There is more than one way to serve your country...

Via 1001 Rules for my unborn son

1. Decide your own life, don’t let another person run or rule you.

2. When in town, always respect the local law and officials, and try to be a gentleman at all times.

3. Don’t take advantage of someone who is in a vulnerable situation, locals or other hoboes.

4. Always try to find work, even if temporary, and always seek out jobs nobody wants. By doing so you not only help a business along, but insure employment should you return to that town.

5. When no employment is available, make your own work by using your added talents at crafts.

6. Do not allow yourself to become a stupid drunk and set a bad example for locals treatment of other hoboes.

7. When jungling in town, respect handouts, do not wear them out, another hobo will be coming along who will need them as bad, if not worse than you.

8. Always respect nature, do not leave garbage where you are jungling.

9. If in a community jungle, always pitch in and help.

10. Try to stay clean, and boil up wherever possible.

11. When traveling, ride your train respectfully, take no personal chances, cause no problems with the operating crew or host railroad, act like an extra crew member.

12. Do not cause problems in a train yard. Another hobo will be coming along who will need passage thru that yard.

13. Do not allow other hoboes to molest children, expose to authorities all molesters, they are the worst garbage to infest any society.

14. Help all runaway children, and try to induce them to return home.

15. Help your fellow hoboes whenever and wherever needed, you may need their help someday.

16. If present at a hobo court and you have testimony, give it, whether for or against the accused, your voice counts!

Hobo Code, Annual Convention Congress of the Hoboes of America, Chicago, 1894

Via The Barstool Romantic

Soldier Suicide

So I happened across this article, and as psychiatry is one of my main interests in the Army, it peaked my interest. Of course all of you have heard LTC Griggs talk about suicides, but this article provides a more cumulative look at what has been happening.
A brief summary is that suicide rates in the military are booming, much faster than civilian rates. Bloomberg report has discovered that current trends (if mental care remains as is) could cause the suicide deaths of Iraq/Afghanistan to exceed the combat death toll.
Overall, I'm not sure if the Army is going in the right direction. They have been setting up virtual buddies, which involve identifying a situation and then making the obvious choice between "notify a health professional" or "ignore the situation."
I think more statistics need to be analyzed on problems of suicidees. Were they unhappy with a relationship, being separated, having problems with the military, or substance abuse. Also it is important to discover whether the military drives people to depression and suicide, or whether depressed and suicidal people are more likely to join the military.
I'll just end with... Cadet Command has lost enough good cadets; watch out for your buddy.