Signing Up and Staying Home..
on
Wednesday, June 3, 2009, 12:28pm
A year ago I was a young person looking for opportunities to gain job skills, find adventure, and serve my community. Theoretical discussions and the occasional protest wasn't enough — I wanted to be doing something that would make a difference in a concrete way. I was ready for physical and mental challenges, and to be tested in ways that I never had been. That's when I signed up. Six months, a physical, screening and few tests later, I was in. My life would never be the same — I had joined my local emergency response fire and rescue department.
When reading the first few sentences of this post, did you assume that I was referring to enlisting in the military? I bet many people did, and I think this showcases a major problem for those of us who are trying to encourage folks to find alternatives to enlisting. Where can young people find opportunities to gain skills and give back while doing work that feels meaningful? All though there are many myths and outright lies about what the military can and does provide to youth, it's not hard to see why young folks don't think there are many other options, especially if there's a family tradition of military service, the person is not adapted to the current education system, or they feel an urgency to act and are unsure how else to do so.
When speaking to friends and peers about their decisions to join the military (and/or the decisions of loved ones to do the same), many people have said that they were looking for skills and, surprisingly, discipline. I heard from several people that they were not challenged enough in high school and felt that they needed the organization that an institution like the army or the marines would force upon them. My own partner has said that he still occasionally considers joining because there's not enough of a civilian service corps. to fulfill the skill/ service gap that military fills. My partner has been an anti-war activist his entire adult life — but he's interested in disaster relief and wants the skills to do the intricate infrastructure work required to lead efficient, pragmatic and humanistic relief efforts in disaster areas. He'll be the first to point out that the US armed forces is not the ideal choice for learning how to be efficient, pragmatic or humanistic, and he's not serious about enlisting (or at least, he better not be), but where else can he learn these skills and be paid for it? This is the problem..
Personally, I had been feeling the need to provide a concrete, necessary service to my community and gain skills that could be transferred to a broad array of situations. I had been a street medic (providing first aid at political actions, marches and rallies) for a few years, but wanted more training and to be able to broaden the scope of who I worked with beyond strictly activist circles. A friend of mine was a volunteer EMT at a local fire station, and suggested that I come check it out. The first time I rode in an ambulance responding to a 911 call, I was hooked. I loved the fast pace, the adrenaline rush of responding to a crisis, and the way the EMTs, paramedics and fire fighters were able to remain calm under pressure and provide help and relief to those in immediate need. Since joining, I have become a licensed EMT and average roughly 20 hours of volunteer service a week. I don't get paid, I'm up all night, I miss out on parties and happy hours — and I love it. It's one of the most fulfilling things I have ever done; the relationships, skills and preparedness that I've gained in even the short amount of time I've been in the fire service are absolutely priceless.
My situation is a fortunate one. I was able to find an opportunity to gain the skills and do the work that I'm really passionate about. Even better, there is a volunteer infrastructure in our county that allows me to get my training (pretty much all the training I care to get) for free. I strongly feel that this a model that needs to be expanded upon in other areas, and that the organizations that are providing alternatives to the military (and there are a few) need not only our support, but our endorsement to our friends, neighbors and communities. For example, Teach for America, the Lutheran Volunteer Corps., and City Year are examples of organizations that offer opportunities to youth. These organizations help to fill the void, but we need more opportunities, especially paid opportunities for youth if we're truly serious about keeping kids out of the armed services. The moral argument is not enough. We have to provide real, tangible opportunities that give youth the chance to gain these skills and experience outside of military service or (unless we can train and pay them ourselves) we don't have much to offer when youth ask "well, what else can I do?"
Luckily, this work has already been started. The American Friends Service Committee publishes a fabulous book on alternatives to the military, with ideas, organizations and information for youth. You can check it out at www.afsc.org/itsmylife. Also, The Center on Conscious and War has an excellent state-by-state resource guide for youth looking for training and job opportunities, which you can see here: http://www.centeronconscience.org/alternatives/index.shtml
I am incredibly happy with my decision to join the fire service. Having been able to cultivate my skills, I'm now considering a career in medicine. Because of the opportunities that have been made available to me, I'm doubly committed to helping other young people find opportunities that will allow them to gain skills and knowledge without having to enlist, whatever their passion may be. If you're considering fire and rescue services, be in touch — I'd be happy to talk about it and offer my thoughts.
