Just a thought or two on military members and college students. In many ways, the young people who enlist in the military are an elite group. Why do I say this? Roughly only 25% of all American youth meet the qualifications to enlist (this is a figure I learned from recruiters). They must meet the stringent requirements of educational, physical fitness, medical, drug/substance abuse, criminal history and security screening. Many of these kids must also test very high to secure training in advanced technological fields. In some ways, it is far harder to qualify for enlistment than it is to gain admission to a college.
For some enlistees, the military is their route to higher education. Many will take college courses while in uniform. Many will continue after they leave the service by using their well-earned veterans’ benefits. All will benefit from the discipline, training and experiences they gain while serving their country.
Obviously, I am proud to be a chaplain to these amazing young people. Remember, less than 1% of the population have worn the uniform and protected the other 99%.
But with that said, they do indeed have a lot in common with their peers who go directly into college. They are young. They have profound spiritual needs (accentuated for service members by the fact that they can be sent forward on short notice into life and death situations). Many of them have never heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ and are clueless as to what a pastor might be. They are making decisions that will affect them for the rest of their lives. When you take away the outward differences between a student at a college and (for example) a Marine Lance Corporal, what you find is pretty much the same person.
