If it's anything like it was here then the mentally disabled are probably exempt.

The whole purpose of Basic Training (in the US military( is to weed out those who can't make it where it's physical or mental). In fact the physical checkup is probably the first one most people have ever had and people end up finding out conditions that they never knew they had before.

"...you want to know if I'm moral enough join the army, burn women, kids, houses and villages after being a litterbug."

At least here in Finland, you'd easily get an exemption from military service for either mental or physical disabilities... but I guess you should be diagnosed somehow first. Could be that the army doctors can do that too.

And even if you don't have any (diagnosed) disabilities, you could alsays choose one year of civil service instead, e.g. working in some retirement home or whatever. It is easier too because you get to go home every night, unlike in army.

I had a friend who couldn't stand staying in the army so he faked having a mental breakdown, opening the window and starting to scream in the middle of night. His superior came to tell he should visit the army doctor, which then diagnosed him as being not fit for military service, so he got an exemption.

Oddly though, later he regretted having not finished the service and wanted to get back...

For physical disabilities, a friend of mine who wanted to go to service was about to get an exemption against his own will because according to medical records he had had some kidney operation as an infant (it didn't affect his health at all as an adult). He protested and eventually got to the service.

I guess nowadays quite many young men here choose civil service instead, going to army isn't considered that important anymore by most, and it hardly ever helps you finding a job, ie. the employers aren't really interested whether you've been in the army or not. If you want to become a truck driver or something, it might be beneficial if you get to become a truck driver in the army first etc., not sure if it was even possible to acquire the (pretty expensive) truck driver license in the army.


For my own "service", there were both positive and negative things, but more of the negative ones. For instance, having to live together with people you couldn't necessarily get along that well (I guess the meaning is to learn to work with also "incompatible" people, but still...). I even got into a fight once during a march with someone I didn't get along that well. Then again, there were nice people there too, but I guess all the stress etc. could also get under people's skin and sometimes get the worst out of them.

I definitely didn't feel comfortable when thanked by civilians during my time in the US service. It was just a job to me. I didn't do it to "serve" my country, "defend" it, or some other such nonsense.

I had the dubious honor of having entered the military just before 9-11. In fact, that happened just two days after I finished with basic and technical training. The day after I reported to my duty station off we went to the Indian Ocean to support the carrier group that was ferrying Black Hawks to the coast of Pakistan in order to invade Taliban-held Afghanistan.

Now that was an action I could get behind because it was justified. The Iraq thing, on the other hand, in which I also had a support role, I did not view favorably from the get-go. Yet I've fulfilled my job, completed my contract, and moved on after I served my time.

I still don't want to be thanked for any for that. Speaking of which, during my flight down to San Antonio to visit relatives for Christmas there was this awfully big hoopla when we landed because there was a Marine in uniform on board who was going to see his family after four years of absence. I just couldn't help myself but facepalm and shake my head, along with my mother, about the patriotic BS talk one of the stewardesses made as well as most of the plane applauding... and I could tell the Marine in question wasn't awfully comfortable with the matter either - shouldn't have worn your dress uniform, kiddo. Frankly, I would have been embarrassed to the max if that had been me.

It also rubs me all sorts of wrong when any old military personnel is labelled as "hero" even if they hadn't done a single thing that merits such a praise. Nope, I never have and never will understand this fascination some have for the armed services.

I call it the Jessup Disease ;)

In Australia we have anzac day and yes people have thanked me on that day but in the past 5 years or so the service has become a F joke put on for tv so I don't go any more

p.s, @mistermumbles, I have never see an old soilder call themselves a hero