Poll: Do you automatically respect people in the military?

[Ieyke]

Not an once of respect is gained from me by someone being in the military.

In fact, they lose respect for voluntarily joining the military.
Generally speaking, I regard people in the military as people who probably have nothing particularly useful to offer.

Now, you can interpret that however you want, but that is GENERALLY speaking.


This is coming from someone who gets calls from the FBI at 6am on Sunday mornings with almost comedic frequency, regarding me being a reference for sooo many people who have listed me as a reference when they enlisted.
My dad was an MP in the Army.
My best friend is in Army Intelligence.
My girl was literally as close to being a Marine as you can be without being a Marine (got kicked out for bullshit reasons when she was most of the way through boot camp).
Then there are 3 former friends of mine that are all Marines. All of them assholes.
There are about a dozen Army Intelligence officers I met through my best friend... A couple assholes, a few cool folks, a few mehwhatever people, though none of them leave me slightly impressed.

I was in a cab with 8 Army Intelligence officers back in June, and the smartest people in the cab with me, BY FAR, were the cabby and my friend.

A girl I work with is married to a former Marine. The guy has apparently suddenly started having night-terrors this past week because of Afghanistan - where I'm told he got shot, stabbed, and blown up (I have no reason to doubt it's true, though he seems very much in one piece as far as I can tell). Guy is friendly enough. Don't know him well enough to judge him.
Do I respect him? No. I see him every day when his wife is working, and usually we chat a bit.
This isn't a thing where I feel I can just not respect military personnel because I don't know them and therefore they are irrelevant to me (which they are).
It applies to the ones I've met too.
I've seen this guy probably four times this week, and each time for probably an hour where he was just hanging around our store chillin' with us.
I feel sorry for the guy and hope he's not too mentally messed up, because his wife is pretty cool and one of the better people I've met all year, and I'd hate to see her deal with him falling apart.

Every time I go through the mall I get assailed by recruiters, and I just talk little circles around their bullshit and leave them all muddled.
I don't get why anyone would join the military, unless they themselves acknowledged that they literally had nothing else to offer.
Are these recruiters actually capable of talking people into thinking it's a good idea???

A tiny handful of people in the military are pretty damn smart and pretty cool, like my dad, my girl, and my friend.
A few of them are decent ordinary people who seem like fish out of water.
A TON of military personnel are self-important douchebags.
A TON of military personnel aren't particularly bright.

Every time someone I know mentions considering joining the military, it's just an epic facepalm moment.

I can't understand people who need people to tell them what to do every waking moment, I can't understand how you can tolerate it, and I can't understand anyone who thinks that sounds appealing.

And this isn't just me in my happily sane military-free existence.
My girl agrees completely. She's completely relieved they threw her out and agrees on all of the above. And my friend in Army Intelligence agrees too, and he would've been out of the military ASAP, if hadn't put together such a ridiculously lucrative deal going in (Turns out when you score astronomically high on your aptitude tests the military will give you whatever you want to get you to join...).

My dad's experience was apparently, understandably, quite different from what they do today, what with the Cold War and all that. He was one of the guys who they called on to guard Air Force One, the Space Shuttle, and various other stuff, and he had a security clearance even higher than what my Army Intel buddy has now.
He likes modern military hardware, as do I (who doesn't?), but he's pretty apathetic towards the modern US military itself.

So....yea. People only get respect from me if they've earned it. Being in the military does NOTHING to help earn it.

Whatever.
I try not to ponder it.
I lumped it into the "shit humans do that makes no sense" pile, and stopped trying to contemplate it.

*shrug*

 

[Midnight Crossroads]

I give them a little more respect out of camaraderie. A deployment patch and CIB helps too, but that's because of a mutual and unspoken understanding. That doesn't mean there aren't some gargantuan shit bags who deserve no respect as individuals.

 

[RicoADF]

Another joined to study mechanics because getting a mechanics apprenticeship can be troublesome.
.

really? that seems odd

here in Aus they really did a drive towards apprenticships, getting one doesnt seem too hard since theres like a whole government thing behined it

OT: TV and movies have shown me that american marines are scary

True, but the government also drives the idea that you can join the military and be paid to be trained and leave qualified in multiple trades. So you can go either way.

