Army Attitudes

Thinking in retrospect to Ana's comments in class about illegal aliens and military duty, I at last had remembered my friend Christina, whose Guatemalan mother, after fleeing from the Guatemalan Civil War in the 1980s, had enlisted in the US army. She received a college education as result, and thus moved her family up from severe poverty to the middle class Christina is at today. (Reading Annie's blog post and personal story triggered this memory, as well).

So... is the military a social-mobility solution for immigrants, as well? (See Annie's post).

I was an upper-class mentor for freshman students in my high school back home. Around 50% of the kids were Hispanic, most first-generation immigrants from Mexico. I did my best to advertise college and the rewards of diligently doing their homework every day. Yet, instead of enthusiasm for further schooling, once taking each student on a one-on-one conference, all I heard is "I'll just join the army."

Not only was I awestruck, I was angered, exasperated. Why weren't these kids listening? What was so attractive about the army? Had this been promoted within their families? Within their communities?

In all, was this one of the three: (1) an easy way out and good excuse for not performing well (for reasons of sheer laziness) in school, (2) a bamboozlement of the kids, who had been so impressed by the "Army of One/Army Strong" commercials (and service men at the cafeteria table), or, (3) a feasible solution (discussed with family, cogitated upon) to rise from their current social status?

Quite honestly, these terms of thinking I have elaborated only now. Previously my logic must have been much simpler. But now, as I connect the dots, I notice the certain immigrant allurement with military service might just have something to it.