Kathlyn Gay - The Military and Teens. The Ultimate Teen Guide

It Happened to Me

Series Editor: Arlene Hirschfelder

Books in the It Happened to Me series are designed for inquisitive teens digging for answers about certain illnesses, social issues, or lifestyle interests. Whether you are deep into your teen years or just entering them, these books are gold mines of up-to-date information, riveting teen views, and great visuals to help you figure out stuff. Besides special boxes highlighting singular facts, each book is enhanced with the latest reading lists, websites, and an index. Perfect for browsing, these books contain loads of expert information by acclaimed writers to help parents, guardians, and librarians understand teen illness, tough situations, and lifestyle choices.

1. Epilepsy: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Kathlyn Gay and Sean McGarrahan, 2002.

2. Stress Relief: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Mark Powell, 2002.

3. Learning Disabilities: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Penny Hutchins Paquette and Cheryl Gerson Tuttle, 2003.

4. Making Sexual Decisions: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by L. Kris Gowen, 2003.

5. Asthma: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Penny Hutchins Paquette, 2003.

6. Cultural DiversityConflicts and Challenges: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Kathlyn Gay, 2003.

7. Diabetes: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Katherine J. Moran, 2004.

8. When Will I Stop Hurting? Teens, Loss, and Grief: The Ultimate Teen Guide to Dealing with Grief, by Ed Myers, 2004.

9. Volunteering: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Kathlyn Gay, 2004.

10. Organ TransplantsA Survival Guide for the Entire Family: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Tina P. Schwartz, 2005.

11. Medications: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Cheryl Gerson Tuttle, 2005.

12. Image and IdentityBecoming the Person You Are: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by L. Kris Gowen and Molly C. McKenna, 2005.

13. Apprenticeship: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Penny Hutchins Paquette, 2005.

14. Cystic Fibrosis: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Melanie Ann Apel, 2006.

15. Religion and Spirituality in America: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Kathlyn Gay, 2006.

16. Gender Identity: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Cynthia L. Winfield, 2007.

17. Physical Disabilities: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Denise Thornton, 2007.

18. MoneyGetting It, Using It, and Avoiding the Traps: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Robin F. Brancato, 2007.

19. Self-Advocacy: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Cheryl Gerson Tuttle and JoAnn Augeri Silva, 2007.

20. Adopted: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Suzanne Buckingham Slade, 2007.

21. The Military and Teens: The Ultimate Teen Guide, by Kathlyn Gay, 2008.

KATHLYN GAY

It Happened to Me, No. 21

SCARECROW PRESS, INC.

Published in the United States of America
by Scarecrow Press, Inc.
A wholly owned subsidiary of
The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc.
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, Maryland 20706
www.scarecrowpress.com

Estover Road
Plymouth PL6 7PY
United Kingdom

Copyright 2008 by Kathlyn Gay

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Information Available

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Gay, Kathlyn.
The military and teens: the ultimate teen guide / Kathlyn Gay.
p. cm. (It happened to me; no. 21)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13: 978-0-8108-5801-5 (hbk. : alk. paper)
ISBN-10: 0-8108-5801-0 (hbk. : alk. paper)
1. United StatesArmed ForcesVocational guidance. 2. United StatesArmed ForcesRecruiting, enlistment, etc. 3. Military service, VoluntaryUnited States. 4. Conscientious objectorsUnited States. I. Title.
UB323.G38 2008
355.0023'73dc22 2007050480

The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information SciencesPermanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992.
Manufactured in the United States of America.

Evan Hoke is just one of the many young people planning to defend the nation. Another is Matthew Detrick, of Great Falls, Montana. When he was a high school senior in 2006, he explained that he intended to enlist in the military to protect America and the people in it.

teenager Evan Hoke of Pennsylvania

Although these comments represent the opinions of some Americans who are or could be defending the nation in war, many others express antiwar sentiments and have no intention of serving in the volunteer military. Conflicting opinions about military service are nothing new. The pros and cons of taking up arms have been articulated by Americans since colonial times.

As is well known, American colonists were divided in their views about waging war to gain freedom from British rule. Yet, an estimated 290,000 colonists fought in the war for

Some colonial youth became involved in the military when they were preteens, serving in militia drum-and-fife corps.

A REVOLUTIONARY DRAFT DODGER

Samuel Shelby, who was born in 1760, made no secret of the fact that he was a draft dodger during the Revolutionary War. He did enter the service at the age of twenty but not before he attempted to pass as an adolescent (he looked much younger than his actual age) to avoid the military. According to Shelbys own account published in a collection of military records, he:

enlisted under the following circumstances. There were two American officers came to my fathers at Canoe Brook [New Jersey] and desired a conveyance to Green Brook. My father sent me with them. This was in the month of March. I traveled in a sleigh across the fields and over the fences.... When we arrived at Green Brook, I was asked concerning my age. I told them I was twelve. They let me pass and I returned home. When I reached home... an orderly sergeant in the army came and inquired my age. I told him the same thing. He then went to an old aunt of mine who was ignorant of his purpose, and from her he learned the truth. He then said to me, My fine fellow... Do you not know that there is a heavy fine if you do not join the army when you get to your age? I told him I did not. He then carried me off to Green Brook on a sleigh. When there [they] told me I had better enlist for nine months and then they would give me clear, and I accordingly did so.