Let's not place our soldiers on a pedestal (wage, insurance, high school)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
There's few jobs as brutal on the body that pay as little.
There's no workmans comp.
You think the exchange is cheap? Ha Amazon beats it 9/10.
We don't join for benefits, we join to pay it back. What's it? The freedom we enjoyed from birth to enlistment. I think that is something society is forgetting, our freedoms are being defended by our military on a daily basis, in Europe, in Asia, on the sealanes, in the air, space and cyberspace. And even in Afganistan.
We send our troops to defend our interests as a nation. Be it to preserve the petrodollar or to fight Ebola in Africa. And although it's an all volunteer service, you can't say no thanks during your contract. There is no "I didn't sign up for this."
Hero worship? I'm no hero. I did the most difficult job I qualified for. I had no interest in what I did, only that I could use my max potential to ensure that my country, our country, could preserver as a nation of extraordinary freedom and safety.
It's always good to question, but it's also good to look at the bigger picture, to look outside of your own bubble.
These are entitled veterans, active duty and spouses, these are entitled millennials, and they exist in and out of the military. You made them. You told them they are special and that everyone gets a trophy. You made teacher give jimmy an A for his effort (or lack there of), and insisted the Doctor not call Suzie obese as it wasn't her fault she eats when stressed. You encouraged Affluenza and great praise and reward for little effort. So don't get upset when the military can't knock 18 years of pansy out in four years.
All of us realize the sacrifices that our service people and their families make for the rest of us, no one is disputing that. But we have a lot of other people who do similar acts of bravery for us, every day, and they get very little recognition. For example, our people in Law Enforcement.
Every day that a cop goes out on his/her shift, they are fighting a war, a war against drug dealers, murderers, abusers, thieves, and criminals of all kinds. They never know if they will go home that night, or if some lowlife will kill them and think nothing of it. Their families share in that burden, and realize every time they kiss them goodbye might be the last time. That is a heavy weight to bear.
It always amazes me that we hold service men and women in such high regard, but we sometimes have such great hatred for the "soldiers" who patrol our streets at home so the rest of us can sleep well at night. If anyone thinks a cops job is any easier than a foot soldier, put on their vest and gun belt and tell us in a year how you feel then.
And, lets not forget other first responders, like firefighters, paramedics, and people like that.
Don
However, every single one of those mentioned can give a 2 weeks notice if they decide to quit at any time.
No policeman or fireman from California was ever given transfer orders to inner city Detroit and was under legal punishment if he refused those transfer orders.
We are comparing apples to oranges when comparing policemen/firemen to military.
However, every single one of those mentioned can give a 2 weeks notice if they decide to quit at any time.
No policeman or fireman from California was ever given transfer orders to inner city Detroit and was under legal punishment if he refused those transfer orders.
Nor was he/she ever ordered to Africa to fight Ebola. When I heard that news, my heart sunk to my knees. I felt so sad for the mothers and fathers of those children. I wonder if they got any sleep at all, while their children were over there.
Nor was he/she ever ordered to Africa to fight Ebola. When I heard that news, my heart sunk to my knees. I felt so sad for the mothers and fathers of those children. I wonder if they got any sleep at all, while their children were over there.
apples to oranges
I know of no nurse ORDERED to Africa under penalty of legal actions if they refused.
I'm a Marine Corps veteran of the 1960's and I have the greatest respect for those who serve but I also wonder sometimes about the over the top adulation and sense of entitlement some current service members and the general public demonstrate.
There's a restaurant near our home that gives a 15% discount to service members. 20% off if you dine in uniform. Being retired, a veteran and on fixed income a 15 to 20% discount would save me some money. Quite honestly our service members are well taken care of by Uncle Sam. They get generous housing allowances. Even the mid pay grade enlisted folks I see here seem to drive upscale SUV's.
Now that we don't have the draft, every enlisted person is there of their own free will and knew what the job entailed, and what the risks were, when they signed up. I'm not saying that to detract from the sacrifices they make, only to stress that a lot of other jobs are just as dangerous and trying. Every time a cop walks up to a car he or she doesn't know what is waiting for them inside that car, and they are usually out there all alone, with no backup in sight.
The way I see it, our service people keep our shores safe and our police keep everything inside the borders safe. It just irks me to see so much hatred directed at one group and so much adoration directed toward the other. We could not survive without either one of these two dedicated groups of people.
None of like to see that cop car behind us in traffic, but we sure do have 911 on speed dial for those times when we need their help.
You can put in a 2 weeks notice to quit at any time if a better job offer comes up
If your company tries to transfer you to Detroit, you can refuse and look elsewhere
Not so if in military
You have to wait until it is time to re-enlist and that may be 5 years away.
Or just wait till you think your "out" and get a call that you're getting pulled from the IRR list because they can't find a 56m to go back overseas.....just happened to my son today!!
I don't think the military is on a pedestal. When the soldiers returned from Vietnam they were spit on by plenty of people. Sometimes people develop an attitude that is based on valid reasons. Those who serve are human beings and have faults, just like everyone else. They don't need to be revered, but respected.
Veterans have had plenty of problems with the way they've been treated by the V.A. and it is hoped that's on the way to be resolved. There is bad and good and no need to focus only on the bad.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
