Can you imagine putting your life on the line every day of your life for at least four years? Soldiers, Sailors, Airman and Marines do that every day for a living.
Some sailors are overseas for six months and are only allowed 30 days of paid leave every year. Soldiers and Marines can go nine months without being home for a substantial amount of time with only the same amount of leave Sailors get.
So you have to ask yourself why? Why would a person put their life on the line for average pay and being away from home for so long.
For some people, it’s the education advantages. According to Terry Howell of Military.com, an average admission to a college is around $22,261 a year. If you go for four years it will cost around $90,000 and that is not including the fees, housing, meals and book cost. But with the Montgomery G.I. Bill (MGIB) and the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill, people in the military or veterans can get into college with their college cost significantly decreased, some only having to pay the cost of the books.
According to the U.S. Labor Department, an enlisted person in their first few years of serving gets $1,516.43 a month which is only a few hundred dollars more than the average monthly salary of a high school drop out. The thing is that everything that they would need to buy is already taken care of for them. They get housing, food and medical services for a lot cheaper than other people.
Some military members join for the travel. They can be stationed in Europe, Guam, Hawaii or anywhere in the United States. Another thing is that the military will move you, your family and your household goods for free.
Others join for the patriotism and honor. They like that they protect and serve the people of the United States. And they want to give back to their country as others have done generations before them. They take pride in the fact that people rest easy at night because the military is always on guard.
The military has been putting their life on the line for us since 1776, through thick and thin, from the Cold War to the War on Terror. Even though we can not grasp why they risk their lives for us, they will continue to protect us until the end. They might go in for different reasons: education benefits, monetary benefits, travel, or honor. However, they all have in common that they are risking their lives, and it can not be put into words to describe the sacrifices they make for us.