The Escape – Creative Writing

I couldn't breathe. I could feel a large weight on top of me but when I looked there was nothing there. It was getting heavier and heavier. I tried to scream but every time that I tried I felt a shooting pain in my chest. All that I could do was wait and pray. I thought that it was unlikely that I would be found and I kept going over what had happened and couldn't understand how a life so perfect could go so wrong as easily as it had. It wasn't right. I looked down and released a ear splitting scream†¦ The previous month I had just been a normal teenager, going to school and going shopping at the weekend. Then it all changed. I came home from school to find that a large wagon was parked in front of our house and a man was carrying out our belongings. I saw my TV, stereo and Game cube being carried out of the front door by two large men. At first I thought that we were being robbed but then I saw my mum and dad appear at the front door. My mum was in floods of tears and my dad was stood with another man and signing papers. It never occurred to me what was happening. I ran across the garden and threw my arms around my mum. Although I didn't know what was going on I started to cry. I thought that I should try to be brave as my mum was so upset but it was the only time that I had ever seen her cry. I knew that something must be seriously wrong. I released her gently from my arms and gently asked her what was happening and who the men were. She said that my dad would explain everything when he had signed the papers. It was about five minutes, but seemed like a lifetime, before my dad could come and explain what we were going to do next. As my dad started to talk I became speechless. How could this happen? We hadn't done anything wrong yet we were the ones that were being punished. I couldn't take in what was being explained to me. It was so unfair that because my dad had done the right thing we were going to have to move out of our house and leave our life that my parents had built up for me. What had happened was that my dad had been involved in a robbery at work, the men had been captured but my dad had been asked to give evidence in court in order to get them put in prison. My dad had done this willingly but the thing that he had not realised was that the men who he had helped to send to prison were part of a large gang who were very violent. The other gang members were now out for revenge, with my dad. He had been receiving silent phone calls; evil text messages and he had even been sent death threats through the post. But what had happened the previous day was too much for anyone to cope with. Someone had burst into his office to try to attack him. It could have all gone horribly wrong for my dad if it hadn't been for a meeting being called at the last minute and him leaving his office to join it. I felt awful, it had been the previous day that I had been moaning because I wasn't allowed to go out with my friends. I could now understand that they had done it for my safety and the same men that had wanted to kill my dad could have killed me. I hadn't thought at any point in my life that I would have to be careful where I go and who I go with for the risk of my life. It all seemed so unreal. I had watched TV programmes and horror films about things like this happening but I never thought about what it must be like for people to be put in this situation. I felt disappointed in myself because I remembered when I was at a sleepover and I had joked that this sort of thing would never happen and that if it did the person who was on the run must have done something wrong. Even when I had this explained to me I didn't expect to hear what they told me next. We were being put in the ‘Witness Protection Programme'. I didn't fully understand what this meant. I thought that all it meant was that we had to move away from our home in order to get away from the people that were chasing us. As my parents continued to talk I realised that it meant that we were going to get a new identity and that we were not allowed to tell anyone what we were going to do. That was the hardest thing that I had to cope with. I said bye to my friends when I left school that day but it never entered my head that it was the last thing that I would be saying to them. I had always been popular at school and I couldn't understand why something like this would happen to me. Why couldn't it happen to Laura and her family? No one liked her and she didn't have any friends so there wouldn't be anyone who would miss her. I knew that it was a horrible thing to think but I couldn't help myself. What would my friends think if I didn't say anything before I left? I pleaded with my mum to let me phone them, I even said that one would be enough and that they could pass on the message to the others. This wasn't going to happen no matter how much I pleaded. They explained that it was for my safety. If I had told my best friend and she said something to my other friends, someone could overhear what she was saying and this problem could start over again. I did understand what they were saying but it seemed so undeserved. After we had the conversation I decided that I would have one last look inside the house. I was really surprised. The house still had the wallpaper and the carpets but the rest of the house was so bare. I climbed the stairs to where my bedroom was. It was weird knowing that it was the last time that I would be in my room again. It still looked like my room with the carpets and the poster but everything else was bare. I felt a tear fall down my face. I was trying to be strong but there was nothing that I could do, I just couldn't stop the tears from continually falling. I slowly walked down the stairs and quietly sat in the car. The large wagon started to drive off down the street and I knew then that it was the end of what I knew as my life. As my parents got into the car a policewoman came to sit in the back. It all felt so strange and I couldn't take the chance of looking behind me because I didn't know how I would react. When we turned the corner onto the main road my phone started to bleep to tell me that I had a message so I reached into my bag to get it out. It was no sooner that I had the mobile in my hand that the policewoman snatched it off me. She was sympathetic with me but she said that it would