What do you think of US soldiers?

[ParticleBliss]

I had plenty to say about policies I didn't even know about when I signed up? Yeah, okay, whatever. ¬__¬

Why didn't research your job before you joined?

You honestly think that simple research would tell me everything I needed to know? Are you seriously asking me this?

You know what? Don't answer that. I'm done with you; I don't know why I even wasted my time with this.

I'm going to answer anyway, because someone else may gain value from it.

Simple research wouldn't tell you everything you needed to know. The research you should do before making a major life choice, would.

 

[deleted_scifidownbeat]

DELETED

 

[TheFacelessOne]

Anyone who is willing to join the army/airforce/navy/marines/another military branch I might've left out exclusive to your or several other countries, is deserving of at least some admiration. I mean, they're putting their lives out there to make sure that we can continue living our lives to our definition of normal without having to worry about that trigger-happy country right next to us, if you are in said situation.

 

[darkless]

Brave men and woman who fight for a cause they believe in so other Americans dont have too, that's true bravery.

 

[Revolutionary]

You cant blanket label a profession. Simple as that some are decent people some are complete Tards DUpDurp.

 

[Connor Lonske]

I think US soldiers are jealous that the British army are better trained. >:

EDIT - As an afterthought, I realised I should probably add that I have nothing but respect for ANYONE who decides to dedicate their life to protecting people who don't have the means to protect themselves.

I think the British soldiers are jealous that the American army won WWII has very large numbers without a draft.

[/flame post] [/sarcasm]

 

[SilverUchiha]

I was raised to respect the men and women in the service. It shouldn't matter if they are at war or not or if you agree with the war they are in or not. They are doing their job and it is something to be proud of.

Myself, I could never join the military. Not in shape and I dislike authority figures.

 

[gamer416]

I think US soldiers are jealous that the British army are better trained. >:

Ironic isn't it? You guys have better training than us, but we have a bigger budget?

There are a lot more of you guys to train, though.

But america has beaten the british twice.

I would very much liked to know when we have actually "beaten" them.

Revolutionary War
War of 1812

 

[awsome117]

I think US soldiers are jealous that the British army are better trained. >:

Ironic isn't it? You guys have better training than us, but we have a bigger budget?

There are a lot more of you guys to train, though.

But america has beaten the british twice.

I would very much liked to know when we have actually "beaten" them.

Revolutionary War
War of 1812

That's pretty funny, as we didn't really "win" those wars. The first one we won because of the French. Otherwise, we would have been (and we were) screwed. The second one is laughable. We didn't win that war. We just made a truce. Well no one "technically" one, we sure did get our asses kicked.

Hurray for my history teacher!

 

[Guitarmasterx7]

Soldiers are extremely tough and brave individuals who are willing to give their lives for their country. Any war that's waged or act that's taken that we generally connotate negatively is not the fault or decision of the individual soldier, rather it's the fault of the government who gave the orders.

 

[Rick1940]

My opinion on soldiers is fairly simple. You get what you train for.

I have seen various youtube videos of people claiming to be USA military and admitting to war crimes. Note that there are many non-USA military persons who would LOVE to successfully impersonate USA warfighters and thus pull off propaganda coups.

Here are a few youtube (or similar-to-youtube) links, some of which deal with USA soldiers, others of which appear to be British soldiers:

http://www.kfoxtv.com/news/19407523/detail.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DmPdZjkjyY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kG1HLiTuEg

http://www.evtv1.com/player.aspx?itemnum=1509

I don't know if "you get what you train for."

However, I suspect that the culture of modern Western military organizations is inherently corrupting.

Thus I fear that soldiers start out as wonderful, self-sacrificing Good Samaritans and get warped into psychologically disturbed individuals.

Will they end up homeless? Will they get Prozac in the VA hospital? Or will they end up running the Halliburton Corporation?

 

[Yokai]

I respect them for what they do and I always try to remember that whatever war is going on at the moment isn't their doing. However, I have no intention of joining and discourage my friends from doing so, simply because this is a horrible time to be in the military. There's no way in hell I'd want to be sent off to Iraq or Afghanistan to sit around for months and then get my legs blown off by a roadside bomb. There is the occasional necessary war, but all the crap the US is up to its teeth in is hardly one of them. You guys have an incredibly difficult and necessary job, but the higher-ups are abusing your commitment, in my opinion.

 

[Ironwampa]

I think they throw puppies off of cliffs....and that makes me sad panda.

But it makes me a happy panda.

