What do you think of JUST THE MILITARY?

[Howrangi]

What are your thoughts on just the military of the USA. I don't care for what the influences of the president or congress just military.
Air force, Marines, Army, Navy, Coast guard.

[hewhoisagod]

I have nothing against the military. I have many friends and family in the armed forces.

[KilLAtomiK]

i was goin to join the air force but decided not to

[nyar]

I feel sorry for them- They are a necessary evil though. I have relatives and friends enlisted. Im not sure I can say anymore without going into a rant.

[Kidthorazine]

The millitary is neccesary and gives a lot of people good jobs that make them feel good about what they are doing i have no problem with the millitary although it isnt for me

[Cafe_Post_Mortem]

The problem is that there is no 'just the military'. They are so interconnected with politics and industry that it is impossible to judge them on thier own. Everything the military is and does is tied to these things.

Just the soldiers, well they are people doing a job. Some do a good job, some do a bad job. Some have nobel intentions, some wicked, some just see it as a job.

[killerkat]

They are a necessary evil .

that's one of the best Napalm Death songs ever....haha

i also feel bad for many of them,they were stuipid enough,to join solely based on getting college funds........and now their dead........a big part of that is the mitary's fuck up commercials, thay actually had a hearing for false advertisement,because they'd promote only the funds..........

[spdstsposeo]

Just simply the military isn't a bad thing at all..i've seen many good-for-nothings go into the military and come back very respectable people...But personally...I'd never have George W. as my boss...

[OliX]

generaly.... fuck army!
only good thing about army (thinking on regular army) is that it get lazy people in order
somebody mentioned something about army giving many job's to people... that's bullshit when you think deeper

[end_this_day]

i'm in the air force, no complaints so far. the army is like a video game, except you die.

[One Eyed Cat]

I think people generally join the military for honorable reasons. To serve their country, to advance themselves, to get an education. The military often provides a self-discipline in people that is otherwise hard to obtain. It is difficult to complete separate the military from politics. The military is inevitably intertwined with our foreign policy choices.

OEC

[cheinara wraithwalker]

My fiance's in the Navy....which makes me hate the Navy. :| He's in the Gulf right now...so...I'm just hoping that nothing happens to make him stay out there longer or...worse.

[Forestghost]

I guess this is all different up here in Canada. Our Military is under-appreciated and under-funded. I'm ex-military and believe that it is a great institution, if used for the right purposes. Right now, the American government is abusing it's military, and using it for power gain. A military is there to protect, not conquer (well, at least it's nice to believe that in this day and age).
I know in Canada, our military does a lot of search and rescue and assisting with criminal matters like drug runners.....this while insuring that our borders are safe. That makes a good military.

The soldiers in the states didn't need to die to protect their borders....so they have been abused and misused!

[One Eyed Cat]

I guess this is all different up here in Canada. Our Military is under-appreciated and under-funded. I'm ex-military and believe that it is a great institution, if used for the right purposes. Right now, the American government is abusing it's military, and using it for power gain. A military is there to protect, not conquer (well, at least it's nice to believe that in this day and age).
I know in Canada, our military does a lot of search and rescue and assisting with criminal matters like drug runners.....this while insuring that our borders are safe. That makes a good military.

The soldiers in the states didn't need to die to protect their borders....so they have been abused and misused!

I think the US Military, as an institution, can be a very positive thing for many young men and women. I very much appreciate the will to serve, regardless of a given political situation/miltary action. My father served in Vietnam as a first generation American. I believe we have to respect these men and women for performing their duties, even if the cause may not always be to our liking. It disguists me to see my fellow citizens abuse our soldiers over decisions that were never theirs to make. My father was disrespected upon returning from Vietnam (literally at the airport) Never again will this happen to anyone in my family or in my presence. People who are not mature enough to differentiate between the choices of politicians and the soldiers (often people with limited options) have no place in the public square. My father need not have gone to Vietnam. He had already been accepted to law school. He now believes the war to have been a mistake. Still, he remembers well those who made the political personal. It is personal to watch your friends die in war, it is despicable to abuse those who suffered most in the name of peace.

OEC

[Forestghost]

Of course we have to respect the individuals...they are doing what they think is right. They join to protect...to save...to help....
I'm only talking about the politicians who control the miltary...they are the ones sitting back, making the decisions. I agree with you...the soldiers coming home after any war..bad or good, should be respected and commended for their help. It's the people in charge that should be shunned and judged.

[One Eyed Cat]

Of course we have to respect the individuals...they are doing what they think is right. They join to protect...to save...to help....
I'm only talking about the politicians who control the miltary...they are the ones sitting back, making the decisions. I agree with you...the soldiers coming home after any war..bad or good, should be respected and commended for their help. It's the people in charge that should be shunned and judged.

I know you were just talking about the politicians I'm just ranting on some of my fellow citizens for not knowing the difference.

OEC

[23*]

i guess i once sympathised with the soldiers overseas.

But not anymore, I don't sympathise with robots. Its like lambs going off to be slaughtered, its sad, but they're only animals. Maybe thats a bit harsh.

