Serving in the military does more harm than good.

I apologize for the late reply but I really wanted to make a good argument with a lot of research. This is going to be a very interesting debate. Here is why I feel that for the average individual, serving in the military is bad idea and does them more harm than good. I will argue 6 main points:1) Risk of death or injury(a) RisksMore than 50,000 people died in the war on terrorism [2]. Over 50,000 US soldiers died in the Korean War and over a 100,000 were wounded [3]. Over 50,000 died in the Vietnam war and over a 150,000 were wounded [4]. With such staggering numbers, the risk of injury or death is not negligible. (b) After-effects of physical injuriesNow that we have seen that soldiers get injured in war, lets see what happens when they return with those injuries. Two of the major physical injuries suffered by personnel in current engagements are traumatic amputations and burns [5]. As of August 1, 2008, more than 1,200 service members had suffered amputations [5]. Because of these, military personnel may come back with missing arms or legs unable to enjoy the same quality of life that they otherwise could have.2) Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)While physical injuries may leave former military personnel disabled and unable to live the life of an able-bodied person, the effects of psychological injuries could be just as bad. PTSD affects between 5 to 15 percent of servicemembers [1, page 54]. According to Mayo clinic "Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event" [6]. This is a huge blow to the quality of life of a former soldier.3) Authoritaran chain of command(a) Cannot choose the warIt starts with the president and the US government. They are the ones that decide whether to go to war. They also have a record of engaging in wars such as the Iraq war which have proved to be generally unpopular with the public. Engaging in unpopular wars increases the death toll and individual soldiers have no control over which wars they would like to fight. So, they will not be fighting for something that they believe in, but rather for something that the government believes in, even if the majority of the nation including the soldier, disagrees. (b) Stifles creativity Soldiers have a very authoritarian chain of command in which they must obey their superior officers at all times. While this may be beneficial during wartime, it crushes the individual soldiers creative spirit. They would not be able to function with the same amount of creativity and free thinking that they would if they had graduated from college and just moved on into the corporate world. While a certain respect for supervisors is necessary in the corporate world, it is far from the authoritarianism at the military where the individual is forced to let go of their individual identity and become a part of the group. 4) Sex MisconductSexual Harassment of women is unacceptably high. According to an annual report by the department of defense [7], there were over 3000 cases of sexual assault in 2009 alone. 12.9% of women and indicated recieving unwanted sexual contact[8]. And here is the biggest issue: 56% of women and 12% of men indicated experiencing sexual harassment. So the military is not just a hostile environment for women but also for men. 5) Delay of veteran's benefitsAlmost 30,000 war veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars are still waiting for the Department of Veterans Affairs to distribute checks to pay for their tuition and living expenses [9]. Veteran's benefits are not something that can be counted on to arrive on time. The country is facing a budget crisis, and the government will always put the interest of the nation first. The individual soldier gets screwed over.6) Discharge and military recordThe military controls where the soldier is placed, and when and whether he can leave. If a servicemember is dishonorably discharged for some reason, there entire career will be damaged. Employment applications commonly ask if members in the military were discharged by any standard other than honorable. While the servicemember serves in the military, they also do not have a right to a trial in a civilian court. In fact, cowardice can be sentenced with death [10]. It is natural for people to feel afraid while in combat. Subjecting themselves to a situation where they can be killed for running away does not help them in any circumstance. Of course, it helps the nation by keeping the soldiers in line but I don't see the benefit to the servicemember. ConclusionIt cannot be denied that every nation needs a powerful military service, if not to attack, then at least to defend themselves. However, from the arguments that I have given, from a purely selfish and individualistic point of view, the individual's potential risks outweigh any benefits. Given a choice, the average person should not join the military as he has much more to lose that to gain. Sources[1] . http://www.rand.org...[2] . http://siadapp.dmdc.osd.mil...[3] . http://siadapp.dmdc.osd.mil...[4] . http://siadapp.dmdc.osd.mil...[5] . http://www.fas.org...[6] . http://www.mayoclinic.com...[7] . http://www.sapr.mil...[8] . http://www.sapr.mil...[9] . http://www.thedenverchannel.com...[10] . http://usmilitary.about.com...