Military Misconceptions

You sound smart, you will make it. I recommend you take every NCOES course as soon as you can, but above all, take care of the troops. That is where the rewards are, taking care of the troops. When I was in Alaska, the Brigade Commander was a Colonel named Norman Schwarzkopf. He was famous for taking care of the troops; look where it got him.

Originally posted by ADVISOR
reply to post by worldtraveler35

 

So that's why you pulled scouts out of troop into headquarters as gunners eh...

Didn't work in my case, I stayed in my trp and was requested by the xo to be his gunner. Worked out great and being a jr nco in that position was rewarding.

WT did your guys call you top?

When I was a 1SG, yes they did. There were smart enough to know when to call me First Sergeant, and when they could call me "Top". I thought it strange, however, this company didn't call the C.O. "the old man" until I got there. It's tradition, but I guess tradition from my era. If was funny to see them pick up some of my sayings and mannerisms.

For me, it was a great learning experience.

I also made some incredible friends. Friends you would die for, and friends that would die for you too. I find alot of honor in that alone.

Plus I got to jump out of planes! *airborne*

In my opinion, that is one of the very best things about serving in the military; getting exposed to about every kind of person there is. I grew up in small town Iowa, had I stayed there my life would have remained very sheltered. I believe now, I've pretty well heard and seen most everything. I've worked for and seen some of the finest leaders and fellow soldiers this country has produced. I've seen the opposite side of that coin too. Many, like you said, I would trust with my life without hesitation. Some, I wouldn't trust as far as I could throw them. A valuable skill in life is being able to tell the difference between the two.

reply to post by worldtraveler35


Totally.
And that's the thing. There's good and bad everywhere.
))))))ARCH(((((((
For as BAD as people want to make the people who serve(ed) in the miltary to be, there is (imo) a much greater balance of GOOD in these people. The difference(s) we've made, and impact we've had on the world, came with great sacrifices.
My granpa used to tell me (in Italian), "everything comes with a sacrifice."
Growing up in America, I learned this in baseball.
No I'm serious! The best run scored, is the sacrifice run for his team.
Anyway.....nevermind.

reply to post by worldtraveler35


i agree, i have met all kinds of different people from all over the place! the Army definitely helps you learn people skills. I also think that the punctuality and integrity will help in the "outside world" as well as the fact that the Army helps you develop initiative and focus. All in all my time in so far has been one big learning experience. Right now, this is the life for me and i wouldn't trade it for anything. I like to know what i do helps to make a difference.

I loved my 7 years I spent on active duty; I got out as A Sergeant. I loved working for my soldiers to make sure that they would be a better leader then me. I had an NCO who did they same for me, I will never forget him; I owe the success I have today from that Sergeant and my soldiers keeping me on my toes.

Originally posted by poedxsoldiervet
. I loved working for my soldiers to make sure that they would be a better leader then me.

"A petty officer's most important job is to train his replacement." (SCPO Stange.)

"Senior NCOs are the institutional memory of the military." (Tom Clancy.)

All the people romanticizing their experiences in the military always fail to see the underlying reality of it. It's a tool of opression, of fear, of violence, of war. It is part of the death culture which plagues our species in these darker ages.

Sure, in the midst of all the bad, good experiences happen, but if you're in the military, the way I see it, somewhere along the line you made a fundamentally wrong choice in chosing fear over love. IQ levels not even being relevant here, it's a EQ based choice.

And it takes more courage to stand for what you believe, for what you know, in the face of overwhelming fource, than to be part of the pack acting on blood lust.

Every now and again I see the military defending themselves, trying to make themselves seem noble. Sorry, but I do think that is the opposite from the truth and, if any military man or woman who is not a psychopath takes the time to stop, to think, to meditate about his choices and who he is I don't honestly see how they could come to anything but shame.

Sadly mankind has the silly ability to rationalize away even the deepest most natural emotions.

Sorry for the harsh post, but it is an honest and candid opinion.

I just watched the documentary Fallout (About the history of Atomic Bombs).

In it, 6,000 (or maybe 60,000, forget the exact number) troops were planning a scenario in case an a-bomb was dropped. I believe they were positioned a half a mile away/a mile away, hiding in ditches.

The military leaders actually dropped an atomic bomb, and after a bit, the soldiers were to rush in as if in actual combat.

They (officers and leaders in charge of the operation) told them that the radiation levels were fine, and as long as you dusted off (yes, actually take a broom and dust yourself off), you will be clear of all radiation.