be best if I didn't read what it said because it may upset me to know that I was unable to respond to whatever was said. As we pulled onto the motorway it struck me that I did not know where we were going. I had been so wrapped up in my thoughts that we could have been going abroad and I wouldn't have known. I asked my dad but he said that he would tell me when we had arrived. It seemed to me as if I was being kept in the dark about everything that was going on. Did my parents not realise how much this was affecting me? My whole world was being turned upside down and they wouldn't tell me anything about what was happening. It wasn't as though I wouldn't understand; I was a teenager so why wouldn't they trust me. I didn't have any way that I could contact anyone so I couldn't put us in any danger from these people who were chasing us. We slowed down and I noticed a sign that was in welsh and as soon as I saw it I knew where my parents were taking me. We had been on holiday here the previous year and my parents had expressed how much they loved it her. I was really angry now. They were messing up my whole life and they were making me stay in this place. They knew how much I hated it because of how much there was to do. There were fields all around, no shops and no one who was near my age. I couldn't see how I was going to cope in a place like this. My life would revolve around school because there was nothing else to do. If we had to move why couldn't we move to a large town like London or Birmingham? This was going to be my worst nightmare, nothing to do but walk up hills and go to school. I had never realised how great my life was before. It makes me understand how true the saying ‘you never appreciate what you have until its gone' is. The amount of times my parents had said this I hadn't really understood it, I just assumed that if you lost something you would be able to get used to your life without it. I would never get used to this. We drove into the village and there was nobody about even though it was a Friday night. There were always people about when you wanted to go out. I hadn't even seen one person here. We pulled up in front of this tiny cottage. They couldn't seriously think that this was big enough for three people but when I looked round it seemed to be one of the biggest cottages in the area. I hesitantly walked through the front door to find that it seemed bigger on the inside than it looked from the outside. I knew that there was nothing that I could do now to change their mind so I returned outside and took one of the suitcases out of the boot of the car. As I turned around I noticed that there was a boy and a girl walking towards me. They seemed friendly and they looked about my age. I said hello and introduced myself. It seemed weird when I had to introduce myself by a different name. They didn't seem to notice the uneasy tone in my voice because they both introduced themselves to me. They said that they both lived down the road and that they went to the school that I would be going to. I told them that I had to take my things inside but I would hopefully see them later. They said bye and walked off. Things looked much better than I had originally thought that it could be. I slowly got used to living in a quiet village and by the end of the second week I had lots of new friends and I had told then why I had moved here-The made up version obviously. Everyone seemed nice but because it was so secluded there was only six people in my class. It was strange to begin with and I would go home upset because of how few people there are but after I thought about it I realised that it was much better for my education. It was as though I was having one to one tuition, which meant that I was learning much more than I did at my previous school. I still missed all my friends and in a strange way some of the teachers. After we had been at our new home for a month things started to go wrong for us. Someone had found out my mums new mobile number and she was getting prank phone calls and silent phone calls. We notified the police but they assumed that it was my fault and that I had been in contact with someone from my old school. Nobody believed me when I said that I hadn't done anything that I wasn't supposed to do and I was kept off school to be questioned and to ‘learn a lesson'. I hadn't realised that it was so serious if I had spoke to someone from my old school. I hadn't and that was what upset me, no one believed me. I stormed out of the house my eyes full of tears and a lump in my throat†¦ †¦ My scream rang through the dark lane and my chest hurt even more. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. My white T-shirt had turned red with the blood that was pouring out of my chest. I tried to think what had happened to me. I didn't know how long I had been here for. I didn't know how much longer I would be here. I heard a car engine in the distance. I tried to move but I found that no matter how hard I tried my legs would not move. I couldn't believe that I was going to be rescued but my luck changed. The car turned down a small lane. If only I had waited with my parents I wouldn't have been in this situation. Why didn't I wait at home and try to explain further? I didn't know what to do. I had no way of phoning home and I didn't know where I was. In the very far distance I saw a small yellow dot that was becoming larger with every second. I realised that it was someone on a bike. I wanted to scream for help but each time I tried there was only a small noise that escaped. I could only wait and hope that the bike wouldn't turn. It was coming straight towards me. My eyes closed and everything went dark. As I opened my eyes I could hear lots of noise and see lots of people hurrying around me. I was in a total daze. I could hear lots of people saying my name and asking if I could hear them. I could, I just couldn't respond. It was as though I was watching these people with someone else and there was nothing that I could do. I felt someone grab hold of my hand so I squeezed the hand as much as I could. When I had done this I heard the reassuring voice of my mum. It was saying â€Å"Everything will be okay. I wont let anything happen to you ever again. There is no-one that can harm you now. † I believed every word that she was saying to me. I knew that I would be okay from now on.

