<p>Paraphrasing an infamous elitist:</p>
<p>Only the little people serve in the military.</p>
<p>Schmaltz. I am probably what you consider “anti military.” I am from Ohio and have family in the military. Brother in law is retiring from the air force this year at age 42. I am not anti soldier at all and think it is necessary we have a military. I am against how our government utilizes our military and so tired of being made a pariah just because I question things. Since the beginning I have opposed the Iraq war.</p>
<p>It seems like a waste of time for people to be offended at anyone’s point of view. We all have different backgrounds and varying experiences. The best we can do is attempt to convince someone to listen to and consider a viewpoint different than their own. It is fantastic that we are in a country that people can choose to join the military…or not, and that you can, with a little willpower and persistance, do just about anything you want. Let freedom ring!</p>
<p>Actually it may have taken courage to leave home and family. It also takes courage to stand up against the majority sometimes. To have convictions despite what others think. It is the greatness of our country that we can disagree with the power structure and each other. Did you know that Costa Rica abolished its military in 1946? Nice to not need it- partly because they have us if the bad guys tried to take over… Ditto on freedom.</p>
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<p>Pervasively militarized? Seriously? Veterans only make up 7% of the population, and less than 1% of the population is currently in uniform ([U.S</a>. Veterans: By the Numbers - ABC News](<a href=“U.S. Veterans: By the Numbers - ABC News”>U.S. Veterans: By the Numbers - ABC News)). If this country were that pervasively militarized, a lot more people would be sharing the burden of protecting our freedoms.</p>
<p>To PackMom, fauxmaven, and IronMaiden, I wish the best of luck to your sons in their naval careers. I retired from the Navy over 17 years ago, and still believe that joining right after college was one of the smartest things I’ve ever done.</p>
<p>I hate the phrase “protecting our freedoms” used currently for the military. Many of us don’t believe current military actions are justified as taking that role. There are many nonmilitary actions we should be taking to protect our freedoms- including at the voting booth. Don’t glorify military life, even if it is the best choice for many when they chose it. It is not the best thing one can say about a country to say being in the military was the best choice one could make- in a more utopian society other choices would have trumped military service. But this is the real world.</p>
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<p>You are entitled to your point of view in this country and to state it publicly. However, never forget that the military has defended your right to speak freely and continues to do so.</p>
<p>The majority of the world does not have this right and is trying to take it away from us. We can ask them nicely not to hurt us but this is the real world. The military is needed and the men and women that volunteer have more courage and bravery than I can imagine. Amazing how many people take that for granted. I’m glad we did not have that problem in WW2 or we would be living under a Nazi regime. Imagine your “freedoms” then.</p>
<p>Thank you to all of those who posted their best wishes for my son. I refuse to let anyone tear down what he and others like him are doing. It’s ironic that they are being asked to put their lives on the line to protect the right to berate them.</p>
<p>wiz75 your child is worth no more or less than mine.</p>
<p>Mine is worth more to me just as yours is to you. Neither is worth more or less to our society or country. Many others in different occupations put their lives on the line for us. Police officers, fire fighters and many others. Being in the military is not sacred, it is no better nor worse than many other means of serving our society. And most are not putting their lives on the line, many who are shouldn’t have been put in that position by our government’s policies.</p>
<p>Who said it is sacred? To disagree with our government’s policies is one thing. To berate the members of the military is another. The military takes orders from the government in this country. The government is elected by the people. Don’t like it? Do something about it. But don’t put down members of the military because you don’t agree personally with a mission(s) that they are ordered to perform.</p>
<p>Apparently the irony of being able to post such drivel because you were/are protected by the military escapes you. Enjoy your day and the freedom to do what you want. I’m done here.</p>
<p>thank you stevensmama. </p>
<p>It’s obvious that many other choices do trump military service in our current society. The CC world makes that clear.
We encountered a lot of raised eyebrows eight years ago when telling people S1’s plan to be a Navy officer.
