Convincing someone not to enlist.

[I_Ryan]

@boohickey11

By best friend has recently decided to join the military and I figure I am the only person who knows enough about the world to stop him. He feels he is stuck in his job and that only a college degree will get him advancement. He has a decent job (around 40K or so), owns a home and has an almost paid off car. He does not know yet that I completely oppose his decision and I have about a month and a half to convince him.

I figured I would start by trying to convince him that by the time he got to start college he probably would be prevented from going due to what is the inevitable economic catastrophe oncoming. I think military spending will be cut drastically (by choice or by necessity.)

Then I would tell him that associates degrees are becoming a dime-a-dozen and that in a few years having an associates degree will not set him apart from the pack.

If I cannot convince him that college is not going to help him then I will have to convince him why joining the military will be the biggest mistake of his life.

At this point I think I would be the only person saying that it is a bad idea instead of probably a bad idea. He doesn’t realize how lucky he has it and that the world will be changing real soon. Does anyone have any advice or experience in this matter?

This old thread might help: A Conscientious Objection.