Sample size calculation Math Problem Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Sample size calculation - Math Problem Example Sampling is important in that we involve fewer respondents than using the entire population, the sample saves time and money and an appropriate sample will represent the population in that the results derived from the sample will explain the population with less error. A large sample will waste time and money while a small sample will give inaccurate results. In any given study if we were to determine the mean of the population and the mean of the sample there means are not the same, the difference between the two is termed as an error, therefore when determining the sample size we need to consider the expected error that will result to these differences. The other factor to consider is the margin of this error, this represents the maximum possible difference between the sample mean and the population mean. We consider also consider the standard deviation of the population, the reason why we consider the standard deviation is because we assume that the population assumes a normal distribution which is depicted by the central limit theorem that states that as the number of variables increase indefinitely then the variables assumes a normal distribution. For a clustered study there is need to consider the sampling design when calculating the sample size, we consider the number of clusters after calculating the sample size, after determining the sample size as shown above we multiply the results by the number of clusters, the results of this are then mu... n = [(1.96/2 . 6.9) /(0.4)] 2 n = 285.779 In this case therefore we will use a sample size n =286 derived from rounding off the figure into the nearest whole number. Cluster sampling: For a clustered study there is need to consider the sampling design when calculating the sample size, we consider the number of clusters after calculating the sample size, after determining the sample size as shown above we multiply the results by the number of clusters, the results of this are then multiplied by the an expected non response or error, example use 5%. After multiplying we then divide the results by the number of clusters to determine the number of n in each cluster. Example assumes that we have 10 clusters and we assume the level of error is 5% from our above results; the following will be the results: 285.779 X 10 = 2857.79 2857.79 X 1.05 = 3000.68 We will consider a 3,000 sample size and for each cluster we will have n = 300 Formula 2: The other formula that can be used is where we have the prevalence of the variable being studies, in this case for example we have a prevalence rate of 40% of a disease and we use the following formula: n = [Z2. x (1-x)]/ E2 Where Z is the confidence interval where if we choose 95% the area under the normal curve will be 1.96 E is the expected margin error and x is the expected prevalence of the variable being studied. Formula 3: Cochran (1963) formulated a formula that could be used in the calculation of the sample size in a study, the formula is as follows: n = (Z2 PQ)/ e2 Where n is the sample size, Z is the confidence interval, P is the estimated proportion of the attribute under study, q is derived from 1 - p and finally e is the precision level. He further stated that the above sample would further be

Topic Paper # 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Topic Paper # 1 - Essay Example A Cochlear Implant is an electronic device which is implanted in the cochlea of the ear and is connected to a microphone on the outside through a speech processor and a transmitter. It works by converting sound vibrations into electrical stimuli, which provides a sensation of sound. Cochlear Implants are primarily recommended for those with a severe to profound hearing disorder. Among children and infants, a Cochlear Implant can help develop speech and communication skills. However, due to the long period of therapy required, its candidacy has to be determined on an individual basis and there is disagreement over its suitability for autistic children. Most cases of hearing impairment are due to loss of hair cell receptors in the inner ear, which limits the cochlea’s ability to transduce sound information from the environment to neural transmissions that can be interpreted by the central nervous system as auditory sensations (Copeland & Pillsbury, 2004). Since in such cases the nervous elements that transmit information from the cochlea to the brain remain intact, a Cochlear Implant is a viable option. The actual surgery to implant a cochlear implant is performed on an outpatient basis and requires about two to three hours of general anesthesia. However, once the prosthesis is implanted in the cochlea, there is an extensive process requiring aural habilitation with inputs from experienced audiologists and speech and language experts. Also, since the entire circuitry remains permanently attached to the patients, patients are required to take a number of precautions to avoid damage to the delicate device. The FDA-approved minimum age of implantation is one year. It is difficult to implant the device in younger children due to difficulty in properly testing the hearing in such young patients. Another concern is with patients suffering from multiple

