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I know a 45 year old former Marine who is now a grandfather.
His son is in the Philippines. The Marine never even met his son and his grandson. I will never understand the logic behind people's life choices. Many simply don't think before they do things.
We should not be enablers for bad behavior. There are military wives, there are dependaputamas
It can certainly be just as bad at some stateside locations as well. Ever see the movie "Cinderella Liberty?"
But the Philippines was different from most places in the Far East because of its colonial ties to the US. In other places, it was relatively hard for a GI to meet a "good" girl. That required meeting her parents first...who were usually not interested in having an American son-in-law.
But in the Philippines, it was quite easy to chat up a nice girl working in some local shop. Filipino parents were more amenable to an American son-in-law. It would, however, entail approval of the parents, a very traditional courtship, and auntie or grandmother would chaperone all dates.
It can certainly be just as bad at some stateside locations as well. Ever see the movie "Cinderella Liberty?"
But the Philippines was different from most places in the Far East because of its colonial ties to the US. In other places, it was relatively hard for a GI to meet a "good" girl. That required meeting her parents first...who were usually not interested in having an American son-in-law.
But in the Philippines, it was quite easy to chat up a nice girl working in some local shop. Filipino parents were more amenable to an American son-in-law. It would, however, entail approval of the parents, a very traditional courtship, and auntie or grandmother would chaperone all dates.
Interesting. I dont know much about the country or the culture. I just don't understand why someone so young (like 18) chose to get married and have children.
Anyway, back to the topic, I think it's military responsibility to take care of their own because they have enough budget.
It's never a bad idea to make some good suggestions.
I dont think it's anybody job to rescue anybody. After all codependent relationship is never healthy, but being enabler is equally awful.
BUT......this is the military where one is not only responsible for the lives of others but one is training people to stand up to the bat and take charge, to make decisions on their own. It can be and often is our job to rescue another.
An example or two. In the late Cold War, one of my troopers was HIV+ and the rumor around the base was that if they went down, no one would respond to their assistance (have to remember all the fears back then). I resolved myself that if such happen, I would for.....what kind of officer would I be not to go to the need of one of my troops in their need?
In another example, a FAST (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine...Force_Regiment ) team was training my security forces down at the rifle range. A radio call comes in that they need an ambulance so I roll them one....right past the HQ building, sirens wailing. Command calls up wanting to know what was up and as it turned out, a trooper had been sitting down for a while, got up with a foot asleep, fell, and twisted their ankle. A ride in a police car to sick bay would have been sufficient.
But that was not the way I worked with my people in the field. You tell me you need something, I am not going to second guess you, I am going to get you what you asked for. For the person you assign to a field leadership position, you have to know them that well, you have to be that involved in their heads, if not their lives. The military is a 24/7 world, very often enough.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lilyflower3191981
Even when my brother was an e1 in the Marines, he had spending money every month. His co told all of them not to get married, do not sleep with single mothers, etc. Not politically correct for him to say. I know.
I think young enlisted who marry too young have the most problems.
Military is tax dollar funded organization. They should figure out a way to solve this problem. Don't we have enough budget for the military?
The military pay and benefits are well documented for each pay grade. Junior military choosing to marry or have children early on when they can least afford it are no different than the person coming out of school who gets married or finds a baby is on the way. In most cases they are not mature enough for this new chapter of their life but at least in the military medical and other benefits will be available for the new spouse/child.
What do you want the military to do, in my day if you couldn't afford to be married you waited until you could and plenty in the Navy were doing otherwise.
This is happening so fast. Republicans NEED to win house and Senate in Nov. It's imperative.
Yep. Last chance to stop this.
It's why they were so rabid with their hate for Trump. He delayed them for four years. Now they are right back on the rails to hell. And we are in the boxcars.
This is not a new problem. Years ago, I knew a young military family that used WIC to ensure they had enough to eat.
Agree. Lower ranking enlisted personnel have been getting food stamps, WIC (supplemental foods for children) and all other benefits that are extended to low income families. Sadly, in these military towns, they are additionally taken advantage of when it comes to the cost of rent for apartments and homes. I have seen them living in the less safe neighborhoods and in places where someone that has a job, shouldn't have to live.
The military is set up like the corrupt style of communism. Those at the top "feast" and those at the bottom experience "famine". When I was in the military, I was really surprised to realize that we were so critical of such a system, but that the military used it with great success for those that were "feasting", and they were ones in power. Did not like that system at all!
I remember working with younger soldiers that had bought a car, and by the last week of the month, they couldn't afford gas to take the car out.
Agree. Lower ranking enlisted personnel have been getting food stamps, WIC (supplemental foods for children) and all other benefits that are extended to low income families. Sadly, in these military towns, they are additionally taken advantage of when it comes to the cost of rent for apartments and homes. I have seen them living in the less safe neighborhoods and in places where someone that has a job, shouldn't have to live.
The military is set up like the corrupt style of communism. Those at the top "feast" and those at the bottom experience "famine". When I was in the military, I was really surprised to realize that we were so critical of such a system, but that the military used it with great success for those that were "feasting", and they were ones in power. Did not like that system at all!
I remember working with younger soldiers that had bought a car, and by the last week of the month, they couldn't afford gas to take the car out.
They shouldn't have bought a car at all. Buying a car was the second worse thing to do besides marrying a stripper. Most of the trouble young troops get into revolves in one way or another around having a car...it even makes it more likely they'll marry a stripper.
But if you don't like systems where those at the top "feast" while those at the bottom experience "famine," you must really hate American corporatism.
This attitude is the epitome' of the "let them eat cake" attitude - and an insult to our armed servicemen and women like no other.
Outrageous.
Our military should be paid much more than they are currently paid for the service they provide to the United States citizens; freedom is not free. All military should be at the head of the line when it comes to the respect that should be accorded them, along with top of the line medical care and benefits that our (by and large) deadbeat congressional representatives enjoy.
Further, as we are all aware by now, there are people residing in this country who have not contributed to our society, yet collect every benefit they can possibly qualify for. Again, outrageous.
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