Veterans working together for peace & justice through non-violence. Wage Peace!
Students and Youth
Thinking of joining the military after High School?
One of the most important choices you can make as you start to plan your future, and are considering the military, is to check out this page. It has facts and figures about the military you need to know before making an informed decision about joining one of the military branches.
We at Veterans For Peace believe that it is important to know the facts of military service, especially information that a military recruiter will not tell you, and then you should consider talking to a member of Veterans For Peace. It’s our goal to help you think through your interest in joining the military and make sure your decision is based on all the facts and aligns with your values.
On this page you will see information that anyone considering the military needs to know, a list of sources to help you consider alternatives to military service, and a link to connect with veterans who have the experience and perspective of what it is like to be part of the military.
Facts you should know about military service:
Joining the military is 8 years of your life. Is 8 years something you’re willing to commit to?
The military is usually not a good place to learn skills for a future civilian career.
You may be subject to “Stop Loss”—being called back to active duty at any point up to 8 years, and under certain conditions even being kept on active duty beyond the 8 years.
Many troops and veterans suffer PTSD and related issues such as suicide (average of 20 a day) and substance abuse due to their military experiences.
Over 30% of women in the military are victims of some form of sexual assault.
If you signed up for the Delayed Entry Program (Future Soldiers Program) and you change your mind about enlisting, you can just not report to boot camp with no consequences.
The fine print of the military enlistment contract says they can send you anywhere and order you to perform any duties that the military chooses. (3)
U.S. wars are not fought to defend our country, or even for freedom and democracy. U.S. wars are about keeping countries of the world in line with “our” interests. As a result, millions die, mostly civilians.
There have long been allegations that military recruiters give false information to prospective recruits (1), though this is against military law (2ucmj note).
Before you join the military we encourage you to consider the following questions:
Why do you want to enlist?
Have you been fully informed?
Are you willing to give up your rights?
Are you willing to kill (or be killed)?
Do you have other options? If you want to earn money for college, find adventure, or travel, don’t assume you must enlist. On this page you will find links to resources that can walk you through many options for thinking about jobs and careers, being of service to social needs, seeing the world, and paying for training or college.
If you want more information and sources regarding these facts, take the Military IQ Quiz on the right and review the answers.
Alternatives To Enlistment
Seattle Promise is a college tuition and success program launched by Seattle Colleges, Seattle Public Schools, and the City of Seattle following passage of the Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise (FEPP) Levy in 2018.
Seattle Promise has three core components:
Free tuition at any of the Seattle Colleges: North Seattle College, Seattle Central College or South Seattle College for up to two years, 90 credits or a student’s first degree, whichever comes first.
Equity scholarships, which provide flexible funding to students, for books, transportation, housing, etc. for those with financial need.
Student support and advising beginning in the junior year of high school and lasting through completion of a degree, certificate, credential or transfer to a four-year institution.
All Seattle Public High Schools graduates are eligible for the Seattle Promise program regardless of grade point average (GPA), income, ability or country of birth.
https://secure.lni.wa.gov/arts-public/#/all-programs
Typically, employers, employer associations, and labor unions sponsor apprenticeship programs. To find a program you are interested in, use the Apprenticeship Registration Tracking System (ARTS). This database is maintained by WA State Dept of Labor & Industries and it lists all registered apprenticeship programs available in Washington, and the requirements for each program. You should contact the program directly to see if they are accepting new apprentices.
A WORD OF CAUTION: If a company hires you informally as an “apprentice,” and the apprenticeship is not officially registered with the state or federal government, you will not receive the benefits of a registered apprenticeship, including working as a journey-level professional.
https://georgetown.southseattle.edu/apprenticeship-education-center
More than 3,000 apprentices from over 50 different trades attend classes weekdays, evenings and Saturdays at the Georgetown Campus of South Seattle College. All apprenticeship training programs listed below partner with South Seattle College to receive college credit for the related supplemental instruction portion of the programs.South Seattle College offers a pathway for Apprentices to earn an Associate of Applied Science – Transfer (AAS-T) Degree in Multi-Occupational Trades.