Employment law for hr managers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Employment law for hr managers - Essay Example Furthermore, indirect discrimination arises when a person discriminates against another person through applying a ‘provision, criteria or practice’ that is discriminatory against another person. For example, an employer only advertises jobs in magazines aimed at young people. The first two issues that may arise with regards to showing photographs of white and Asian people are that this is considered by statutory laws to be racial discrimination. However, it could be argued through the use of the principle of positive action which states that racial discrimination is only applicable when a person reasonably believes that he/she would suffer a disadvantage in relation to the characteristic shared. Therefore, in this case it could be argued that races other than white or Asian are not reasonably disadvantaged.2 The second issue in this case is the use of a specified term â€Å"young† to relate to the age of the suitable applicants. This could result in age discrimination as mentioned in Equality Act. Age discrimination happens when a person refers to another person in relation to a specified age group3. In this case it could be argued that Outrageous has discriminated by referring to a specific age group. It could be concluded by the usage of all arguments mentioned above that Outrageous may face problems in relation to the age discriminating terms used in the advertisement. However, the photographs of white and Asian seem to be less important as there are no reasonable grounds to believe that a certain race is being disadvantaged. So it is advisable that Outrageous changes the language used in the advertisement and in the same time keep the photographs as it is. b) The fact of the case above shows that Outrageous has already done the first round of interviews for the trainee position and has rejected three interviewees, one of them was a male who wears turban another was a Muslim woman aged 21 who wears a hijab the and

Private Institutions vs. Public Institutions Research Paper

Private Institutions vs. Public Institutions - Research Paper Example This report declares that sociology of education helps in understanding the entire education system, finding the strengths and weaknesses. In order to do proper formulation of guidelines and planning of a viable system to perfectly suit man and society. Sociology of education places the teacher in a better position of understanding social issues and their related problems in relation to the schooling environment thus enabling the teacher to relate morally, ethically and professionally. In other words, it gives the teacher in depth understanding of the student cultural background and socio-cultural setup, hence helping them to understand it better themselves. This paper discusses that education is a formal process through which society willingly passes down accumulated customs, values, skills, and knowledge from generation to generation. In light with this notion about education, there are many functions connected to its necessity hence its core basis. Some of the outlined objectives of education thus include development of value and attitudes. The basis of any society is inclined on its values whether social, cultural or political. These values act as the pillars on which the society’s stability rests upon. For this value to be existent, it calls for personal/individual orientation. Education through any of its institutional setups is formulated to create an environment geared towards the achievement of social integration. Individuals in school setups are drawn from different social backgrounds. In order for the school to function as a system, it calls for shedding of the self to allow for the inclusion of the â€Å"othernessâ₠¬ . By this, therefore, we mean that a much as one will hold unto individuality, individualism has to be suppressed if the school has to operate as a joint. The education, therefore, is designed to instill interrelation ability and foster national unity, despite the existing diversity among students in terms of class, race and gender. One of the many objectives of education is to foster a country’s national development and propagate its economic growth. In order for this to be realized, it follows that individuals ought to understand their obligation in relation to their contribution to this goal. Education enhances the achievement of this objective through two major ways: firstly, through education, on is able to know and understand the main pillars of economic development. By so doing, the system thus helps an individual to strategically, position himself or herself in carrying out this function. Secondly, education helps in shaping up people to act as tools of development . This is to say that educated people understand best about what to do, how to do it, where and when to perform the specified duties as expected

