I Have No Respect for People in the Army

[LookBehindYou]

Nice to see that this thread is still going strong after the weekend.

 

[SP33Demon]

I respect the uniform, not the person inside it. Him/her I don't know, they're prob a jackass I couldn't stand, but that uniform deserves my respect.

This sums it up quite nicely. The uniform they wear is worthy of your respect, hence it is transferred to that person. OP is over-thinking it.

 

[midwestfisherman]

OP is clearly an idiot!

/thread

 

[MarkXIX]

Let me give you the perspective from inside the uniform.

1) As a segment of society, Soldiers are no different that any other large organization. I am an Army Reservist, so I supervise civilians in my "normal" job and Soldiers when I am in a duty status. As a segment of the population, civilian employees have just as many issues with work ethic, ability to interact with people, etc. That's why just as many civilian employees get fired for their misdeeds every day as Soldiers go to jail, get discharged, or get punished for their offenses.

2) The military has it's own culture like any large organization does. You are attacking the culture itself with your generalizations. That's fine, but understand the difference between opinions, facts, and reality. You don't seem to be able to discern the difference between them in any meaningful way. I can assure you that the military culture looks out on civilian society and draws their own conclusions as well. Eventually though, given time, when they (the people in one or the other culture) are forced into that other culture, they adapt and assimilate whether you believe that or not. Military members are fully functional human beings and only very few of us have a propensity or desire to commit violence and even then, probably not at a rate above that of the normal society at large. Feel free to provide statistics that shows different. I promise that for every Soldier that roughs up a foreign national on the streets of some foreign land, there's a guy in your office that just beat the shit out of his own kids or wife last night to match it.

3) The heart of your angst and issues should be targeted toward the public at large. It is a very, VERY uncomfortable feeling for me and other military members to walk through an airport in uniform and be publicly revered and coddled for our service. You would have us believe that we are something akin to a professional wrestler who steps into the public and demands attention and reverence through being overtly loud or demanding this treatment. We don't. We wear what we are told to wear in conjunction with the rules that we operate under. There is a mandate that requires Soldiers to wear their uniform during official travel. There is a mandate to wear uniforms for certain public events that more often than not, the event organizers or the patrons demand our presence at. We certainly don't go out to NASCAR events and demand that we be there to get a standing ovation. The public wants that, they ask for it, they demand it and reluctantly, we are told to participate. Of course, that comes with public service as well, the taxpayer deserves to see what they are paying for and supporting, it is what it is.

I can tell you flat out that most Soldiers cringe at the notion of shaking dozens of hands in airports or being lauded in public establishments when all we want to do is our job. I don't ask to have my meals paid for when I'm on official business in uniform, but it happens far too often in my opinion. But then, I've realized that those things are less for me as a Soldier and more for the person committing the act so they can feel they contribute to our nation's security in some way. It's for them to feel good about themselves more than anything.

4) It is estimated that only about 1-2% of the people in this country will commit to military service in their lifetimes. Because of that, we are a limited resource, to most people, we are an anomaly in their lives. I forget because I work on an Army installation every day, that most Americans rarely even see a Soldier in person unless they are in an airport or similar place. If I'm driving cross country on business and stop somewhere to get gas, it's uncomfortable to be pointed at and talked about but it happens. Why? Because when you make up such a small part of the population, you are a rare sight outside your organizational area. That's not our fault, but you want to pin that on us for some reason and you're wrong for doing it.

In a similar vain, because only 1-2% of us will ever do the hard job of the military, most people have resigned themselves to never being able to do it themselves. It may be choice, it may be fate, it may be destiny that they can't do the job, but whatever it is, they respect what we do because they can't or won't do it. Again, you pin that on us because we CHOSE to do it when very few others could or would. Instead you sit back and criticize us for our service and for the respect and reverence poured on us by the general public who likely harbors a twinge of guilt or respect because we do what they can't or won't do. Again, not our fault, we asked to do the job, we didn't ask for everyone else to put the burden of fame on us like has happened.

So, having said my piece, I can somewhat agree that the American public places far too much of their reverence and respect in us. Realize though that it's the masses doing this, not us demanding it. When we go out in the public and demand respect through coercion or force that is perpetrated directly by our government or our military, then you should come down on the service members for it. Until then, you're a misguided chump who can't assemble a complete thought over the internet.

 

[AznAnarchy99]

Some are douches and some arent. I can change soldiers to cops, football players, teachers, or any other profession and its the same.

 

[Blieb]

A simple analogy I just thought of is a Nascar driver. Their job is potentially fatal. They know what they are getting themselves into. But when they die you don't see the public appreciating their efforts. It's something they chose to do. Same with soldiers, they knew the deal, they did not fit well into society, and thus chose to fight.

Best part.
DRIVING AROUND IN CIRCLES while rednecks watch - has nothing to do with being a soldier.

You joined last month, you should leave this month.

 

[videogames101]

Before I begin, let me say that the title can be a tiny bit misleading. I wanted to capture my general attitude on the subject as well as attention to the post. It's not that I have zero respect for people in the armed forces and that I hate them, but that I do not think they deserve the respect that people generally give them. I always hear - on the radio, television, and the general public, how we should be super-respectful and honorary of soldiers. It makes my stomach crawl when I hear soldiers being commemorated as if they joined the army to protect the nation from harm and bring peace to the world. Why do I feel this way? See below.

If you joined the army, you are most likely not the type of person who thinks with their head but with fists. You probably played Football in high-school, or some other type of violent sport, and have anger management problems. You chose not to study and as a result could not afford/had the desire to enter a college.

