Wow, the selfishness of some kids today...
The article linked to the title is about a kid, Mitch Harris, who recently graduated from the US Naval Academy as an ensign. How this works is, about five years ago, he accepted a sholarship from the Academy in order to play baseball and receive a free college education. All the academy asked of him in return was six years of service upon graduation. Six years... Not a lot of time when you consider the dollar value of what was given to him. However, Mitch was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cards want him to play ball for them, which in and of itself is fine, but Mitch thinks the world revolving around him should obligate him to special dispensation. This spoiled brat took a scholarship away from some deserving kid who wanted nothing more than to serve his country. Mitch Harris is a sniveling brat who needs a spanking.
However, good ole Mitch was obviously raised by wonderful parents, parents who taught him he was entitled to whatever he wanted because he was a baseball star, wants out of his military obligation in order to play baseball.
I live near a military installation. I see kids come and go here, every day, that are younger than good ole Mitch who wouldn't DREAM of asking of the government what Mitch is asking of them. All these kids are going to Iraq as soon as their training is done and they know it. Do they balk? Hell no. They RUN to the chance to serve their country and they're getting a lot less from their government than good old Mitch has already gotten.
See, Mitch has a huge sense of entitlement, probably from playing ball and being treated like a little prince his whole life. He was obviously raised in a household that places a higher value on sports than moral obligation to a country that has given him and his family so much. I'm just spitballing here but I'll venture the theory his family is on welfare too. For good ole Mitch to have that sense of entitlement, he was obviously raised by a pair of takers. Ask not what you can do for your country - ask what your country can do for you.
I say this kid needs to serve his country in the military, not because he's already legally obligated to do so, which he is, but because he needs to learn the lesson of serving a higher purpose if for no other reason than you can.
Good Ole Mitch needs a lesson or two in humility. Put him on a ship where he has to share his sleeping quarters with a few other smelly guys. He has to shower with more than a few people and his clothes are washed along with those of about three hundred others. Good Ole Mitch needs to be brought down a peg or two and learn about patriotism and sense of purpose.
Were I in his chain of command, someone who was responsible for signing off on whether he could get out or not, I'd put a big, fat REJECTED on that request form and make Good Old Mitch serve his six years as active duty. What a whiny little bitch.