Engneering mechanics Lab reports Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Engneering mechanics reports - Lab Report Example tting acquainted with a wide range of structural testing components (HEILES & SCHÄFER, 2013).   To this extent a number of tools and equipment that were used in the entire experiment have been duly described to a greater extent based on their usage and the conditions that should be kept constant while performing the experiment using those kinds of pivotal tools and equipment. The beam of length 1.3 meters was initially placed firmly on the cast iron bed with the assistance of simple supports A and B placed 1 meter apart. The load was then applied by use of the mass hangers at a gradual incremental rate, while the measurements were recorded at each and every stage. The next step that ensued was the aspect of bringing in some sort of variations with regards to the length while the initial procedure was repeatedly done. The material under test was then altered such that, in each and every instance it was only the cross sectional breath that changed. This was repeatedly done at various levels as the mid span deflection at each stage was measured (in mm) with regards to the subjected conditions. The next step that followed suit was the aspect of altering the tested material such that in each and every instance the cross-sectional depth was the only variable that changed. Under this stage, the rate of deflections were also measured and recorded accordingly. Al l the obtained values were then clearly recorded and compiled so as to assist later during analysis whereby, the values that were arrived at were subjected to massive scrutiny and comparisons with the existing facts and figures under each and every experimented condition. Using 0N as the minimum and 150N as the maximum, the mass of the load was adjusted by increasing each trial consequentially by 25N. All this was done keeping these values constant: L=1m, b=20mm and d=14mm. Values obtained were recorded as below Using a minimum length of 0.6m and a maximum of 1.2m, length of the load was varied in split

Benefits of Enlisting in the Armed Forces Essay Example for Free

Benefits of Enlisting in the Armed Forces Essay Introduction A scrutiny of the history of mankind, down the ages covering a period of 4000 years beginning from 3500BC till today indicates that in almost all the cases, the course of events have been dictated by the military prowess and the consequent superiority of one of the contenders. The fact continues to hold true even today, in this age of modernization when the emphasis is on economic power and political stability. The vital aspect of safeguarding these national interests is dependent upon one crucial factor: ‘Armed Forces’. A career in the Armed Forces may be considered to be one of the oldest professions in the history of mankind (the other being prostitution), and it may have an important role to play in safeguarding national interests, but it is also one of the most forgotten and maligned of career choices. For in times of peace and enduring prosperity, the general propensity of people is to look down upon this profession and all related aspects. It is considered to be the last refuge of scoundrels and the failed cases in society-definitely not a job to take if one has other options. But is this reputation really based on facts? Are conditions in the Armed Forces so bad today that it is anathema to even contemplate enlisting in the Armed Forces? Why do educational institutions and our society at large not promote the idea of their students/youngsters enlisting in the Armed Forces with a sense of pride and honor? Why does the present generation not consider enlisting in the Armed Forces as a worthwhile option? Critics (and there are many) point out that enlisting in the Armed Forces implies an unstated but real risk of life, separation from family for extended periods, frequent moves at short notices , poor work conditions and lower pay. This argument is taking a rather biased and short sighted view of the issue, and it does not do justice to either the interests of the country and the people whom the argument attempts to dissuade. Thesis Statement My endeavor during the course of this essay is to illustrate the benefits of enlisting in the Armed Forces. I am of the opinion that the benefits of enlisting outstrip the disadvantages by a wide margin and overall, it is just as good or better; an employment option as any that is available to the new generation. The scope of this thesis in terms of the people covered is holistic in nature: applicable to the entire scale of economic, racial, religious, gender and educational scale. Social Benefits During the ancient times, people enlisted for monetary and other purposes with the sole aim of garnering the spoils of war by way of loot, women, slaves and resources of the vanquished. At various stages in history, it has been repeatedly proved that other concerns like race, national pride and religion have also been a major motivating factor. The last known war entirely based on religious affinities terminated with the victory of the Crusaders over the Jihadis in 1453 A. D. at Constantinople (Turkey). Upward Social Mobility Enlisting in the Armed Forces opens up a whole new world of opportunities for a person irrespective of whether he joins as an officer or as a