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My youngest sister has just turned 16 and about to receive her GCSE results this week, she cannot buy a drink in a pub, drive or vote but she could join the Army, she could even choose to commit herself to the life of a soldier until she was 22. All this before she could even vote for those deciding her fate.
This might not be her choice but for many young people in Wales it is as the number of Welsh Army recruits has increased by 15% this year and the number of those between 16-24 is double the UK average figure.
The age group is facing a particularly hard time at the moment, the TUC has said that this is a tough time for young people looking for work or seeking further education and warns of losing a whole generation of talented people to debt and unemployment.
I can't help thinking that the Army are benefiting from the young, disadvantaged and out of work. Especially in poorer areas such as Wales.
I remember the soldier seeking Army recruits coming to school to discuss joining the Army before I sat my GCSE exams and how attractive they made it sound, especially for those not wanting to stay in school after they were 16. In the face of long term unemployment I can imagine that it is an even more viable option for many 16 year olds today.
I don't know about you, but sending 16 year old children to join the Army doesn't sit right with me.
I think this might be the case for many people as Britain is the only country in the European Union that allows the Army to go into schools looking for their future soldiers.
At the moment the choice for many young people in Wales is between long term unemployment or learning to be a soldier and being sent to far away countries to kill other young people. Is it time for us to ask how we feel about this?
How moral is it to allow 16 year olds to become soldiers before they've even been allowed to vote in a democratic election? If they are still children and unable to make a decision on who to vote for in an election then why allow them to make a decision that could affect their lives so dramatically, such as joining the army? At least give them the chance to change their minds when they become adults.
But then, what jobs are there for former soldiers? And how many would have the bravery to tell the Army that they had changed their minds and wanted to leave?
The Army recruiters at our school described it as an apprenticeship, an opportunity to see the world and gain qualifications; but what other apprenticeship could mean spending time in a military prison or getting yourself killed?
Follow Sian Powell on Twitter: www.twitter.com/@sianbpowell
Alex Dyer: Which A-Levels to Choose After You've Received Your GCSE Results?
What have morals anythything to do with allowing or not allowing 16 year old children the vote? It's a bit inflationary and quite frankly mischief making. Besides don't think for a minutes the youg will vote Troy - not a chance. Every time I read this article I cannot help thinking it is absolutley naive. At 16 yrs a boy or girl are but mere cadets and simply would not be employed to fight as at that age they do not know one end of a rifle from another. Where do you get your information? As for dropping the voting age to 16yrs why, when only 20-25% of those of voting age bother to even turn up to vote?
AVOID ALL THEIR CONCERTS AND FUNFAIRS, STREET PARTIES AND ALL THE NONSENSES THEY USE TO WASTE YOUR TIME AND POISON YOU AGAINST YOU. THINK FOR YOURSELVES. KNOW WHAT YOU EAT AND DRINK. JUST GET TO KNOW U AND LEAD YOURSELF. SEE WHAT THEY ARE TRYING TO DO TO PRESIDENT OBAMA? HE IS NOT ONE WITH THEM. THEY ARE DOING THEY USED TO DO TO GET HIM ON BOARD. WE MUST STAND WITH HIM THROUGH HIS TWO TERMS IN PRESIDENCY AND BEYOND. HE IS FIGHTING FOR ALL. WE MUST SHOW OUR SUPPORT OPENLY TO SHAME OUR OPPRESSORS. PRAISES. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BELIEVE IN RELIGION OR DEITY. JUST KNOW YOU AND YOUR ENVIRONMENT, HURT NO ONE THAT HURTS YOU NOT. MEAN GOOD AND LIVE FOR BEST AND BE HAPPY FOR ALL FAIRLY. PRAISES PRAISES PRAISES
PEOPLE, I AM NOT JOKING. MATERIAL IMPOVERISHMENT AND FINANCIAL POVERTY IS THE BIGGEST DISEASE EVER IMPOSED ON US. WE MUST FIGHT IT HERE THE HEADQUARTER OF ALL OPPRESSIONS. OUR FREEDOM HERE WILL SET ALL FREE. PEOPLE AND BABES LET DO IT. CERTAINLY OUR PURPOSES ARE BEAUTIFULLY SURE.
HEALTHCARE IS DENIED TO ALL AND MEDICATING EVERYONE IS THE IMPLICIT PRACTICES. WE MUST BE GIVEN HEALTHCARE ALLOWANCE FOR US TO BUY OUR DUE HEALTH NEEDS FROM WHERE IT IS USEFUL FOR US.
ARE WE NOT ALL DUE TRANSPORT AS THE STATE RULERS AND THE GOVERNMENT AND THEIR FELLOWS? TRAVELING ALLOWANCE FOR ALL IRRESPECTIVE. ALLOWANCE THAT ENABLE CHOICES AS THEY TAKE FROM OUR WEALTH.
EDUCATION MUST BE FREE FROM KINDERGARTEN TO FIRST DEGREE AND OR ITS EQUIVALENT IN BLUE COLLAR WORK TRAINING. EDUCATION IS THE MOST ECONOMIC MULTIPLIER WITHOUT BLOODSHED AND OR WARS. WE MUST BE ALL EDUCATED AND NOT ONLY THE FEW TO RULE US.
RULERS OF THE STATE AND THE GOVERNMENT MUST GO BACK TO THE BOARDROOMS FOR POLICIES THAT MEET OUR NEEDS TO ENABLE US LIVE AND SECURE OUR DESIRES WITHOUT HAVING TO KILL AND LOOT AS THEY HAVE DONE AND INSTRUCT US TO FOLLOW SUITE.
ANOTHER TROUBLING ISSUE IS EDUCATION, HEALTHCARE, HOUSING AND TRANSPORT. ALL THE RULERS OF THE STATE AND THE GOVERNMENT AND THEIR DESCENDERS ARE SO PRIVILEGED AND HAVE EXCESS MATERIAL WEALTH IN THEIR CONTROL, YET THEY WERE AND ARE STILL GIVEN FREE EDUCATION, HEALTHCARE, HOUSING(OF THEIR CHOICE/PALACES, MANSIONS WITH HUGE GARDENS, GARAGES FOR SEVERAL CARS, AND EVEN SWIMMING POOLS AND ALL SORTS OF LEISURE FACILITIES. TODAY ESPECIALLY, THE STATE AND THE GOVERNMENT AND THEIR FELLOWS LOCK US ALL OUT: INCLUDING AND MOSTLY CHILDREN, THE ELDERLY, TEENAGERS, THE UNDER THIRTY FIVES, AND THE EXCEPTIONALLY CHALLENGED PEOPLE. SPACE IS THE MOST VITAL FACTOR IN HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND FUNCTIONAL PRODUCTIVITY. IT STARTS FROM EVEN THE WOMB AND ESPECIALLY FROM INFANCY THROUGH THE AGING DURATION. ALL HUMAN BEINGS ARE THE SAME. TROUBLES AND WARS HAPPEN IN FAMILIES,