Yes, it is terrible,but not for the people who are on active duty, and who have become part of the system.
It's terrible because the country has significant geographic holes with active duty forces, especially the Army. The Mid-Atlantic, from Philadelphia north, through New England, has one major Active Army base, and that's Ft. Drum which is isolated on the Canadian border, hours from a major population center. As far as I can remember, the only other Army bases in New England/MidAtlantic are Pickatinny Arsenal, and Ft. Monmouth, and Monmouth is being brac'd and most of its functions moved to other bases in the South.
This is a problem because the Northeast is the most densely populated part of the country, yet the Army has almost no representation there. Most of the populace are like Maggie - they don't know how we live - because we either restrict access or simply aren't there.
Look at the number of ROTC dets in the NYC area...the biggest city in the entire country, the biggest metro area...and there is a single ROTC det. When the volunteer Army is dependent on, well, volunteers, wouldn't it be prudent to show the people you depend on how a soldier spends a day? Almost no one in the Northeast has this chance unless they actually join or have a family member who is in.
So, yes, it's a terrible problem. Isolation is never healthy.
Originally Posted by Adam L
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