I Thought This Was Supposed to Be the Army

This is too good to pass up: Web addicts escape army conscription.

Doctors have found the young men miss their computers too much to cope with their compulsory six months in the forces.

Yes, I know this is the Finnish Army, but it's the army right?

When I was in basic training, there was a guy in there who faked a back injury to get out. I remember him crying each night the first week. He just couldn't take it. In fact, a drill sergeant later told me it was very common for people to fake illnesses, tragedy, or insanity to get out during basic training.

Granted, there are some mental illnesses you certainly don't want in the military. One guy in basic with me was washed out for his inability to pass the psychological exam. It was pretty easy, too. The questions ran like: "How do you feel today?", "Do you feel good about decisions you make?", and "Do you find your German Shepherds's butt attractive?". I think we all know how to answer questions like that. However, this guy didn't answer the questions like a normal person. Our drill sergeant pointed out, in formation, that he was a getting washed out for mental reasons. I can't be sure, and I'm no psychiatrist, but I think it's a bad idea to publicly humiliate somebody who can't pass an entry-level military psych exam, especially as he's about to be released back into the world.

I'm sort of old-school when it comes to thinking about addictions. It's behavior, not disease. Military training is behavior modification. You would think that if there is a group of people out there who can't stop one-handed surfing for a few weeks, the military is the perfect rehabilitative environment. Who else is going to tell you to quit crying like a little school girl because you miss www.hotandhairyeasterneuropegirls.fi? Who else is going to stop you from playing Age of Empires until you are too fat to pull yourself up the stairs of your mother's basement? I thought that's what the military is supposed to be about.

Hey, suck it up and do your duty! (He says as he finishes this blog entry and posts it on the Web.)

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