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Where Solders Come From Essay

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The film “ Where solders come from”(WSCF, 2011) follows the journey of a group of friends from North Michigan and documents their experience of enlisting in the Army National Guard. Using the Developmental Life Course Perspective I will look at the following six themes of the model (1) interplay of Human lives and historical times, (2) linked or interdependent lives, (3) Human agency in making choices, (4) Timing of lives, (5) Diversity in life course trajectories and (6) Developmental risk and protection and I will then apply them to life narrative of Dominic, Cole and Bodi.
Interplay of human lives and historical times:
In film (WSCF, 2011) the family members of the main characters talked about the timing of the young men’s decision to join the National Guard. Many of the family members felt that joining the National Guard during war times would put the young men at a greater risk to be deployed …show more content…

Many of the men featured in the film discussed that their decision to join the National Guard was influenced by the decision of their peers. Each young man in the film at some pointed referenced the fact that he enlisted as a way to stay connected with the group. The young men in the group often talked about how going to war together brought them comfort because they knew without a doubt they would fight for each other. Also in the film many of the women talked about how their lives were being effect by the young men decision to enlist in the National Guard.
Human Agency in making choices:
Dominic’s decision to enlist in the National Guard demonstrated his strength in making choices. His decision to join the National Guard came out of limited resources in his environment. Dominic’s strength not only changed the trajectory of his future but it also changes the trajectory of his childhood friend’s futures and community as a whole.
Diversity in life course

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