Am I watching Starship Troopers here? "Service Guarantees Citizenship."

Now go kill some bugs, immigrants!

While you are just talking aloud here...
No,...
Realize, you are just pissing in your ears.

During peacetime, a green card holder (i.e., Legal Permanent Resident) normally needs seven years in that status in order to apply for citizenship. For those in military service, that period is reduced to just three years.

During wartime, presidents have reduced the three years to no waiting period. This part is not new.

What is new (at least recently, since this was done, I think, during previous conflicts as late as Vietnam) is letting some non-green card holders enlist. They have to have certain skills and only be from certain categories of visa holders; not illegal aliens.

Now go kill some bugs, immigrants!

Legal Permanent Residents (i.e., "green card holders") can already enlist. And since 7/2/2002 their waiting time to be eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship has been nil.

What this program does is allow certain categories and qualified holders of non-immigrant visas to enlist. These people are not permanent residents and would otherwise, eventually, have to return to their home countries, taking their valuable skills home with them.

What worries me is the six month track is way to fast. I'd require three to four years minimum.

I would suggest you study the history of immigrants in the US military.

James,
I see the parallels I think you do with the Roman empire and military service by foreigners. I agree that the "melting pot" is part of what will mitigate this. At the same time , there is a natural limit to the size of this "hole". Even if the entire military were to be exclusively foreigners seeking citizenship, the country would well be able to handle the influx.
As far as the military having a major difference in world view from the rest of the country, we are pretty close to that already.

Of course that, too, comes with the risk of further alienating the military from the society on a values level.

I have no problem with legal aliens coming into this country, fighting for values set forth in our Constitution. Grant them citizenship.

I worry somewhat, though, about turning the United States military into a foreign legion with mercenary characteristics. We’re already managed to divorce citizenship and service and war and pain for most Americans; furthering those trends is not something I look forward to.

The US Military will never become a foreign legion. The reward of citizenship is what they seek in the end.

For American citizens, divorcing themselves from citizenship, service, war, and pain is not much better than the destitution they suffer walking and trying to survive on the criminally infested streets of the home town and their neighborhoods.

Listen, life ain't perfect, life ain't fair, simply roaming the streets does not guarantee you three squares a day and a nurse nanny at night; home is not always good, and let us face it; you may not be the smartest son-of-a-bitch in the world.
The US guarantees no one equality, only the pursuit of life, liberty and justice.

Sometimes, the military, teaches us more about individual responsibility than prison.

Happy Sunday! It’s a beautiful day, as usual, here in the USA. Hey, I’m just providing the optimism that Barry won’t. This pinup is by Gil Elvgren, with a wee bit of help.
What is happening in ye olde blogosphere?

Apparently, Barry ...