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.
You are very wrong, but I'm not even sure where to begin.
Starting with me, I played baseball and soccer growing up. If you want to call those violent sports, I suppose you could try but I doubt you could really make the connection.
I studied Philosophy in college, and earned my degree in it. I joined because I wanted to serve my country, and be a part of something that made a difference in the world. I believed this so strongly I refused any scholarship that ROTC offered me, simply wanting to join without any other benefits.
I got commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in 2005.
Oh, and by the way, the Army has done a lot of studies on personalities within the Army. Are you aware that the majority of officers are introverts?
I served as an Infantry Platoon Leader during the Surge into Baghdad. I conducted combat patrols every day for 15 months. I lived with those and were one of the Soldiers who were constantly in the fight.
Speaking of which, most Soldiers in the Army are NOT in the fight. It takes a certain amount of Soldiers to provide support for that Soldier who is on the front. Yes, their jobs are important. But they didn't join to "fight" because they aren't directly in the fight anyway.
The Soldiers that you describe, who joined because they wanted to behave violently and get away with it? There were exactly three of those in my Platoon, out of 35 Soldiers. And this was a platoon of Infantry, those who are directly involved in the fighting. The ratio is probably much less in the rest of the Army. Of those three Soldiers, two were able to conduct themselves in a manner that was consistent with Army values. One was not, so I got rid of him.
So, even if that is the reason that someone wanted to join, that doesn't mean they are going to get away with anything.
As for the rest, there is a rush you feel during combat. That adrenalin kicks in and it can be addicting. But most Soldiers aren't thirsting for it every minute of every day. You've seen video's where Soldiers are yelling and screaming in combat. They are caught up in the moment and you have no clue, if you haven't been there, of the rush of energy you get while in that situation.
What you don't see if the video's before the Soldier's leave the gate. The ones were they sit in quiet contemplation, often feeling ill, wondering if this will be their last day on this earth. Furiously scribbling letters to their loved ones, or looking over a crumpled picture they've kept in their pocket. They aren't looking for a fight, but even with dread in their hearts, they still step outside that protective wall and go to do their duty.
They are just normal people, not some violent thug you make them out to be. And that's why my Soldiers deserve respect. Not because they are extraordinary people. They aren't. The Army is like a sample of the United States, with people from all walks of life and all kinds of backgrounds.
They deserve respect because they are ordinary people, called upon to accomplish the extraordinary for their country.
Also, I just got off of a 2 years tour as a company commander for South Jersey Recruiting Company. My Company enlisted over a thousand Soldiers during that time. I talked to every single one, and I always asked them why they decided to join. I'd say less than 30 stated something along the lines of "I want action".
I supposed I've rambled on long enough.
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