OT: I respect everyone, but yes I do generally give people in the Australian military extra credit as their protecting our country. Having said that, the modern military gets less respect than the ANZACs of past, mostly due to constant issues/scandles etc. And the politics dang!

 

[MeChaNiZ3D]

I have a bit more respect given only the information that they're in the military than I would for regular people, if there's a risk of them being sent overseas. If they actually have been overseas, bit more respect again. These are people who put their life on the line for their country, or at least, their country's government, but the main thing is they've risked their life, which takes something worth respecting.

They instantly lose that respect when they use "I was in the military" as an excuse to justify any opinion not related to warfare, or worse, try to use it as leverage as if you're somehow meant to feel bad for disagreeing with these 'heroes of society'. In particular, in debates of patriotism. Some of them are plain stupid and that's the only respectable career available, and some of them are dicks who just like being in a position of power. So basically, I have a vague respect for military personnel until they do anything to the contrary. Then I don't.

 

[Not G. Ivingname]

Yes because they are bigger and stronger and any of them could beat my @$$ if I gave them a reason to.

 

[Evil Smurf]

I respect everybody, soldiers included. I'm a nice guy

I actually have no idea what you posted, I just saw your avatar and couldn't stop looking at it.
I don't know if there is any text next to it or if you just wrote obscenities, and nonsense, but frankly I don't care.
Damn it's cute.

Thanks man, I find listening to Depeche Mode really suits my avatar.

I have about 5 equally cute avatars ready to go.

 

[smithy_2045]

I respect people on an individual basis. Being in the military does not constitute enough of a reason to receive my respect.

 

[Kennetic]

Our rules of engagement is ridiculously strict and there were situations in Iraq where we should have shot but didn't because we thought we would have gotten in trouble if we did (we were surrounded by Iraqi Army dudes who had AKs pointed at us and we were like WTF)[/quote
Even though you clearly got out of the situation alive, you still think you should have been allowed to shoot them?

Our rules of engagement is ridiculously strict and there were situations in Iraq where we should have shot but didn't because we thought we would have gotten in trouble if we did (we were surrounded by Iraqi Army dudes who had AKs pointed at us and we were like WTF)

Even though you clearly got out of the situation alive, you still think you should have been allowed to shoot them?

We would have been very much justified and I would have not lost sleep over it. There were 2 of us in a small room and 8 of them come running in yelling and pointing their AKs us. Our ROE: 1) Positive ID of threat? Check. 2) Is the individual committing a hostile act? Big check. Only reason we didn't open fire was because how fast this happened. I had no clue if we would get out alive. Our other platoon got into a Mexican standoff with an Iraqi platoon as well. Everyone pointing rifles at each other so the platoon sergeant calls an apache to do a low altitude fly-by and that caused the Iraqi platoon to rethink the situation. Our mission was to advise and assist the Iraqi Army and they normally don't act like that but there were a couple situations where they weren't so friendly

 

[Angie7F]

nope. I used to work with them, and as much as they are nice people, they are no different from any one else.

 

[manic_depressive13]

We would have been very much justified and I would have not lost sleep over it. There were 2 of us in a small room and 8 of them come running in yelling and pointing their AKs us. Our ROE: 1) Positive ID of threat? Check. 2) Is the individual committing a hostile act? Big check. Only reason we didn't open fire was because how fast this happened. I had no clue if we would get out alive. Our other platoon got into a Mexican standoff with an Iraqi platoon as well. Everyone pointing rifles at each other so the platoon sergeant calls an apache to do a low altitude fly-by and that caused the Iraqi platoon to rethink the situation. Our mission was to advise and assist the Iraqi Army and they normally don't act like that but there were a couple situations where they weren't so friendly

So what you're saying is you would have been allowed to shoot them but you were just too slow, and you lied about not shooting because you thought you would get in trouble. Gotcha.

 

[Terramax]

Nope.

I'd even say I'd lose respect for them more easily than gaining it.

This.

Most people in the British military I've met have been very horrible people.

 

[Subscriptism]

If you view it as a little ladder with ten rungs and respect is at the top, then average Joes start at the bottom but people in the military start one rung up. I think about it that way.