GI/soldier. This immediately catapults him from his humble origins to a society much more privileged, acknowledged and recognized as one. The change in social status leads to a subtle refinement in the person, his family and his circle of associates. Consequently, it brings about a change in the perception and quality of life for him as his options in everyday life are less weighed down by the mundane issues that he would have been otherwise negotiating. Culture Culturally, there is a huge leap due to the extensive interaction with people from diverse backgrounds and states. This introduces him to the positive and the negative aspects of life in other cultures both within and outside the country. Presuming that the individual has the sense of purpose and ability to discriminate between good and bad (with few exceptions, most posses this quality in abundance), this exposure introduces in him a better understanding of customs and awareness of other cultures. He can then subconsciously or by design incorporate the good aspects in to his way of life, thereby becoming a better citizen and an effective soldier. It must be appreciated that a person hailing from a remote, under-developed and relatively backward area has a proportionately less chance of making it big in the world. With time, he settles down to a job in the same place or at best moves within his state or county for a steady but not necessarily well paid job. It may not lead to much, but it provides him with basic economic security. Personality Development The tough training, regimental life and high emphasis on discipline permeates the very core and essence of the individual and transforms him from a happy go-lucky, take life as it comes type of youngster into a conscientious, well mannered and disciplined citizen of the future. He is now capable of looking after his own interests in life and takes the decisions best suited to his requirements and a secure future. The training imparts to his personality a combined sense of discipline, mental robustness, endurance and physical sturdiness which is generally lacking in other competitors his age and experience in life. The training and culture within the Armed Forces lays a great deal of emphasis on development of moral values and personal integrity. This development of acquired skills leads to a multi-faceted and versatile individual who would be an asset to any organization he joins. The refined mannerism, positive attitude and basic skills make him an automatic candidate of choice for prospective employers in the future. Pride, Prestige, Honor and Duty In the prevailing national environment, it has been the experience that the prospects of enlisting in the armed Forces are not considered to be a worthwhile option. Whatever be the reason, it must also be emphasized that in the rural countryside and deep interiors of the country, there still exist communities and villages which take great pride in sending their young ones to the Armed Forces. Then there exist certain demographic and regional specific patterns wherein the propensity towards enlisting in the Armed Forces is higher (Mavor 41-3) It is taken as a matter of pride and prestige by both: the family of the individual and the individual himself; as an act of repaying the nation for all it has bestowed them with and also as a matter of tradition. But the idea is a non starter and gradually starts loosing steam as we progress from the rural courtsides and deep interiors towards the cities and the power centers. Purely from a moral ground, it should be the duty of each citizen to do his time in the Armed Forces and contribute to the national effort. After all if democracy bestows certain unquestioned rights, then it also imposes certain unstated obligations. It must be kept in mind that, ‘there is no such thing as a free lunch’. Similarly, it is inappropriate to assume that one can proceed to enjoy the benefits of democracy for free without bothering to fulfill our own obligations to the nation. Every right has a corresponding duty and this is no exception; we cannot leave the nation’s requirement of manpower to just the people from the interiors, highlands and the so called lower classes alone. This burden has to be shared by all of us who swear by democracy and the nation. Economic Benefits When speaking about the Armed Forces, the general refrain is that it is not a well paying job, and that the connected hardships of separation from family for extended periods, the frequent moves on duty at short notice, and the attendant risks to life and health is not worth it. In the subsequent paragraphs, I will examine the merits and demerits of this presumption on a factual basis. Job Security What would be the prospects of a person in his native hometown of landing a job consistent to his qualification? What are the chances that he retains his job in the event of some constraining circumstances either to the person or to the employer? The answers to these questions are obvious. Whereas, in the case of the person employed in the Armed Forces, there is an assured degree of job security that is unmatched in any other form of employment. The individual has to do something really drastic or be highly incompetent to be