I Have a Story to Tell

By Anonymous

“What is war like?” A question that almost always leads me to respond the same way – “Hard.” While I realize that may be a bit of an understatement, the single word response seems to get the point across. Thinking back on that period of my life, it’s easy for me to understand why I left. War is hard, and I wanted no more of it. I was tired, maybe even burnt out. For me, living a life that revolved around uncertainty and dire consequences eroded my inner peace. Despite being constantly surrounded by heavy weapons, and men who knew how to wield them, it felt impossible to maintain a sense of security. As my military career came to an end, I found myself yearning for simpler times. Times where I wouldn’t have to worry about getting a phone call at 0200 telling me to load up and get on a plane to some distant land. Times where I knew the next time I’d get to go surfing with my friends. Times that didn’t cause me to wonder if that phone call with my mom would potentially be the last.

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Toward a Democratic Military System

By Lulu

I am a woman and a former United States Marine. We are categorized as female Marines, not just Marines. Women are implicitly inferior to men in the military, especially in the Marine Corps. We are treated differently on account of our gender. We must work harder and longer to prove our worth. Some men will snicker at us frequently to let us know that we cannot keep up on hikes, shoot well, or survive in the field. Most of my time spent in the Marine Corps was a challenge to prove them wrong and that I am capable of everything they can do.

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Targeting Minorities for Enlistment

By Dana Araujo

My husband is currently serving in the U.S Navy. I was there when he decided to enlist in the military. This decision was something that he felt he had to do because he did not want to go to school and considering that the recruiter was also a minority they connected on that level. We have to realize that yes being a part of the military isn't the worst but there are so many other opportunities that could benefit you more. I began to notice this trend with my husband’s friends, many minorities being a part of the military because they thought that this was the only thing to do other than school. Another reason why many people join is because California has the highest active duty population, more specifically “​California has (159,380)” personnel (America’s promise alliance). Many of my husband’s friends just wanted to go to California and that is one reason why they joined.

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