 

[Kennetic]

We would have been very much justified and I would have not lost sleep over it. There were 2 of us in a small room and 8 of them come running in yelling and pointing their AKs us. Our ROE: 1) Positive ID of threat? Check. 2) Is the individual committing a hostile act? Big check. Only reason we didn't open fire was because how fast this happened. I had no clue if we would get out alive. Our other platoon got into a Mexican standoff with an Iraqi platoon as well. Everyone pointing rifles at each other so the platoon sergeant calls an apache to do a low altitude fly-by and that caused the Iraqi platoon to rethink the situation. Our mission was to advise and assist the Iraqi Army and they normally don't act like that but there were a couple situations where they weren't so friendly

So what you're saying is you would have been allowed to shoot them but you were just too slow, and you lied about not shooting because you thought you would get in trouble. Gotcha.

Shooting them would have gotten us killed, smartass, there were 8 of them and 2 of us that's why we waited. Also, where did I lie?

 

[Midnight Crossroads]

I think of it this way.

If no one had a military force, how would we fight?

Better yet, would we really find anything worth building military forces for?

Prior to standing armies, leaders would have private armies of thugs who would often times collect pay through the raping and pillaging of conquered nations. That, or they would coerce locals into service to use as meat shields for a small core of professional soldiers. The Italians had bands of roaming mercenaries who would sell their loyalty to the highest bidder.

 

[CpT_x_Killsteal]

The Taliban are a military force. Just think about that.

OT: Nope. I respect them as people, not soldiers. They go somewhere to fight for for the profit of rich warmongers and weapon manufacturers. There are of course people who believe they're "fighting for freedom" but if you believe that everything you're doing over there involves that and that alone then you're an idiot.

Also, here's another perspective: Soldiers are just mercenaries with a flag.

And didn't you have a thread of your own on this topic, one that you have effectively abandoned.

Sorry for the double post, and on topic, no, someone is not an honorable baddass just by putting on a uniform, but I know that I can trust them more than your average civilian and the level of disdain that the community on this site shows them annoys the hell out of me.

Yeah I did have a thread on it. I just didn't feel like responding to every single post and reply on it.

And it's not disdain, it's just that alot of people on this site aren't fanatics about them.

 

[In Search of Username]

I respect them less, generally. They're hired killers. Why people think that's worthy of respect is beyond me.

Eh some people think its okay for someone to take anothers life as long as its for a good reason (read: a reason they agree with) or if they think the other person is bad and/or as long as they're not the ones that have to do the killing. Just opinions and all that.

Or maybe theres some other reason, probably is. *shrug*

I disagree that there's ever a good reason to take someone's life. Though I'd be less disrespectful towards a soldier who joined up because their country was actually under attack. As it is the western world spends most of its time as the invaders, not the defenders, so I can't see any valid reason for it at all.

 

[manic_depressive13]

Shooting them would have gotten us killed, smartass, there were 8 of them and 2 of us that's why we waited. Also, where did I lie?

Right here:

Our rules of engagement is ridiculously strict and there were situations in Iraq where we should have shot but didn't because we thought we would have gotten in trouble if we did (we were surrounded by Iraqi Army dudes who had AKs pointed at us and we were like WTF)

First you said that the rules of engagement are "ridiculously strict" and thus you couldn't shoot the Iraqis even though they were threatening you. Then you clarified that your not shooting the Iraqis had nothing to do with the rules of engagement, and everything to do with practicality. I am therefore concluding that you were being deliberately dishonest in your initial post.

 

[Midnight Crossroads]

I think of it this way.

If no one had a military force, how would we fight?

Better yet, would we really find anything worth building military forces for?

Prior to standing armies, leaders would have private armies of thugs who would often times collect pay through the raping and pillaging of conquered nations. That, or they would coerce locals into service to use as meat shields for a small core of professional soldiers. The Italians had bands of roaming mercenaries who would sell their loyalty to the highest bidder.

You're missing the point.

There's a difference between the "official law enforcer" guys and the "go attack this country because I told you to" guys.

No, I think you're missing the point. I'm quite certain of this after reading your second statement. If indeed I do not understand, it's probably because your first statement lacked any clarity at all rather than just being the absurd nonsense I first understood it to be.