Oh, and if you hear of any disaster relief orgs. (besides the Red Cross and FEMA) let me know and I'll pass the info along. In the meantime, please keep sharing ideas and resources with each other — let's give our youth the chance to create the better world we're all working for.
When reading the first few sentences of this post, did you assume that I was referring to enlisting in the military? I bet many people did, and I think this showcases a major problem for those of us who are trying to encourage folks to find alternatives to enlisting. Where can young people find opportunities to gain skills and give back while doing work that feels meaningful? All though there are many myths and outright lies about what the military can and does provide to youth, it's not hard to see why young folks don't think there are many other options, especially if there's a family tradition of military service, the person is not adapted to the current education system, or they feel an urgency to act and are unsure how else to do so.
When speaking to friends and peers about their decisions to join the military (and/or the decisions of loved ones to do the same), many people have said that they were looking for skills and, surprisingly, discipline. I heard from several people that they were not challenged enough in high school and felt that they needed the organization that an institution like the army or the marines would force upon them. My own partner has said that he still occasionally considers joining because there's not enough of a civilian service corps. to fulfill the skill/ service gap that military fills. My partner has been an anti-war activist his entire adult life — but he's interested in disaster relief and wants the skills to do the intricate infrastructure work required to lead efficient, pragmatic and humanistic relief efforts in disaster areas. He'll be the first to point out that the US armed forces is not the ideal choice for learning how to be efficient, pragmatic or humanistic, and he's not serious about enlisting (or at least, he better not be), but where else can he learn these skills and be paid for it? This is the problem..
Personally, I had been feeling the need to provide a concrete, necessary service to my community and gain skills that could be transferred to a broad array of situations. I had been a street medic (providing first aid at political actions, marches and rallies) for a few years, but wanted more training and to be able to broaden the scope of who I worked with beyond strictly activist circles. A friend of mine was a volunteer EMT at a local fire station, and suggested that I come check it out. The first time I rode in an ambulance responding to a 911 call, I was hooked. I loved the fast pace, the adrenaline rush of responding to a crisis, and the way the EMTs, paramedics and fire fighters were able to remain calm under pressure and provide help and relief to those in immediate need. Since joining, I have become a licensed EMT and average roughly 20 hours of volunteer service a week. I don't get paid, I'm up all night, I miss out on parties and happy hours — and I love it. It's one of the most fulfilling things I have ever done; the relationships, skills and preparedness that I've gained in even the short amount of time I've been in the fire service are absolutely priceless.
My situation is a fortunate one. I was able to find an opportunity to gain the skills and do the work that I'm really passionate about. Even better, there is a volunteer infrastructure in our county that allows me to get my training (pretty much all the training I care to get) for free. I strongly feel that this a model that needs to be expanded upon in other areas, and that the organizations that are providing alternatives to the military (and there are a few) need not only our support, but our endorsement to our friends, neighbors and communities. For example, Teach for America, the Lutheran Volunteer Corps., and City Year are examples of organizations that offer opportunities to youth. These organizations help to fill the void, but we need more opportunities, especially paid opportunities for youth if we're truly serious about keeping kids out of the armed services. The moral argument is not enough. We have to provide real, tangible opportunities that give youth the chance to gain these skills and experience outside of military service or (unless we can train and pay them ourselves) we don't have much to offer when youth ask "well, what else can I do?"
Luckily, this work has already been started. The American Friends Service Committee publishes a fabulous book on alternatives to the military, with ideas, organizations and information for youth. You can check it out at www.afsc.org/itsmylife. Also, The Center on Conscious and War has an excellent state-by-state resource guide for youth looking for training and job opportunities, which you can see here: http://www.centeronconscience.org/alternatives/index.shtml
I am incredibly happy with my decision to join the fire service. Having been able to cultivate my skills, I'm now considering a career in medicine. Because of the opportunities that have been made available to me, I'm doubly committed to helping other young people find opportunities that will allow them to gain skills and knowledge without having to enlist, whatever their passion may be. If you're considering fire and rescue services, be in touch — I'd be happy to talk about it and offer my thoughts.
Oh, and if you hear of any disaster relief orgs. (besides the Red Cross and FEMA) let me know and I'll pass the info along. In the meantime, please keep sharing ideas and resources with each other — let's give our youth the chance to create the better world we're all working for.
