good for you, but do you find it normal that you have to risk being killed in order to get some education (or to get the US citizenship)?
Let me tackle the last statement first.
Being in the military has no bearing on a person getting their citizenship. Before an alien can even enlist, they must have a valid "Resident Alien" card. Without that, they can't join.
And it is made a little easier, simply because the requirements to become a citizen (speak read and right English, clean criminal record, stable job) are naturally fulfilled by being in the military in the first place. But they still have to fill out the same forms, d the same waits, and jump the same hoops as anybody else who wants to become a citizen.
And "risk being killed" is all relative. I am from Los Angeles, and found it more dangerous there then it is here in the Middle East. In fact, back home I live a few miles from the deadliest city in the world (Juarez, Mexico. Population 1.5 million, 1,989 murders in 2009). Any my wife in El Paso has already had to deal with an attempted auto theft and a burglary since I deployed. I am more worried about her in the states then I am about myself in a "war zone".
Myself, I choose to serve. The military is often called the "Service", and that is exactly how I view it. I am giving a Service, giving my ability to my country and it's people. And yes, we are trained for war. But we fulfill many other tasks as well.
In 1994, who was the first ones to set up tent cities and care for those that lost their homes in Los Angeles after the Earthquake? The military. When Katrina was still rageing over the Gulf, who was sending in people to rescue those trapped? And who was the leader in providing security, medical care, and evacuation of those in New Orleans? The military. Who is the first to respond to any kind of natural or man-made disaster? The military.
And it is a choice I am glad I made. I was one of those kids you question. I first joined the Marines at the age of 18, and was trained as an Infantryman. I chose that because I wanted nothing to do with computers (I had been a programmer), wanted the most challenging field I could choose, and wanted to travel. I did several deployments, including Jungle training in Panama, and lived for over a year in Japan. I did things most people could never imagine doing, and most others could never dream of.
After 10 years, I was injured and had to get out. I went back to computers, doing my job day in and day out for 14 years. I was just a cog in a wheel, doing the same thing day after day.
Then after Katrina, I made a decision. At the age of 42, I went back in. I quit my job (senior computer technician), and joined the Army. And 2 years later, I am still glad I did it. Most people think I am nuts, and most of those I work with are the age of my son. And they are constantly amazed at what this 44 year old man can do.
I have never been to college. The college program they had when I first entered frankly sucked eggs (look up "VEAP"). And the new one I am going to be able to transfer to my son next year. At my age it will do me little to no good, but it will do him a tremendous amount of good.
