Proffession_of_Arms

In a perfect world the Army would without a doubt be a “Profession of Arms”, a professional organization with professional Soldiers all striving to accomplish the mission for the welfare of the United States. However, the definition of what it takes to be a Professional Soldier according to the White Paper on the “Profession of Arms” which discusses the attributes needed to be a Professional Soldier are no longer an important factor when it comes to joining the Army. Because of this, the United States Military is not a “Profession of Arms” for several reasons. First of all, today’s Soldier doesn’t always join to be a part of the call of duty, to defend the nation, or for the satisfaction of a job well done; they join to get a steady job. As a member of the military, I have seen a dramatic decline in the professional quality of Soldiers enlisting in the military. I feel that you must first commit to being a Soldier and honor our military traditions. Instead Soldiers are joining the military because of the ever-growing need to survive in an economic crisis. Once you secure a job in the military, it is yours; there are no layoffs. Apart from a steady paycheck and fulltime employment, the Army has additional benefits and enlistment bonuses. For those who are married with dependents, there is additional pay, such as, basic allowance for housing (BAH) and basic allowance for sustenance (BAS). Depending on the duty location BAH can be several thousand dollars, which can be considered extra income. I had a Soldier in Korea, and he joined the military for the medical benefits because his wife needed a very expensive type of medical treatment. The military has the best medical benefits. Soldiers and their family members receive comprehensive health care providing for general health care, dental, and vision is another reason why Soldiers join or stay in the military. Rising medical costs and skyrocketing insurance premiums can make it difficult to afford quality medical care. This level of high-quality health-care coverage is getting harder and harder to find in the civilian sector. Most people do not join the military wanting to going into combat and kill. In fact, most join hoping to never see combat. I hear this all the time on deployments; “I did not join the Army to do this. I joined for the college money.” The military has an array of educational benefits. In terms of education, there is Tuition Assistance (TA) for active duty Soldiers, which is $4500.00 a year. There is the Montgomery G.I. Bill, which is available to service members to help with education and training costs. Soldiers invest $1200.00 and can receive over $50,000.00 worth of education benefits. Also, there is the Post-911 G.I. Bill that can be used for on the job training, apprenticeships, and non-college degree programs. Furthermore, for those who have already attained a degree and are unemployed, there are student loan repayment plans that can pay up to $65,000 for active duty soldiers. In 2009, the Army Profession of Arms campaign was started for Soldiers and leaders to understand what it means to be a professional. The military needs to get back to the basics. Soldiers do not join today for honor, tradition, and/or wanting to be a part of a team. The unemployment rate is at an all time high. Despite two wars, Soldiers are joining the military more and more to have a secure job with benefits for themselves and family members. Because of these reasons, Soldiers do not join the Army to become professional Soldiers. This is why the United States Army is currently not a “Profession of Arms”.