What do you think of soldiers?

[Vandenberg1]

I guess you are the type to believe the world would be have peace if all western powers just stopped having war... I am in the military and some of these post are the most ignorant pieces I have ever seen on the Escapist. Post by kids or people who get to live in comfort due to the blood of someone else, be it a cop or soldier at some point in the past. Learn about the world abroad before you post some ignorant sh*t. THAT BEING SAID..Some do join the military for the wrong reasons, nerds join to toughen themselves or gain skills that can be used in the civilian world, some gain just to live the dangerous life, most these days are fat lazy people who need a job (At least in the U.S.), I joined to better myself and please my gods (I am Asatru) Assholes are in EVERY job, but me and all my friends are kind, normal gamers who want a paycheck.

I did it for the danger, although as a history major I realize the problems today stem from my governments decision in the past, mainly involving Israel and its expulsion of the Palestinians :/

 

[Vandenberg1]

and to every one saying they desevre "respect" lol. yeah killers deserve respect. great thinking!

I guess you are the type to believe the world would be have peace if all western powers just stopped having war... I am in the military and some of these post are the most ignorant pieces I have ever seen on the Escapist. Post by kids or people who get to live in comfort due to the blood of someone else, be it a cop or soldier at some point in the past. Learn about the world abroad before you post some ignorant sh*t. THAT BEING SAID..Some do join the military for the wrong reasons, nerds join to toughen themselves or gain skills that can be used in the civilian world, some gain just to live the dangerous life, most these days are fat lazy people who need a job (At least in the U.S.), I joined to better myself and please my gods (I am Asatru) Assholes are in EVERY job, but me and all my friends are kind, normal gamers who want a paycheck.

I did it for the danger, although as a history major I realize the problems today stem from my governments decision in the past, mainly involving Israel and its expulsion of the Palestinians :/

 

[TrulyBritish]

A necessary evil, and soldiers I tend to respect to a degree. Certainly when it comes to war I respect a soldier more than a civilian who promotes the war as the soldier is actually doing something. Do I like them? Depends on the soldier, some are alright, others are not same as any other demographic.
What I do hate is the attitude of "All soldiers are heroes", and I never agree with posts extolling the virtues of all soldiers. I'd be more inclined to say all firemen are heroes before I say soldiers.

 

[RevRaptor]

Respect, lots of respect, I used to be in the NZ army almost everyone I meet was really nice and super helpful. Can be a shitty job sometimes but everyone just shuts up and tries to do their part. not like a civi job at all

 

[In Search of Username]

I don't understand how killing people for money is still seen as an honourable career.

If someone can explain to me why all the hero-worship is justified, that'd be nice.

 

[Kajin]

snip

Ehhhh

I've always been of the opinion that being a soldier is a necessary evil in the world. If we didn't have soldiers, other nations could just walk in and take whatever stuff of ours that they wanted. Soldiers are what allow us to maintain our sovereignty in this world. They're the stick we swing when someone comes to take our lunch money.

And besides, I've known more than a few soldiers in my life and most of them have been nice, caring, decent and upstanding members of the community. Near as I can tell, boot camp practically beats good manners and civility into you.

 

[kingpocky]

A necessary evil, and soldiers I tend to respect to a degree. Certainly when it comes to war I respect a soldier more than a civilian who promotes the war as the soldier is actually doing something. Do I like them? Depends on the soldier, some are alright, others are not same as any other demographic.
What I do hate is the attitude of "All soldiers are heroes", and I never agree with posts extolling the virtues of all soldiers. I'd be more inclined to say all firemen are heroes before I say soldiers.

Among the many soldiers I know, most are just as annoyed as you with the idea that "all soldiers are heroes." If someone's calling you a hero, it's probably in the same sarcastic context you might use the phrase "hey Einstein!" If there's anything most believe that they deserve, it's a bit of respect. Not because they're defending you, necessarily - but because they're doing a job that can be extremely dangerous and stressful.

I'd never argue in favor of America's general foreign policy. I do think that for a soldier, accomplishing your mission to the best of your ability is the right thing to do. While I know this is simplifying things, It's better to do the job right even if the government was wrong in giving the orders in the first place.

 

[BNguyen]

I Can not stand them I just Despise them. Hang on I will explain.

Soldiers are the very definition of lawful neutral Trained to kill on command by the government and never have a say in it.

In addition to that some of them are easily the most arrogant most disgusting excuses for Human beings I have ever met they murder countless people and for what? Nothing, To many people consider "Soldier" to mean the people on our side and the opposing side to be monsters nothing could be further from the truth.

Every person on either side who dies is someones Child or parent or lover and they all die for pointless reasons and people try to justify it and that fucking disgusts me.

