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I have the utmost respect and appreciation for the military. But I do get weary when I see on social media kids who join the military going on and on how their patriotism and love for country is the reason they joined. The truth is most of the kids I know who have joined had few other options. Most were average (or below average) students and came from families that could not help them financially. No way could they ever afford college, so the military was the best choice. And I applaud them for their service. But I also applaud others I know in law enforcement who risk their lives everyday too.
While I don't question why people say they joined the military, I do look down on boastfulness. To me, your service speaks for itself.
That said, most of the people I know in the military definitely had other options. But, then again, I work in the intelligence field, which attracts a different kind of recruit who scored above a certain level on the ASVAB or Officer Aptitude Test.
I equally applaud those in law enforcement, though, and feel that they are underappreciated in our country.
I have a great deal of respect for the men and women of the military, but the Vet was downright rude. While I thank him for his service, I can easily do without his attitude.
I agree. Attitude was uncalled for. I feel that your service should be silent in the sense that you're not out there boasting and bragging about it or demanding respect.
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I come from a military family. I would NOT wish that life on my sons. My dad gave his mental health to the Viet Nam war.
So yeah. I'm really, really happy to thank men in camo for their service, buy their meals at a fast food restaurant, clap when they go by in a parade, because um hmm. My sons are not going to do that, period. Period.
We are NOT going back to the draft.
If there are men and women who will willingly sign up to be cannon fodder, and have PTSD for the rest of their lives, and be at huge risk for suicide, they deserve great honors to counterbalance the meager pay they receive. I can't for the life of me understand why one single person signs up for the military, but apparently they do, and in sufficient numbers to staff our continued wars. Leading to basically nothing.
Because my family isn't going to do it. Ever again.
I come from a military family. I would NOT wish that life on my sons. My dad gave his mental health to the Viet Nam war.
So yeah. I'm really, really happy to thank men in camo for their service, buy their meals at a fast food restaurant, clap when they go by in a parade, because um hmm. My sons are not going to do that, period. Period.
We are NOT going back to the draft.
If there are men and women who will willingly sign up to be cannon fodder, and have PTSD for the rest of their lives, and be at huge risk for suicide, they deserve great honors to counterbalance the meager pay they receive.
Because my family isn't going to do it. Ever again.
I can respect your feelings (the conversation about how you're going to stop your sons from serving if they want to aside), but I'd just point out that there are many, many fields/jobs within the military where you are in no serious risk of developing PTSD.
I don't see us going back to the draft unless we're engaged in an actual, full drawn war, though.
There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends. I think that this says it all. Does not matter how you do this, but some ways bring you closer to laying down your life than others. Staying alive is our strongest genetic hard wiring. To overcome the fear of death when the risk of death is greater than in any other way, takes a special kind of person. I do not know about other callings in life, only my own but I bet few end up suffering mentally from what they did for the rest of their lives as I do. I am still on medication and at one time my wife had to move into her own bedroom because I would attack her in my sleep. I know what I saw during my tour of Vietnam and I cannot think of seeing those things in any other profession as often as I did.
Does that make me better or more manly? No, although unlike many, I have tested my courage and bravery in the face of death almost on a daily basis. Working in a soup kitchen is a noble act. I applaud EMS for helping me out and the police for their protection. Many serve in some ways. All I know is that few other ways to serve place a rifle in your hand and commands you to run into the face of danger so often and in so many different ways.
It can be argued that my efforts were in vain since nothing good happened in Vietnam. Other public service can affect the lives of many, making it better for them unlike what I did. So none are better than the other as far as its effects on the world. However, some are more dangerous than others and if someone chose to serve in some other way due to cowardice, that is a whole different ball game. It is not what you do, but rather your reasons for doing it that count.
There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends. I believe this, but there are many ways this can be done, none better than the other.
I'm always wary about tales of........." a friend told me he witnessed".......and it is pretty far fetched.
It sounds like you have an ax to grind and figured if you just asked the question, you wouldn't get the response you wanted.
By adding that tale at the beginning, you are going to get posters upset at servicemen.
Nice try !
Again, there's one in every thread
Not that it matters, but if you actually spent time reading my threads, you know I have no problem asking questions. People like you are too much, always thinking negatively and casting what you think is doubt on things.
One of my college buddies (a high school teacher in Georgia) felt the need to vent his frustration over something he witnessed the other day. According to my friend, a stranger sat down next to a Navy vet, who proceeded to ask the stranger whether he had ever served his country? The stranger "hesitated," before stating "not in the military." The vet then laughed and replied something along the lines of "don't tell me you mean that chicken-**** Peace Corps or something").
Well, my friend was deeply upset with this and went on a decent rant about how it is ridiculous that many believe that the military is the most significant or even the most significant way to serve your country.
So you're talking about a general conclusion about society reached from observing a sample of one individual?
I'd say, rather, that the military is merely being used as a political set-piece, a pawn, in a larger political game.
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there's bound to be one in every thread