considered unfit for retention. The chances of retrenchment are virtually non-existent. On The Job Training(OJT) Until the end of World War II, the aspect of enlisting was more or less considered as the beginning of the military career. However, with the modernization of weapons and delivery systems, the process of refining the enlisted personnel in to a trained and efficient operator has to be taken up in earnest and hence the need of putting the person through rigorous specialized training schedule(Buck 204-6). The Armed Forces provide training relevant to the aspect of specialization specific to the individual’s branch before formal induction in to the respective arm or service. There are approximately 360 specialist jobs in the US Army alone of which 20% have similar jobs in the civilian world in departments related to communication, IT, software and allied services (Goldberg 59-60). Upon reporting to the parent unit, the individual undergoes further training at the concerned facilities for a period depending upon the requirement of the job and the laid down parameters. This is to say that depending upon the arm which the individual opts for; the training on the specialist equipment, weapons and other systems are guaranteed. The stipend during this period is paid for by the government. It implies that the individual is undergoing training and at the same time also making up his experience profile simultaneously; and he is being paid for it.! How many other jobs can boast of this facility? Job related risks It is often stated that the attendant risk and hardships of a career in the Armed Forces is a negative factor influencing the new generation from enlisting. It can be argued that the so called hardships are not a way of life and depend entirely upon the number of conflicts and skirmishes the country is involved in. Again, how many other jobs do not involve frequent moves at short notices? The aspect of living out of suitcases is generally well described in all forms of literature and media, hence need not be repeated. Needless to say frequent moves and separation from family is a factor that is true for most other forms of employment. The only difference is in the period, which again is taken care of by the system of rotation of troops that is strictly adhered to by the Defence Forces. As regards physical injuries and risk of death, it is a professional hazard and needs to be taken on its merit and statistical figures. The ratio of casualty sustained in comparison to the number of personnel inducted into the combat zone is very low, especially in the case of the developed countries like the USA, UK, France and other European countries. This is so, due to overwhelming superiority of these countries over the adversary in terms of sophistication and capability levels of weapon systems, logistics, and ensuring of an adequate stand–off distance during delivery of tactical executions of strategic plans. Besides, the other major factor influencing Government decision making is level of intolerance by the media and the country to higher casualties of own nationals. This attitude is in stark contrast to the disdain that the average citizen professes on the issue of enlistment in peace time. What I am implying here is that the possibility of being injured or killed in the war zone is not as high as is being made out to be. It is just a professional hazard which hypothetically states the possibility, but does in no way categorically confirm the same. Fatal casualty/Grevious Injury Having deliberated on the aspect of the very low probability of grievous injury and death, let us presume the case wherein either of these possibility does indeed take place. In that case, the government looks after the individual depending upon the nature of his injury, makes efforts to ensure his rehabilitation and employment in another form of work. In the event of death in action, the full range of military honors and government provisions are laid out to the individual and his family. This is only to state that the individual is not a forgotten chapter in case he is rendered invalid for active service or in case of fatal casualty. Perks and Privileges Every nation bestows upon the personnel of its armed forces a wide range of facilities and privileges which would otherwise adversely impact the monetary status of the individual. The facilities and privileges are not sacrosanct and every nation follows a different yardstick to determine what it gives its personnel, e. g. free Medicare facilities given to the personnel and also extended to their families, accommodation at subsidized rates etc. Now if these perks and privileges extended by the government were to be quantified in terms of costs, it would work out to a high figure, when added to what the individual already earns, amounts to a fat salary bill (Ostrow 219). The idea I am trying to highlight is that the privileges which are not considered while describing the low pay also need to be included just to put things in their proper perspective. And I have deliberately avoided discussing the various allowances which every nation provides its armed forces personnel in recognition of the hardships and limitations endured by them during