What explains the disparity of outcome in people who join the military? (lemmy.ml)

submitted 4 days ago by Subject6051@lemmy.ml to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

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American culture seems to be rife with men who went to the Marines and after being discharged of duty went on to either lead successful lives or who's life took a turn for the worse and ended up on the street.

Of c, the two groups are not equal in numbers and the third much larger group lies in between these two groups. Now, I still am interested in the disparity between the extremes. Why do some people who join the Marines go on to create an over represent the Marines amount the successful, while others end up on the street? They are all given a clean slate somewhat and are exposed to the exact same environment, what do the successful learn which the unsuccessful don't?

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[-] mosiacmango@lemm.ee 4 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Excellent points. The military is a human endeavor, and is just as rife with all the same issues as any other organization, with all the expected biases. Boot camp is tiny part of overall service, and honestly barely relevant to the day to day. Mostly, you will have the same experience in the military as out, just with added hardships. People are still people, even when in uniform.

An attractive, fit, nuerotypical, charming person will have a much better experience than someone out of sorts with the above.

The military doesnt stamp you and everyone elese into the same person. It just presses you into a specific shape to do the specific task they need. Everything else is still there, if not exacerbated by the trauma of it all. They earnestly dont give a shit if that task destroys or improves you, as long as you do the task for the time allotted.

Different outcomes happen because people are different.

this post was submitted on 15 Dec 2024

58 points (92.6% liked)

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