Most soldiers in the army joined because they are allowed to behave violently, legally, whilst getting payed. If they would have stayed in the the working class society, they would most likely end up unsuccessful.

Most, not all, army personnel do not fight because they want to help the nation. They fight because they love to fight. They are confrontational and desire action. It's like a license to kill.

That's why when I hear the respect they get for fighting, I cringe. These people risk their lives not for you, not for me, not for the country or world peace, but for themselves. They are violent and action-oriented people.

A simple analogy I just thought of is a Nascar driver. Their job is potentially fatal. They know what they are getting themselves into. But when they die you don't see the public appreciating their efforts. It's something they chose to do. Same with soldiers, they knew the deal, they did not fit well into society, and thus chose to fight.

I imagine many of you think I'm unappreciative and cruel for posting this. I actually LOVE the fact that people like this exist, I appreciate that they do what they do, even while I realize they do it more for themselves than for me, but I don't believe they should be praised the way they are today. Soldiers are not saints, they are just violent men who do what they love to do.

Obviously not every single man in the army is violent. Some are probably even educated, intelligent, college-material folks. I'm sure some join just to fight for what they believe in and to rid the world of injustice. But what I'm getting is that the majority, maybe 85% or so, do it because they have a lust to fight, to kill.

Oh, and this does not apply to people who were drafted or forced unwillingly to join the ranks. It applies only to those hard-knocks who joined on their own accord and that are fighting in Iraq, Afghanistan...the middle east.

P.S.

No, I was never bullied by soldiers/grunts. No, my mother was not raped by an ex-marine. I have not had any negative experiences with these men. In fact, I have acquiescence's who want are in the army who I love to share a beer with. But they don't deserve the appreciation they get, that's all I think.

What to you guys think? Constructively.

Dude, you are what I call a stereotyping asshole. You are throwing up conjectures without any sort of basis and then forming your beliefs about soldiers in general around those conjectures. I think your "85%" statistic there is totally bullshit. Is that constructive enough for you? If you want to say this about a soldier you've met, fine, whatever. But you simply do not know why most soldiers join. You don't, so stop pretending you do, stop assuming you do.

 

[Sentrosi2121]

As a veteran myself I gladly will defend your right to post your thoughts anonymously on a thread such as this as long as you acknowledge my right and left fists pummeling you into a turtle-like position.

Oh, too violent for you? Let me lighten it up for you

As a veteran myself I gladly will defend your right to post your thoughts anonymously on a thread such as this as long as you acknowledge the fact that you are a person with very little self worth in this world and would probably be better off living on an island in the South Pacific with you, a lonely coconut tree and a few pieces of floatsam.

Like my thoughts on this matter? I eagerly await your reply.

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

You hate puppies and kittens too, don't you. The fluffyiness just gets on your nerves, and why all the meowing??!


Edit: I'll agree with your trolling very very slightly that enlisting in the armed forces doesn't automatically make you a "hero," but I disagree completely that they don't deserve respect for their service.

I find this funny, especially here, because people here are quick to say that members of the Armed Services deserve respect, yet those same people will push each other over to be the first to call a cop a Pig.

There are some members of the Armed Services that join becaues they are truely patriotic (Pat Tillman), but honestly, most of the grunts are there because they either wanted a free education or had no other useful skills in the private sector.
Do they automatically deserve respect? Honestly no. Any of the soilders that say us civilians should respect them, joined for the wrong reasons and it says something about their character if they demand or require respect.
I personally don't go out of my way or try to show undiing respect to someone because he's been in the services.
I'm not a jerk to them either. I do have respect for those that didn't choose but where choosen (aka drafted) and served their country then.

But acting like all soilders deserve respect is assinine. They are just people and they have their faults. Or do you lump in Major Nidal Hasan with those that deserve respect? Or the awol soilder that was recently captured that planned to attack Fort Hood again?

Blind patriotism is the worst kind.

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

As a veteran myself I gladly will defend your right to post your thoughts anonymously on a thread such as this as long as you acknowledge my right and left fists pummeling you into a turtle-like position.

Oh, too violent for you? Let me lighten it up for you

As a veteran myself I gladly will defend your right to post your thoughts anonymously on a thread such as this as long as you acknowledge the fact that you are a person with very little self worth in this world and would probably be better off living on an island in the South Pacific with you, a lonely coconut tree and a few pieces of floatsam.

Like my thoughts on this matter? I eagerly await your reply.

You kind of prove his point. You want to punch someone because they have a differing view than you?
Read my previous post and let me know if you want to beat me up to. Just come to the realization that some citizen will shoot sacks of crap like you that try to attack them.

 

[videogames101]

You kind of prove his point. You want to punch someone because they have a differing view than you?
Read my previous post and let me know if you want to beat me up to. Just come to the realization that some citizen will shoot sacks of crap like you that try to attack them.

Threats = Actions AM I RITE?

 

[moshquerade]

Threats = Actions AM I RITE?

^probably the most obvious come back there is, but Jeffrey is right.

 

[videogames101]

^probably the most obvious come back there is, but Jeffrey is right.

Are you saying "he's right" that this veteran is, by playing right into the violent stereotype, confirming the stereotype? Because my point is that one person does not, in fact, represent the entire army, so Sentrosi2121 may be providing an example of a jump to violence, but that doesn't confirm any of the points brought up by the OP because they are about the military in general, not about one soldier or veteran.

Also it's obvious because it has merit. We're all anonymous after all.