 

[US Crash Fire]

I always wondered what civilians though of us when we go by. Here in Hawaii, military personell are as common as mongooses, but they aren't as common on the mainland. Most people here in Hawaii think of us cordially and think of us very highly. What do you think of US soldiers?

Lucky fucker.
I'm from Hawaii and I've been trying to get stationed back home for 5 years now!
Cant really complain tho. California isn't the worst place the Air Force could have sent me.

 

[zf6hellion]

I am very decidedly anti-war, but I have mixed feelings in regards to the soldiers themselves. I recognize that soldiers are just humans doing a job, like the rest of us. That much is irrefutably true, and neither positive nor negative.

Like any group of humans, there are the good ones and there are the bad ones. To lump an entire group together by saying things like "Soldiers are Heroes" or "Soldiers are Murderers" is ridiculous. I do have a base level of respect for your average soldier for signing up and putting themselves in the line of fire in the defense of others, which I believe is a noble thing to do (for the defense of the country, I have more mixed feelings on, being decidely anti-patriotic/nationalistic)

However, it annoys me to no end when people demand that I show reverence and respect to soldiers because "They're better than you." Yeah, no. I have a problem when people demand to be shown respect. It's something that's earned, not demanded. And yes, wars could not be declared without the politicians. But they could not be fought without the soldiers. A war declared by politicians would have very little meaning if all of the soldiers decided to protest and not show up to work. So yeah, politicians may be responsible for starting wars, but that doesn't make the soldiers entirely blameless.

"Just following orders." is not an acceptable excuse for killing.

These are my thoughts exactly. Saying "just following orders" is an excuse is one of the stupidest things I've ever heard - and I've heard some really stupid shit in my life time. Basically that excuse means that because there following orders they are exempt of all faults because they were told to do so - they have thinking, working minds just because they are under orders they can simply not carry it out - sure they may be flaked for it, but it's a lot better knowing your being detained for going against orders rather than murdering a group of people that were not even clearly enemies. - now I understand if some of this doesn't make sense but I have the habit of being really crap at explaining so sue me

On another note my opinion for the US military is jaded and extremely flame worthy, but I've witnessed some sick shit that they pulled off with my own eyes so all I can say is - I ain't sayin' shit cause I know I'll be flamed for the next bloody decade.

 

[UltraParanoia]

I think US soldiers are jealous that the British army are better trained. >:

And we have better rations than the Americans. They trade jeeps with 50 cals for them.

I respectfully disagree. Haven received both American and British MRE's from my adventures in Boy Scouts, I can fully assert that the American Meals are what Europeans would envy.

Which is pretty sad considering that most American MREs taste like refried cardboard.

My opinion is that they are in Iraq stealing all the oil. I have no problem with the soldiers as such, although I am slightly prejudiced against the US in general.

If we were stealing oil, shouldn't we have invaded a coutry with more oil?

 

[Azmael Silverlance]

I think that any person willing to give their life in defense of their country, or any country is to be admired.

I couldn't agree more. If they are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for the defense of their home country nobody should have bad thoughts or comments about them.

But that's the problem. In recent times, US soldiers HAVEN'T been used for the defence of their home country. I have nothing against the soldiers themselves, and would think much higher if they WERE defending the country, but as it stands, most of the time they're just 'liberating' countries.

To clarify though, that isn't the soldier's fault, and I have no disrespect for them.

If the war ever reaches home, we'll be in a world of shit. So we root out potential threats before they can attack. The best defense is a good offense.

Ye well if anyone can bring war to the US shores must be packin some serious heat...and numbers. War in UStbh would mean a much much bigger problem globaly. I pray im not alive if that happens.
On the other hand . . . thats it isnt it....soldiers are defenders of their country....so we are not rly allowed to dis-respect them. Kinda hard to have anything against soldiers if u dont wanna sound like a troll.

 

[WolfThomas]

I myself have no real opinion being a civilian in Australia, but my housemate was a riflemen in the Australian army and a school friend is currently serving as one, they said the US soldiers they met on exercises had some neat toys/stuff (M4s, self heating MREs) but their level of professionalism was generally lower than they expected.

Oh and they were/are considerably critical of "pogs/remfs" (any non combat role) and "chocos" (reservists).

My opinion is that they are in Iraq stealing all the oil. I have no problem with the soldiers as such, although I am slightly prejudiced against the US in general.

If we were stealing oil, shouldn't we have invaded a coutry with more oil?

Psst, only Saudi Arabia is the only country with larger oil deposits than Iraq. That said I don't buy the "we're just here for oil" line, but honestly if that was true why would it be so bad?

Sure the means sucked, but now where at the ends, we need oil don't we?