I always say that All soldiers should get another job because the one they have is just a pointless waste of human life.

I understand how that can be seen as offensive and I'm sorry if you were but they are just one type of people I wil never have any respect for.

In my eyes there are only 2 types of Soldier

1) the trigger happy ones who think war is great and always look down on people with other jobs (the ones I hate)

2) the poor sods who are ripped from their Family's knowing that they will more than likely die and will never see them again (who I have only sympathy and pity for)

what about the people who choose to serve because they feel as if they are protecting what's most important to them - namely ideals and family? Where do they fall in your generalization of what seems to be stereotypical soldiers from movies and video games?
To me, soldiers are the men and women who have to do the dirty work for a lot of selfish politicians, not always, but most times, it's to secure political interests in certain areas - sometimes, soldiers are legitimately sent after those people or groups who seek only to harm others purely because those people feel that they are justified in doing so, that is when I feel like they are doing what they were meant to do.
Notice I didn't mention killing, but sometimes, that is the only option dangerous people give - kind of like the whole suicide by police scenario.

 

[scorptatious]

I respect them. I'd imagine it takes real balls (or ovaries) to go out and do dangerous work like that.

 

[TrulyBritish]

A necessary evil, and soldiers I tend to respect to a degree. Certainly when it comes to war I respect a soldier more than a civilian who promotes the war as the soldier is actually doing something. Do I like them? Depends on the soldier, some are alright, others are not same as any other demographic.
What I do hate is the attitude of "All soldiers are heroes", and I never agree with posts extolling the virtues of all soldiers. I'd be more inclined to say all firemen are heroes before I say soldiers.

Among the many soldiers I know, most are just as annoyed as you with the idea that "all soldiers are heroes." If someone's calling you a hero, it's probably in the same sarcastic context you might use the phrase "hey Einstein!" If there's anything most believe that they deserve, it's a bit of respect. Not because they're defending you, necessarily - but because they're doing a job that can be extremely dangerous and stressful.

I'd never argue in favor of America's general foreign policy. I do think that for a soldier, accomplishing your mission to the best of your ability is the right thing to do. While I know this is simplifying things, It's better to do the job right even if the government was wrong in giving the orders in the first place.

Certainly they should earn some respect if anything, although to be honest the hero-worship of soldiers doesn't seem all that prevalent here in the UK as fas I can tell. Largely I speak from a position of ignorance seeing as I know no-one actually in the military at the moment so sometimes it is nice to see what they are actually like.
You talked about US foreign policy, so may I assume you are from the States?

 

[roushutsu]

I usually respect them. It's a job for people way braver than I, so kudos! Where I draw the line is when people join the military and then do illegal and stupid shit, thinking they can get away with it simply because they're in the military. Regardless of occupation, NOTHING excuses that kind of behavior.

 

[uchytjes]

I more hate the fact that they have to exist moreso than their existence. As for my opinion on them? Sure there are some general idiots in the military that bring the structure down, but I won't disrespect them any more than any other person I meet.

The only thing I don't like is the automatic "hero" status that some people assign to any soldier. I actually have a nice little story about this: I was sitting at a bus stop on my university's campus, waiting for the bus with a myriad of other people, one of which was, I'm assuming, a part of the ROTC program there. Suddenly, some random person comes up to them, thanks them for their service, and walks off. The soldier sits there for a second, and then mutters "well at least let me do something first...". This was a very mild case, and I'm sure that person was only trying to be nice and the soldier was nice as well, but what I'm saying is that an attitude like that can lead to some bloated egos among some people.

 

[Amir Kondori]

Well that is a tough one. It definitely takes guts, as you are putting your life on the line and risking death and dismemberment in service to your country.
At the same time I am sure there are all types in the military, just like in any field. You have your good people, your average people, and your scum bags. Just Google "My Lai Massacre" if you want to know the evil that US troops have committed.

So overall I respect our troops and the job they do, as long as we maintain constant vigilance to make sure abuses are not allowed to happen.

 

[afroebob]

Depends on the kind of soldier.
Will they follow every order regardless of what it is or what they think? Then they can go to hell.
If told to murder innocents or engage in a battle that come be won through peace but refuse to listen to those orders even though they'd be court marshaled or jailed for life? Then I have the utmost respect for them.

Then again this is more depending ont he kind or "person" they are and not their day job.

I'd like to think that most soldiers wouldn't do that, but then again Nazi Germany. To be honest, I really don't know how far someone would go in the vain of 'following orders'. Speaking just for myself, I would never go seriously out of my moral compass to follow orders, if someone told me to execute a prisoner instead of taking him back to the base (Hurt Locker, anyone?) I wouldn't do it and I would try as hard as possible to make sure nobody else did either. Granted, I probably couldn't stop it, but I could try.