times of operational deployment and commitments. The allowances by themselves amount to a substantial part of the remunerations and are by and large a realistic reflection of the hardships endured. Pensioner Benefits The armed forces have a stipulated period of service for their personnel, and this duration varies from country to country and within the forces: from arm to arm and service to service (Roza 10-11). However, the bottom line is that the personnel are free to leave active service and proceed home with all pensioner benefits as laid down by the Government. If the individual is smart and has planned his moves well in advance, he can join a new employment which means he has effectively two incomes to go by. It lends him a strong base for procuring home loans and enterprise related loans from banks as his degree of financial security is considerably higher than that of the average citizen. The pensioner benefits also entitle him to medical and other related facilities which result in considerable savings to the overall financial planning and outlay of the individual. Educational Benefits A sound education is defined as the basic foundation upon which rests the edifice of a person’s career. Very often, and in most cases, the inclination, interest, and urge to undergo formal education from a standard university or college exists in individuals. However, there is a large gap in the ability of the existing education system to provide to the needs of each aspiring student due to various factors. Government education institutes in most democracies have an unstated but existing drawback on the quality of education they provide. Quality education in a democracy comes at a price, which not everyone can afford. This leaves a large number of potential aspirants without quality education. However, by enlisting in the Armed Forces, this drawback is also addressed. The Armed Forces offer specialist training in a wide range of professionally oriented courses and degrees with a view to produce qualified and expert specialist in their respective sphere of tasks. Apart from this, the government provides for the service personnel opportunities to enhance their education skills before, during and after enlistment. The Montgomery GI Bill and Tuition Assistance Programme are a case in point(Asch 57). Enlisting for the armed forces thus gives the individual the opportunity to complete a degree or an education that he could otherwise not have achieved (Paradis 106). Infact the consequent experience that the individual gains (mostly under pressures of time and combat) puts him in an advantageous position when looking for a job elsewhere upon termination of his contract with the Armed Forces. Counter Claims Critics of the proposal for enlisting into the Armed Forces cite the attendant risk to life, possible injuries, extended periods of separation and comparatively lower pay packages as the principle reasons to avoid the Armed Forces. This reasoning has been discussed by me during the course of the essay and I have proved that on the surface, these points are apparently valid. However, they do not measure up to an unbiased and impartial scrutiny based on facts and statistics. Conclusion To conclude, it is again reiterated that the proposal of enlisting in the armed forces is highly beneficial to a large section of the society and country. The stated disadvantages regarding enlisting; and the advantages I have highlighted need to be weighed against each other. It would be inappropriate to come to a conclusion that affects the lives and careers of a large number of people just because we think that a particular line of thought is correct. It is more important and relevant to analyze the issue based on facts and arrive at the correct conclusion, before propagating it as a statement of fact. Work Cited Asch Beth J. â€Å"Contextual Information on Recruiting† â€Å"Military Recruiting and Retention After the Fiscal Year : Military Pay Legislation† Ed. Asch Beth A, et al Rand Corporation(2002) 57 Buck Peter â€Å"Adjusting to military Life: The Social Sciences Go to War† â€Å"Military Enterprise and Technological Change: Perspectives on the American Experience† Ed. Smith Merritt Roe MIT Press (1985) 204-6. â€Å"Hearings on National Defense Authorization ACT for Fiscal Year 2003H. R. 4546 and Oversight of By United States Congress†. House Committee on Armed Services. Subcommittee on Military Personnel Summary The Supt. Of Docs. , U. S. G. P. O. (2003) 75-7 Goldberg Jan â€Å"Careers for Patriotic Types Others Who Want To Serve Their Country† McGraw-Hill Professional(1999) 59-60 Jerome Johnston, Jerald G. Bachman â€Å"Young Men and Military Service† Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan (1972) 195 Mavor Anne S. et al, â€Å"Attitudes, Aptitudes, and Aspirations of American Youth: Implications for Military Recruiting† National Academies Press (2003) 41-3 Ostrow Scott A. â€Å"Guide to Joining the Military â€Å"Thomson Petersons (2004) 219 Paradis Adrian A. ; â€Å"Opportunities in Military Careers† McGraw-Hill Professional (1999) 106. Rand Corporation â€Å"The Rand Paper Series† Rand Corp (1946) Roza Greg â€Å"Choosing a Career in the Military† The Rosen PublishingGroup Careers / Jobs (2001)10.