be a lot of pressure to stay on after that year is up.

[flowershoes]

It's lucky they're not offering the scholarship to 40 yearolds then, isn't it? :P Generally, if people want to join the army specifically to go to war, it's because they want to represent Australia, to be patriotic aside from just singing the anthem at sports events. I don't see anything wrong with that.

And from what I've seen, the media has anything but glamorised the war in Iraq, which is probably why the Forces have seen a distinct drop of recruits in lately, hence this entire program.

Think of it this way: for every nine people that come out hating their "gap" year, there could be one person who discovered a real passion for what they were doing. That one person could eventually do a lot of good, whether that be organising food drops for starving refugees, saving the life of his buddy on the frontline or making sure the telecommunication facilities are in order so Australian soldiers overseas can send regular emails to their family and friends back home. If the government has to jazz up their commercials to reel in those ten,

[animadverted]

Well, I don't know. Joining the army for a year sounds like an alright move. Just at the moment, I think ol' Johnny Howard is a little too war happy.. but that's my opinion. If kids are joining the army though, for a year, that's gonna be some very valuable experience. In theory, it should help them find jobs afterwards and it's a career opportunity. I mean, if Labour were to win the next election I might even consider joining the army in a healthcare role.

On the drugs topic, I think you've hit the nail there. A few people are already speculating that West End might develop into what the valley used to be.

[flossums]

You'd consider joining in a healthcare role. Which is kinda different. Important, sure, but different.

As for the valuable experience...they're being trained for the army, it's basically bootcamp. And while theoretically, it's for a year and a year only, there'll be pressure to continue on afterwards. That's just the MO for the defence force.

[animadverted]

I think it's more than just bootcamp. Discipline, Leadership, teamwork... after that year, they've basically met half the requirements of any job application and the other half (a qualification) is facilitated as well. The army isn't necessarily a bad thing and neither is staying on, if that's what interests them.

[rainbow_sleeve]

From what I understand, in order to apply for the army "scholarship" that they are referring to, you do need to have finished year 12 and be at least 18 years of age

[flossums]

They're calling it a scholarship? Wow, okay then. All of a sudden it becomes that more respectable. >.>

The key thing is if the idea was managed well. The overall impact I'm getting so far makes me doubt that it would be, and I'm also dubious about the long term goals of the project.

And as far as I'm concerned, if the government truly wanted to do something constructive to reduce alcohol and drug use in young adults, there are many more ways to go about it. After all, if in the ideal world they only admit a few graduates, it's not going to have that greater impact. As far as the unemployment thing goes, I kind of doubt that when they talk about reducing unemployment they're talking about the 18 year old demographic.

[varity]

We have that here too, the guys only, but they HAVE to go join the army when they're eighteen (if they're not opposed to it, like you said, but then they have to do something else and first PROVE that they can't handle it or whatever) unless they are exempted (?) because of physical reasons.

It sounds really harsh, but I always thought it was pretty stupid anyway. It shouldn't me MANDATORY to learn to shoot people. I know, it's not as one-sided as that, it just seems horrible to me *shrug*