Sure as someone said, we need military to protect national waters and enforce fishing quotas, provide security in certain situations etc. But FUCK. As far as I'm concerned, If you take another human being's life or go into a situation where this will be necessary you better have a damn good reason for doing it. On this grounds I have no sympathy for the soldiers in Iraq. If you can't think for yourself then you mean nothing anyway.

[Howrangi]

I just wanted to know if thier were people out thier that could distinguish between the political BS and the military. I see now that thier are and thier are some who have different views. but thats whats so great about America freedom of speech. thanxs guy/gals. I'm having a debate with some other people from school that can't seem to get that thier is another force that controls the military for stuff like Iraq, Korea,and Bossnia.

[Morning Glory]

they are people that get paid to murder other people. fuck them. there's no good reason to join the military. everyone either joins it because of racism, peer/family/authority pressure, because they think it's an easy way to exploit the government and get paid to do nothing while the rest of us have to work at productive jobs and pay thier wages, or because they are sick bastards that like the idea of being able to shoot people.

[Kidthorazine]

they are people that get paid to murder other people. fuck them. there's no good reason to join the military. everyone either joins it because of racism, peer/family/authority pressure, because they think it's an easy way to exploit the government and get paid to do nothing while the rest of us have to work at productive jobs and pay thier wages, or because they are sick bastards that like the idea of being able to shoot people.

Your forgetting about the people who join because they want to protect the country believe it or not there are people out there who actually care about our country and want to protect it of course now theese people are being wasted in a stupid war in iraq against thier choice.

[Kidthorazine]

i guess i once sympathised with the soldiers overseas.

But not anymore, I don't sympathise with robots. Its like lambs going off to be slaughtered, its sad, but they're only animals. Maybe thats a bit harsh.

Sure as someone said, we need military to protect national waters and enforce fishing quotas, provide security in certain situations etc. But FUCK. As far as I'm concerned, If you take another human being's life or go into a situation where this will be necessary you better have a damn good reason for doing it. On this grounds I have no sympathy for the soldiers in Iraq. If you can't think for yourself then you mean nothing anyway.

Do you honestly think the soldiers dont think for themselves they arent robots theese people dont have a choice and the people who are joining now are doing it because they chose to there is really no reason to attack the soldiers they didnt call themselves into combat

[KilLAtomiK]

theres so much negativity amost some of you here the military is not all guns and killing they offer great on the job experience for a vast amount of careers from being a construction worker to a doctor. if you realy take a look at all the job oportunities they offer youd see its realy not such a bad thing. The only thing that stoped me from joining was that there was like a very long waiting list for the job i wanted which was to fight fire so i decided to do something else till im 21 and i can join the LAFD

[Morning Glory]

I'm sorry but that bullshit rhetroic doesn't hold up to rationality. preemptive offense is NOT defense. sure it would be true that by killing any person I saw, I would therefor prevent them form hurting me in the future... but that's the logic of the lowest stupid denominator. considering that no foriegn country's army has attacked america in over forty years, how can you justify our invasions as protection?

[Nuada_Airgetlam]

This is some of crock of shit saying we are a bunch of murdering robotic bastards that have no feelings and never think for ourselves. OR that the people in Iraq should not be there. Just because no major invasion force has come over and spilled american blood does not mean that attacks were not made. Not only that But I have been in a counseling group with some of those "robots" as some of you put it. She was there because she was a leader in the military and that means to us That anyone in a position of authority has to give orders. Which means that people died because of descions that the leaders made. Now understand this a lot of us chose to join the military not because of the college money or schaming the government out of its money. I pay taxes as well and I have fewer freedoms than you people with real jobs do. Most of us joined to protect and defend our country and your fucking freedoms. So call me an asshole or a mindless robot but remember you can only say that because we the military protect that right with our time and our lives.

[KilLAtomiK]

This is some of crock of shit saying we are a bunch of murdering robotic bastards that have no feelings and never think for ourselves. OR that the people in Iraq should not be there. Just because no major invasion force has come over and spilled american blood does not mean that attacks were not made. Not only that But I have been in a counseling group with some of those "robots" as some of you put it. She was there because she was a leader in the military and that means to us That anyone in a position of authority has to give orders. Which means that people died because of descions that the leaders made. Now understand this a lot of us chose to join the military not because of the college money or schaming the government out of its money. I pay taxes as well and I have fewer freedoms than you people with real jobs do. Most of us joined to protect and defend our country and your fucking freedoms. So call me an asshole or a mindless robot but remember you can only say that because we the military protect that right with our time and our lives.

probably the best post on this thread theres no reason for calling them idiots or robots they volunteered to do something alot of us would be to scared to do

[cheinara wraithwalker]

probably the best post on this thread theres no reason for calling them idiots or robots they volunteered to do something alot of us would be to scared to do

No joke. I see no reason to get hostile about any of this, anyway. :|

[23*]

theres no reason for calling them idiots or robots they volunteered to do something alot of us would be to scared to do

yes, true. I wouldn't volunteer to kill someone.

[cheinara wraithwalker]

yes, true. I wouldn't volunteer to kill someone.

Most aren't volunteering to kill someone. My fiance went into the military so he could learn more about airplanes and how to put them together (a training that he would've had to pay for had he done it any other way.)