Seattle Maritime Academy ( via Seattle Central College)
The Seattle Central College’s Seattle Maritime Academy (SMA) provides the classroom instruction and hands-on training on working vessels that you need to prepare for a career in the regional and global maritime industry.SMA graduates fill vital roles in the maritime sector, including in commercial and passenger transportation, commercial fishing, deep sea sailing and the workboat industry.
A career in this exciting industry offers you:
Great pay and benefits with career advancement opportunities
The opportunity to work outdoors, and to travel at sea
The ability to increase your knowledge and skills in problem-solving critical thinking in a team-oriented environment.
Alternatives to the Military (National Network Opposing the Militarization of Youth (NNOMY))
The NNOMY website has a huge list of alternatives and resources for a range of opportunities that include: Schools/Scholarships, Internships/Training, Jobs, Civilian Corps, Cultural, Public Service, Sports, Travel, Volunteer, and more:
Project on Youth and Non-Military Opportunities (YANO)
Project YANO primarily serves young people who are looking for job training, wish to go to college or want to make a difference in other people’s lives — but they might not see enough opportunities to pursue, visit:
Students and Youth
Thinking of joining the military after High School?
One of the most important choices you can make as you start to plan your future, and are considering the military, is to check out this page. It has facts and figures about the military you need to know before making an informed decision about joining one of the military branches.
We at Veterans For Peace believe that it is important to know the facts of military service, especially information that a military recruiter will not tell you, and then you should consider talking to a member of Veterans For Peace. It’s our goal to help you think through your interest in joining the military and make sure your decision is based on all the facts and aligns with your values.
On this page you will see information that anyone considering the military needs to know, a list of sources to help you consider alternatives to military service, and a link to connect with veterans who have the experience and perspective of what it is like to be part of the military.
Facts you should know about military service:
Before you join the military we encourage you to consider the following questions:
If you want more information and sources regarding these facts, take the Military IQ Quiz on the right and review the answers.
Alternatives To Enlistment
Seattle Promise has three core components:
All Seattle Public High Schools graduates are eligible for the Seattle Promise program regardless of grade point average (GPA), income, ability or country of birth.
Typically, employers, employer associations, and labor unions sponsor apprenticeship programs. To find a program you are interested in, use the Apprenticeship Registration Tracking System (ARTS). This database is maintained by WA State Dept of Labor & Industries and it lists all registered apprenticeship programs available in Washington, and the requirements for each program. You should contact the program directly to see if they are accepting new apprentices.
A WORD OF CAUTION: If a company hires you informally as an “apprentice,” and the apprenticeship is not officially registered with the state or federal government, you will not receive the benefits of a registered apprenticeship, including working as a journey-level professional.
More than 3,000 apprentices from over 50 different trades attend classes weekdays, evenings and Saturdays at the Georgetown Campus of South Seattle College. All apprenticeship training programs listed below partner with South Seattle College to receive college credit for the related supplemental instruction portion of the programs.South Seattle College offers a pathway for Apprentices to earn an Associate of Applied Science – Transfer (AAS-T) Degree in Multi-Occupational Trades.
The Seattle Central College’s Seattle Maritime Academy (SMA) provides the classroom instruction and hands-on training on working vessels that you need to prepare for a career in the regional and global maritime industry.SMA graduates fill vital roles in the maritime sector, including in commercial and passenger transportation, commercial fishing, deep sea sailing and the workboat industry.
A career in this exciting industry offers you:
More information: https://maritime.seattlecentral.edu/
The NNOMY website has a huge list of alternatives and resources for a range of opportunities that include: Schools/Scholarships, Internships/Training, Jobs, Civilian Corps, Cultural, Public Service, Sports, Travel, Volunteer, and more:
Project YANO primarily serves young people who are looking for job training, wish to go to college or want to make a difference in other people’s lives — but they might not see enough opportunities to pursue, visit:
Military Law Task Force, NLG