Does Military Service Turn Young Men Into Sexual Predators?

[Magda Hassan]

Magda:
Forgive the personal question but how did you come to be in the military at all? Was it required where you live?
Having been a devout pacifist my entire life and continually trying to talk young male offenders out of signing onto our war machine I have often wondered what occurs to cause people to seek out this life. Obviously poverty here in the US is a prime factor- young men receive a $20,000 sign on bonus. Misplaced "patriotism" especially after 9-11 is another culprit.

But you appear not to fit into any of the catagories that cause "normal human beings" to become part of an evil killing machine that allows, indeed promotes, war without end. You seem way too intelligent, peace-loving and politically aware of what war is really all about.

Dawn

No. Since we pulled out of Vietnam the military here has been all voluntary. No conscription. I have often wondered what possessed me to do it as well. Given that my life is quite surreal compared to most I think it basically came down to trying to get a 'real' job. Something I have little experience of before or since. My Private Benjamin moment if you like. I was studying and also applied for the Public Service at the same time but this came up first. It was quite an education being there and the rampant stupidity I saw there probably did much to make me a pacifist and radicalised me in other ways too. The areas I worked in there were not the usual branches of the military either. Not that I was their run of the mill recruit either.