USNA Midshipmen: Why I Want To Serve

U.S. Naval Academy midshipmen share what led them to want to serve their country in uniform.

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I'm sorry but is serving in the military "giving back?" I am very doubtful that a bunch of navy destroyers wandering about the oceans gives back to America. Yes you are protecting the country from some highly unlikely threat, but this isn't exactly giving back to "the people that helped you along the way" in the same way that money, jobs, education, or just love does. Maybe you're very patriotic and want to defend the country, but don't paint it like you're doing charity. To be honest, I would want to become an officer because of the money, the power, and to be part of a welcoming, disciplined community through which you can meet friends for life. I suspect many of these kids deep down are motivated by these reasons as well. I am admittedly anti-military, but regardless these kids could stand to be more honest with why they want to serve or at least take off their rose-tinted glasses and realize that joining an organization that specializes in taking people's lives is not as trivial a matter as "giving back." All these trite and naive remarks on giving back to the country are empty, unproductive, and straight up deceptive. At least the girl at 0:46 was honest about wanting to protect her family. 1:00 Saying you want to serve for peace is obviously very problematic. It's like they think what they're doing is in some way morally righteous when in reality, it's helping turn humans against each other and advance the regime of a single country of 197 (This is a whole other topic on nationalism vs globalization). I also don't see how serving in the military helps the American Dream. Maybe it does in some very indirect way but to say that's why you want to serve is just senseless. Sorry for ranting but this is something I'm quite opinionated about.