If you see them as sadistic bastards, then you have no faith in anyone's humanity. I know for a fact that my fiance isn't a robot, as I would not think robots cannot be good and kind lovers.

[Jax]

I hate the discrimination. Other than that, I dont hate the military, just the assholes that run it.

[23*]

Most aren't volunteering to kill someone. My fiance went into the military so he could learn more about airplanes and how to put them together (a training that he would've had to pay for had he done it any other way.)

If you see them as sadistic bastards, then you have no faith in anyone's humanity. I know for a fact that my fiance isn't a robot, as I would not think robots cannot be good and kind lovers.

look I never said anything about sadistic bastards. Career, physical fitness, airplanes, coast guards, police, soldiers involved in civic duties etc. etc. I have no problem with any of this.

My problem is that when you do purely what you are told to do you are acting in a robotic manner, not a human one. Ok. so we all are expected to act robotically to an extent in our working lives, but they won't ever hit you with a moral dilemma in Mc Donald’s will they?

Your boyfriend is interested in planes .. hurrah...great.. and what will he do if they ask him to bomb a training facility which turns out to be another hospital?.... sorry, but life presents challenges to us and I feel we should respond to them as individuals, not as sheep.

[cheinara wraithwalker]

Sheep or not, he is acting as in he would have to in any job. Your job is something that pays you for a service, and you're do as your told or you don't get paid. He isn't a sheep, he can think for himself. It is the same if you went to school and are told to do an assignment.

Can he help that his bosses are telling him to do things he doesn't even want to be involved in? No. He's been in six years, he didn't see this coming when he joined. If he tries to get out, if he tries to leave, what would they do? They'd kill him.

[Integrity]

True. I agree with cheinara on this one. Military men and women aren't sheep, as one might call them. Humans are humans. True, they do try and strip you of your personality while training, but what people don't understand is that they build you back up, as well.
There are countless soldiers out there who disobey orders all the time. That's not thinking for themselves? Bum internet, when they're not supposed to, drink when they're not supposed to, that's not thinking for themselves? Many of them keep journals, and does that not demonstrate individualism? I know many soldiers, many marines, navymen, airmen, and people in the national guard. They are far from sheep.
No less sheep than us, I should say.

[23*]

It is the same if you went to school and are told to do an assignment.

Can he help that his bosses are telling him to do things he doesn't even want to be involved in? No.

I just find this really lame.

True. I agree with cheinara on this one. Military men and women aren't sheep, as one might call them. Humans are humans. True, they do try and strip you of your personality while training, but what people don't understand is that they build you back up, as well.
There are countless soldiers out there who disobey orders all the time. That's not thinking for themselves? Bum internet, when they're not supposed to, drink when they're not supposed to, that's not thinking for themselves? Many of them keep journals, and does that not demonstrate individualism? I know many soldiers, many marines, navymen, airmen, and people in the national guard. They are far from sheep.
No less sheep than us, I should say.

well when they are disobeying orders they are not sheep no. I admire those that disobey orders which compromise their moral positions. But most are just as happy to turn a blind eye.

[cheinara wraithwalker]

I'm sorry if you find the fact that he hates his job and everything about the situation that he's in lame. He can't change it. He is helpless to do so. He's stuck on an aircraft carrier in the middle of the Gulf. Even if he wanted to risk his life needlessly to leave, he'd still be stuck in the middle of the ocean.

[23*]

I'm sorry if you find the fact that he hates his job and everything about the situation that he's in lame. He can't change it. He is helpless to do so. He's stuck on an aircraft carrier in the middle of the Gulf. Even if he wanted to risk his life needlessly to leave, he'd still be stuck in the middle of the ocean.

well i guess it depends on the circumstances. peace.

[cheinara wraithwalker]

See, it does depend on the circumstance. :P

Anyway, sorry for ranting.

[morbid_lady]

my cousin joined the US air force last year, i'm really proud of him.

[Tequila Zaire]

But not anymore, I don't sympathise with robots. Its like lambs going off to be slaughtered, its sad, but they're only animals. Maybe thats a bit harsh.

Congradulations...that's the stupidest shit I've read on this forum. More than some of Brightstar's posts. Maybe that's a bit harsh though.

As much as top brass would like to think their men are lean mean killing robatic machines...it's just not the case. I'm not going to go into a long rant on what a soldier has to go through or what they deal with in combat mainly because if you honestly feel what you said is the truth...then I'm not gonna make you see diffrently.

I will say this though. Go talk to Soldiers...past and present. They can clue you in on things better. Talk to vets of various wars and those serving today....they'll happily share their stories and maybe you'll learn something.

I know your not a fucking idiot so think of this as a personal attack and true we all have diffrent opinions about things...but in this case you're just waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay off.

[23*]

Congradulations...that's the stupidest shit I've read on this forum. More than some of Brightstar's posts. Maybe that's a bit harsh though.

hmm....but do i get a prize?

[cheinara wraithwalker]

hmm....but do i get a prize?

A parot to sit on your shoulder, as well as an eyepatch!

But you have to learn how to say harrrrrrrr first.