Let's not place our soldiers on a pedestal (middle east, enemy, weapons)
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Excellent commentary, totally agree on all his points. While his negative experiences are with military family, he is correct about this entitlement mentality and coddling of the military.
Recently, I had a military spouse grow irate with my cashier because we didn't offer a discount to military family members. Unfortunately, this is not the first time this has happened. I guess I could stop offering any discount at all to the military, but would rather not. In this particular case, my cashier was on the receiving end of a very long tirade about how obviously unappreciative ownership must be of the sacrifices of the military family.
The woman ended by stating "it would be in the owner's best interest" to offer discounts to families as well. I wish I was there to find out exactly what she meant beyond her vague threat.
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Last edited by Oldhag1; 03-25-2015 at 07:40 AM..
Reason: Added moderator note
I agree we do too much military worship here in the US. Then again that's what America is proving to be about, wars and military--which I find appalling. The reasons I wouldn't offer discounts or not report the guy to police is that they're not defending America. They're being used to defend places like crimea and the middle east. While I guess it's admirable that the guy likes to fight and is now a full fledged lunatic, he has never defended me or my store. At that point, he's merely a terrorist, terrorizing the store.
I agree we do too much military worship here in the US. Then again that's what America is proving to be about, wars and military--which I find appalling. The reasons I wouldn't offer discounts or not report the guy to police is that they're not defending America. They're being used to defend places like crimea and the middle east. While I guess it's admirable that the guy likes to fight and is now a full fledged lunatic, he has never defended me or my store. At that point, he's merely a terrorist, terrorizing the store.
no doubt, couldn't agree more.
The "funniest" thing about our standing ovations everytime a military person is shown on the jumbotron at sporting events is that you're right, these people are not in America defending you or me....in America, we have the "police" who are essentially playing wanna be military guys who are using US Citizens as the "enemy", as target practice.
If you are a military person and you get a "thank you" or an "ovation" act surprised...because once you start expecting it and are on your high horse, people want less and less to give that out.
As a Viet Nam medic I agree that many non warzone vets carry around some sort of attitude that although their service was appreciated they attempt to milk society with I'm a hero crap. Even affluent VA eligible vets milk the system even in emergent situations that could be eleviated by a simple Advantage Humana like program ( permitting ER emergent care locally) War Zone Vets deserve our honor especially front line combat guys and gals and hazardous duty in general. I appreciate the accolades, but on a personal level I don 't seek any attention as I always believed that Nam sucked and driven by well intended yet idiot politicians and a lack of cultural conditions.
Americans do not grasp teligious warfare because they themselves lack zeal toward their own religion leaving a dangerous confusing gap of total cluelessness toward cultural behavior of psychological misfits like ISIS.
Last edited by Oldhag1; 03-25-2015 at 07:17 AM..
Reason: Fixed formatting - please do this yourself in the future.
Its just a pity that we dont have to work and live in warzones.sleep in ditches or trenches,carry heavy kit and weapons for miles.. risk our lives almost every day.. perhaps come home one day blind or without limbs and to what...and thats some of the lucky ones... what an easy life these boys and girls in the military have and dont deserve our applause..
Everyone gets to pick their job. It is the land of opportunity.
Thanks for being in the Military, but also thanks for working at Walmart, thanks for being the Sanitation guy that picks up my garbage every week, thanks for being a plumber...the list goes on.
Everyone that has a job has an important part in life. I can't say one is more important than another, I don't agree with entitilement. We all pick what we want to do in life.
Everyone gets to pick their job. It is the land of opportunity.
Thanks for being in the Military, but also thanks for working at Walmart, thanks for being the Sanitation guy that picks up my garbage every week, thanks for being a plumber...the list goes on.
Everyone that has a job has an important part in life. I can't say one is more important than another, I don't agree with entitilement. We all pick what we want to do in life.
Of course we do but some people choose a harder road the others. I see more sense of entitlement coming from people with a college degree then I do the Vets I hire.
And let's not generalize either. There seems to be two basic military camps in this country. The one wants endless recognition, benefits, etc. from the government and society. The other, wife and I belong in this camp, just want to get on with our lives and move forward. We served, we learned, now we want to do something else. No veterans plates, no military stickers on cars, no asking for a veterans discount. And there is quite a spread between the two camps.
And let's not generalize either. There seems to be two basic military camps in this country. The one wants endless recognition, benefits, etc. from the government and society. The other, wife and I belong in this camp, just want to get on with our lives and move forward. We served, we learned, now we want to do something else. No veterans plates, no military stickers on cars, no asking for a veterans discount. And there is quite a spread between the two camps.
Hmm, I feel like there are 2 types of military folks, those that have truly sacrificed (combat vets), and those that have not. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) will give the same hiring advantages to a one-term domestic serviceman with sleep apnea, as a 5-tour combat vet amputee. This shocking unfairness usually gets defended by military members bizaarly.
So I DO kind of put true soldiers (combat vets) on a pedestal. I don't even mind if they have different political affiliations than I.
But this country is loaded with military members whose only sacrifice was moving their family a couple times on a generous relocation package. Most were never close to any danger. Tell them "thanks for your service" and they'll say: "thanks for the Land Rover"
While I agree there is a difference between combat and not, I rather feel cheapened by those who believe that since I was not in combat, I gave up little.
If we were not "there" during the Cold War, a force to be reckoned with in the other guy's calculations, then what the hell were we doing there, what purpose were we serving?
And, if in anything else, two or three multi thousand ton ships traveling at 25 knots with high tension steel cable strung between them as they are only tens of yards apart is rather dangerous. It may not be combat dangerous but one was close to danger.
Just like as a flight deck officer on a non carrier with that helo hovering above my head. If it crashed on deck, odds are I was going to be buried underneath it.........and the Captain would then order up a hard rudder to one side to slide the bird and me with it into the sea to save his ship.
So I am really feeling cheapened that because I was not in combat, there are those who see "were never close to any danger".
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