Truth In Advertising
In order to attract more people the military is now talking about a 15 month active duty tour. They want people to assume that you will only be required to serve 15 months and then you will be free.
READ THE FINE PRINT! You sign up for a total of 8 years of combined active and Reserve duty. The military has been calling up Reservists who have completed 4 years of active duty because of their Reserve commitment and are refusing to release people who have completed their entire 8-year term. If you sign the paperwork you belong to the military for a minimum of 8 years, not 15 months.
There was a 12-month National Guard program and many people who were in that are being retained well beyond those 12 months.
You are under penalty of criminal prosecution if you fail to fulfill your part in the agreement, but the government is able to alter their obligations at will. If they lie to you, a court will say that they are bad people, but you are required to do what they tell you to do. They don’t recognize any restrictions on their power.
My Father was kept in service for three years past his retirement date, and finally was allowed to retire for health reasons. If his health hadn’t gone to pieces there’s no telling how long he would have been kept on active duty.
The military is not a good option anymore. It pains me personally to say that, because for a long time I recommended military service to people who needed help to get their life in order and save enough money for a decent education. It was a way out of poverty for a lot of people, but the current regime has changed that.
If you feel inclined to a military life there’s always the Légion Etrangère. At least they don’t pretend to be something they are not. You will need to learn French.
