In an all-volunteer military, the task of recruiting new soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines is a daunting one for America’s armed forces. Millions of dollars and thousands of manhours are devoted every year to convince young people to volunteer and serve their country.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., wants to stop all of that.
It’s not fair to poor kids that the military offers them a stable career while serving their country, she claimed.
[Sponsored] Warning: If you make love at least once a month… [seniors only]“Whether through recruitment stations in their lunchrooms, or now through e-sports teams, children in low-income communities are persistently targeted for enlistment,” Ocasio-Cortez said in a statement, published by The New York Times.
“In many public high schools where military recruiters have a daily presence, there is not even a counselor,” she continued. “As a result, the military stops feeling like a ‘choice’ and starts feeling like the only option for many young, low-income Americans.”
The U.S. military “can for some provide a rewarding career” for some, but she doesn’t want the military offering itself to poor students as a career option.
Ocasio-Cortez claimed, without evidence, that “low-income Americans are not being given anywhere near the same information or access to trade schools, college or other post-graduate opportunities.”
In reality, service members of every branch are offered free college classes, free meals and lodging, free healthcare, can earn an undergraduate degree at low to little cost, and have access to the military G.I. Bill.
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“While in service, members have access to up to $4,500 a year in Tuition Assistance. TA is paid to the school on a per class basis. Servicemembers can also use GI Bill benefits. The centerpiece of armed services educational benefits is the GI Bill which encompasses several Department of Veterans Affairs education programs including the Post-9/11 GI Bill, The Montgomery GI Bill for Active Duty and Veterans (MGIB-AD), Montgomery GI Bill for Selected Reserves (MGIB-SR),the Fry Scholarship, the Spouse and Dependents Education Assistance (DEA), and the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) program,” Military.com says.
Servicemembers “may be eligible for more than one educational benefit. Remember that each service has its own tuition assistance programs, college funds and other means that may be able to help you in ways beyond those of the ‘standard’ benefits.”
Ocasio-Cortez’ statement comes after the U.S. Army’s digital recruiting platform, where an eSports team would compete, was found to be censoring anti-American statements.
The Army shut down it’s streaming recruitment platform after criticism.
The Horn editorial team