One reaction was “Isn’t S1 really smart? Couldn’t he be a doctor or a lawyer”. </p>
<p>Inwardly, I would think “Well would you really want the “not so smart” people leading some of the most elite military units in the world?” </p>
<p>It is easy to sit safely at home and throw rocks. Military life is not to be glorified but I believe a man willing to walk down on a bomb to render it safe in order save the lives of others (some of whom hate him) or climb a bridge to search for explosives in protection of our President does deserve some respect for the job he does. That’s just the tip of the iceberg of what these guys do.</p>
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Whether you like it or not, that’s what they do. Granted, not every military engagement is necessary for national protection. Sometimes politicians get us into wars for stupid reasons. But that’s not the military’s fault.</p>
<p>Crossposted with Iron Maiden, who said it better than I did.</p>
<p>As one who has spent many hours arguing the pros of the Iraq and Afghanistan war, I can tell you that you are never, ever going to convince somebody who is vehemently against those wars that our soldiers are over there protecting our freedoms. They believe that we are wasting our money and children’s lives over there, and you will never convince them that we are fighting in those countries for our own defense.</p>
<p>Back to the OPs original question, I can tell that you are really upset and fearful. I agree with the people who tell you to listen and discuss, don’t scream. You can have much more impact if you are calm. And if your fear is that he is going to get killed in one of our current wars, but you can’t talk him out of the military, consider steering him towards the Air Force, Navy or Coast Guard. Only 1% of the combat deaths have been from the Air Force, 2% from the Navy, and one person in the Coast Guard. He would be more at risk from a training accident or car accident in those services, unless he is doing something very high risk (ie Navy Seal). And the Coast Guard has some dangerous search and rescue missions.</p>
<p>Then again, you never know what we’ll be involved in the future.</p>
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<p>sure… if you want to run away from your home when **** hits the fan, then your country doesn’t need a military. Thankfully for Poland, some other countries came to help them out.</p>
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<p>The military is not an outlet for people with violent tendencies. Those people should be screened out.</p>
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<p>When? In Korea, Viet Nam, Grenada, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Laos, Iraq, etc, etc? Tell me how.</p>
<p>The Constitution defends my right to speak freely, as do citizens who vote, pay taxes, participate in innumerable ways by helping to maintain a civil society. Slaughtering villagers and overthrowing governments in Central America did nothing to protect anyone’s freedoms. And if you don’t think our military was involved in that I have a bridge to sell you.</p>
<p>I’m certainly not saying that the military does not, upon occasion, actually defend freedom. And I certainly think that many members of the military hold those ideals, even though they are all too often used for purposes that betray those ideals.</p>
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Wis75:
Your posts on this thread are disgusting and illustrate your ignorance of the members of the military.</p>
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<p>You may want to re-read your early 20th century European history. During the period of the German Kaiser(Abdicated in 1918), Poland didn’t exist as an independent nation-state. Instead, its territories were held by Imperial Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Imperial Russia. </p>
<p>Hence…it is quite understandable why many Poles would be reluctant to fight for the German Kaiser…or the Austro-Hungarian Emperor or Imperial Russia for that matter. As far as some Poles were concerned…why should they risk their lives for their oppressors/occupiers. </p>
<p>It’s also a reason why so many young men from various nationality groups of the Austro-Hungarian Empire from the late 19th to early 20th century emigrated to the US…to avoid serving as conscripts in an army which maintains and enforces the imperial yoke over them and their nationality groups.</p>
<p>toledo, this pamphlet from Project YANO is very good:<br>
[Project</a> on Youth and Non-Military Opportunities (YANO) - THE MILITARY’S NOT JUST A JOB](<a href=“Project Yano”>Project Yano) title --“The Military’s Not Just a Job… It’s Eight Years of Your Life. What You Should Know <em>Before</em> Joining the Military”
They have other good materials, such as “So You Want to be a Man”: [Project</a> on Youth and Non-Military Opportunities (YANO) - “SO YOU WANT TO BE A MAN.”](<a href=“Project Yano”>Project Yano)</p>
<p>The text of that first YANO pamphlet is available here, in an easier-to-read format: [Recruiting</a> Lies vs. Military Reality](<a href=“http://johnmccarthy90066.tripod.com/id154.html]Recruiting”>Recruiting Lies vs. Military Reality)</p>
<p>Remember - the recruiters lie and lie, and then they lie some more.</p>
<p>Lengthier, but comprehensive and worth the read: <a href=“http://www.sdmcp.org/Regs/BeforeYouEnlist.pdf[/url]”>http://www.sdmcp.org/Regs/BeforeYouEnlist.pdf</a></p>
<p>From the GI Rights Hotline: [Before</a> You Join GI Rights Hotline: Military Discharges and Military Counseling](<a href=“http://girightshotline.org/en/military-knowledge-base/topic/truth-in-recruiting]Before”>404 Not Found ❮ GI Rights Hotline: Military Discharges and Military Counseling) “Do You Know Enough to Enlist?”
Contents
■Will enlistment help me to achieve my goals?
■Am I trying to escape my own problems?
■Am I willing to give up control?
■Am I willing to kill … and be killed?
■Do I have other options?
■If you talk with a recruiter
■If you decide to enlist
■Already signed up for the DEP?</p>
<p>The American Friends Service Committee: [Before</a> You Enlist! 2011 | American Friends Service Committee](<a href=“http://afsc.org/video/you-enlist-2011]Before”>Before You Enlist! 2011 | American Friends Service Committee)
Includes a video, titled “Before You Enlist: The Real Deal on Joining the Military” (The Quakers are awesome, in my book)</p>
<p>How can you people claim to know what’s best for other individuals hmm? The military lies? Well guess what, so does the whole goddamn country. You think going to college and getting a degree will guarantee your kids a career? A steady job? Even a sustainable income? How about fulfillment? No! The military gives young people a sense of purpose, a lifelong career, and security for their entire lives, in exchange for their selflessness. You make me sick.</p>