Warp wrote:
>   I have always found the magical (and completely artificial) 18-years
> barrier incomprehensible.
> 
>   People are more worried about a 16-years old going to war than a
> 18-years old. Why? What exactly is it in 18 that is so much different
> from 16? Why is *exactly* 18 so special?
> 
>   There's nothing special about 18 years of age. There are 15-years old
> people who are more knowledgeable, intelligent, rational (in other words,
> are mentally mature) and have more life experience than many 25-years
> old people. There are many things where that 15yo person would be a lot
> more capable and responsible than those 25yo persons would be.

My flight (Air Force term for a group of about 50 guys) in boot camp 
entered the service during the month prior to the usual date of high 
school graduation, with the consequence that everyone on the flight had 
been out of school, and therefore dealing with the real world, for about 
a year.  Usually a flight contains a few people with less time in the 
real world than that.

Our drill instructors mentioned that we were a pretty mature bunch, as 
evidenced by the fact that a fist-fight hadn't broken out in our flight 
during our time there.  It's something that usually happens by the 
fourth week, they said.

Dunno how much this bears on your point, but there it is.

Regards,
John

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