VOA慢速英语2016 美国青年参军热潮（在线收听）

美国青年参军热潮

Many countries require young men to serve in the armed forces. But in the United States, military service is voluntary. And joining the U.S. military is not an easy process.

Staff Sergeant Terrelle Thomas joined the Air Force nine years ago. He now works as a military recruiter in Woodbridge, Virginia.

His job is to get volunteers to join the U.S. armed forces.

"At the time I was going to school, I was paying for, for school out of my pocket. And I was like 'Man, this is tough,' and I was staying home with my parents. I was like, ‘I don't know if I like this as much anymore.' So I went in, talked to a recruiter. He was cool. He broke it down for me, and next thing you know, I'm in..."

Benjamin Spahr volunteered for the military. He says other members of his family have served in the armed forces.

"My mother was enlisted in the Air National Guard and my father was an officer in the Air Force. So I was accustomed to that lifestyle from a young age moving around..."

The armed forces pays its members to attend school, both while they are on active duty and after they leave the military. But not everyone can join the armed forces. There are age limits and volunteers must be successful at mental and physical tests. They must also not be abusing alcohol or taking other drugs.

Training for new recruits is difficult and intense. The recruits must be strong and in good health.

An increasing number of women are joining the military. Madison Foote is one of them.

"Its just the pushups I'm worried about. I'm not very good at pushups. But I think I can do everything else..."

Some Americans volunteer for the armed forces, even when their parents object. The parents are worried about their children because the military deploys troops to many dangerous areas throughout the world.

Oludare Ogunmadewa is a new recruit. He says not everyone in his family supports his decision to enlist in the military.

"My parents are worried, my whole family is worried as well, but it's a risk I feel is necessary for myself -- more for my children, to secure their future."

The United States ended forced enlistment in 1973, during the Vietnam War. Now, recruits voluntarily sign an agreement to stay in the military for three to six years, depending on their chosen job.

Some volunteers choose to stay longer. Staff Sergeant Thomas says that is because they discover that serving in the military is unlike any other job they could have.

"A lot of veterans that serve their 20, 30 years, the main thing that they talk to me about -- especially when they bring their, their children to the office -- is the camaraderie they establish with the people they met."

很多国家要求年轻人入伍服役。但在美国，服役为自愿行为。且服役过程并不简单。

比如9年前入伍的托马斯军士。现在是弗吉尼亚州伍德布里奇的部队招录官。

托马斯的工作职责是为美国军队招录自愿入伍者。

当时我还在上学，学费都是我自己赚的。当时听到招录的消息，我的感觉是“嘿，应该挺苦的”。我和父母呆在家。我的感觉是“我不太确定自己是不是还像当初一样向往服役了”。所以我走进了屋，跟招录官交谈。那个招录官很酷。还向我讲解服役的具体情况，然后，你懂的，我参军了……

本杰明也是自愿入伍的。他说，他还有其他家人也参军了。

我母亲曾是空中国民警卫队成员，我父亲曾是空军战士。所以我从很小的时候开始就已经习惯了军人的生活方式……

空军部队为其战士缴纳学费，无论是在役的还是退伍的。但并不是每个人都有资格入伍。入伍是有年龄限制的，报名者需要通过身体和精神测试。同时，报名者也绝不能有纵酒或者吸毒行为。

新兵训练难度大、强度高。因此新兵必须身体强壮，健康良好。

此外，也有很多女性参军。麦迪逊就是其中的一位。

我比较担心俯卧撑。因为我不太擅长。但其他的我应该都没问题。

一些人即便遭到父母的反对，也要报名参军。而父母担心的原因是，军队会将部队派往很多全球危险地区。

Oludare就是一名新兵。他说家里人对他参军的决定褒贬不一。

我父母很担心，我其他家人也很担心。但我觉得参军对我来说势在必行——对我的孩子们意义更加深远，能保障他们的未来。

越南战争期间的1973年，美国不再强迫参军。现在，入伍士兵须自愿与部队签署入伍协议，三到六年不等，具体取决于他们选定的岗位。

而一些参军者选择长期留在部队。比如托马斯就觉得，参军是任何其他工作所无法比拟的。

很多服役二三十年的老兵跟我聊得最多就是这些年建立的战友情，尤其是他们带自己的孩子来部队的时候。