Still, I don't think that kind of thing happens as much as people think it does.

Every person on either side who dies is someones Child or parent or lover and they all die for pointless reasons and people try to justify it and that fucking disgusts me.

So if someone is threatening to murder a 4 year old and I shoot them because that is the only way to stop them it is not justified because that piece of shit is someone's child? I'm going to give you some time to think about that logic.

Anyhow in the doohickey (which I just found out according to spellcheck doohickey is in fact a word. Spellcheck, however, is not), I think that being a soldier is admirable, if done for the right reasons. People who do it because its family tradition (and I don't mean they where inspired by their fathers or grandfathers, thats cool, but as a right of passage or some shit then just accept that your family is a bunch of dicks and get past it), who think that fighting a war is 'cool', that don't understand the value of a human life, etc. etc. etc. aren't heroes and shouldn't be in the military. People who are fighting (or are at least serving, even lots of troops with combat MOS's don't see any serious action, let alone support roles) for what they believe in or to protect others, that is something I respect more than most things in the world (notice I said MOST things!). Granted, I do feel a little biased because I am about to go in the military, and I don't want to sound like I'm calling myself a hero (I don't feel like one and I don't think I ever will) but to protect people sometimes someone is going to have to pull a trigger. I wish I lived in the world of Doctor Who where guns where never needed to save the day, all you needed to do was whip out a fancy screwdriver and a time machine and everything would turn out alright but its not that way, and despite my hopes I doubt it ever will be.

There's an old saying in our community, dating back to the mid-late 90's: War never changes. I would like to add something to the end of that. War never changes, and war never ends.

 

[Ebonrul]

I like how the actual soldiers in this thread are laid back while the civilians are mouth-frothing angry over it. Especially when you consider that war is the outward manifestation of a lot of the ideas presented here. An idea cannot hurt anyone? I guess Hitler was just a snazzy dresser then.

Soldiers are regular people with an unpleasant job just like every other government employee. Granted, it is a job that brings to the surface what a person truly is so the assholes tend to stand out as much as the heroes giving either side the opportunity to say, "See, they're all like that guy!" which is stupid on it's face.

Demagogues on the other hand, those who attempt to rally the people around them by inspiring their prejudices and passions, are the reason that the majority of human history is written in blood which brings me to the question...

What was the purpose of this thread anyway?

 

[prowll]

You might as well ask what we think of plumbers. It has the same relevence. Some are dicks. Some are the greatest guys, and need to have a beer bought for them. Kinda like any profession.

 

[Thaluikhain]

You might as well ask what we think of plumbers. It has the same relevence. Some are dicks. Some are the greatest guys, and need to have a beer bought for them. Kinda like any profession.

No, plumbers are horrible people with big moustaches that go round jumping on turtles.

 

[DeltaEdge]

I suppose it somewhat depends. If I know next to nothing about someone except that they are a soldier, I will undeniably have at least a slight respect for them, because even when people say it's just a job like everyone else, I still think that while they did make the choice themselves and thus shouldn't be allowed to act smug and superior for doing the "real work saving the country", I do think that it takes some serious stuff to actually put your life on the line for your work. You can say it's just a job like everyone else all you want, but I still think that there is a stark difference between just working, and putting your life on the line for your work.

That being said, it doesn't mean that I automatically throw all judgement out the window and heap praise onto soldiers, it just means that I look at them in a slightly more respectable first impression, said impression which can be as easily destroyed with bad behavior as with any other person.

 

[afroebob]

You might as well ask what we think of plumbers. It has the same relevence. Some are dicks. Some are the greatest guys, and need to have a beer bought for them. Kinda like any profession.

I read the first sentence and I was like 'the fuck is this guy talking about?' and then I read the rest and was like 'lets get this guy a beer!'

Anyways, well said, short and sweet.

I'd also say that, IMHO, the words "soldier" and "marine" are not mutually exclusive. A marine is a specific type/s of soldier.

I would say a Marine is a soldier in the definition by not the spirit of the word. Soldier is, more or less, something that is associated with the Army but can mean any person serving in the military. But because the average Marine has higher standards set for them (this isn't really an opinion, its generally accepted in the military that the Marines have it tougher than the Army or really any other branch excluding the Army Rangers, Navy Seals, etc. etc. etc.) many Marines like to be called a Marine instead of a soldier. It's almost like being called a Marine is a badge of honor, and some people feel disrespected when being called a soldier. I don't see it as a huge deal, but many people do and I don't blame them.

 

[Vegosiux]

I'm mostly wondering how come no country in the world has a Ministry of Offense/Ministry of Attack.

As for soldiers, well, they're people with jobs, mostly. It's the unconditional admiration and glorification of soldiers that some people have a penchant for that I cannot stomach.