Add that on top of all the other tests that have been performed on soldiers...okay.

This is my opinion on the military. While doing a job that no one else wants to, I can respect it in that manner. But doing a job that helps influence the killing of other puppets is absurd. Regardless, if we HAVE to have war, then I would much more like that someone else do it than me. So, who am I to complain.

Originally posted by Mindmelding
All the people romanticizing their experiences in the military always fail to see the underlying reality of it. It's a tool of opression, of fear, of violence, of war. It is part of the death culture which plagues our species in these darker ages.

Sure, in the midst of all the bad, good experiences happen, but if you're in the military, the way I see it, somewhere along the line you made a fundamentally wrong choice in chosing fear over love. IQ levels not even being relevant here, it's a EQ based choice.

And it takes more courage to stand for what you believe, for what you know, in the face of overwhelming fource, than to be part of the pack acting on blood lust.

Every now and again I see the military defending themselves, trying to make themselves seem noble. Sorry, but I do think that is the opposite from the truth and, if any military man or woman who is not a psychopath takes the time to stop, to think, to meditate about his choices and who he is I don't honestly see how they could come to anything but shame.

Sadly mankind has the silly ability to rationalize away even the deepest most natural emotions.

Sorry for the harsh post, but it is an honest and candid opinion.

A passive answer won’t work when the Chinese or Russians come running through the nation. Maybe one day we as a human race can solve our differences without war. But in till that day comes you'd better hope that there will still be men and women who are ready to go out there and deploy, engage, and destroy the enemies of the Untied States in Close Combat.

Maybe we in the military believe that we are noble because of our nations past and the many, many nations we helped repeal tyranny over the years. To all of the America is Bad crowd, I’m sure the Nazis would have loved to have you around 65 years ago.

Yes America has done some pretty bad things, but our nation is trying to evolve into a better country, that is the way to atone for our sins from the past.

To the Troops still out there out the front line... Know that we are here and wish you all a safe and speedy return home.

Ok so were are the Alien body's ? "Oh com on I had to ask!"

reply to post by Mindmelding


"All the people romanticizing their experiences in the military always fail to see the underlying reality of it. It's a tool of opression, of fear, of violence, of war. It is part of the death culture which plagues our species in these darker ages."

Okay, then I'm an oppressor? Good luck with that. I think you have "military" confused with something else.

Being concerned and explaining the educational level of our military does have some validity but even more (so much more) important is when (not if) they are called by a "Commander and Thief" (Obama) who has yet to provide a legal birth certificate, to obey orders that will represent covert an illegal actions their by making the constitution of this country irrelevant and void.

Their is much more at stake here when we consider our arm forces. We have an illegal president who is part of a global deception of lies that will literally change this world into something extremely nasty. I pray we have more in the military that will choose righteousness over evil.

reply to post by poedxsoldiervet


A passive option will work if the chinese and russians do it at the same time. After all, we are all humans, now we are all networked and, in case you haven't realised it, we are all one.

I personally don't believe there will be anymore massive invasions for a long time. Iraq, Afghanistan (both russia's and america's), Vietnam have all been fiascos. And nobody is going to invade the US, not because of the military, which would be nuked to oblivion in less than 3 hours, but because of the armed civil population. Invasions simply don't work, never have, never will. You can't conquor a nation unless you eliminate the population faster than it multiplies, and this has never been done in human history, that I am aware of. It was attempted with the Jews for example. Life is stronger than death.

The military does not defend against anything. And, in case you haven't noticed, the US military is not a defense force, that is just orwellian double speak, it is a tool of occupation and invasion which works for the psychopathocracy and not the american people. It is in the process of being converted into a fascist internal repression force, which is why you had the national guard shipped out to iraq, for example.

Every person has an option not to fight, not to destroy. Sometimes it implies running away. But I would rather pack my honour and move it than have my silly ego tell me I have to risk death to keep it.

There is always a better way than militarism. Although I am not against responsible civilians being armed, it's a personal choice.

[edit on 15-5-2009 by Mindmelding]

this really puzzles me:
you say you are smart,
but you still join military?



let me tell you a little secret:

war is not peace
lie is not truth
ignorance is not strength

and

waterboarding is torture

reply to post by Mindmelding


well that day isnt here, and the way it is looking will never come. Ill continue to man the front, while you work on getting everyone to hold hands and sing happy happy joy joy thoughts.

reply to post by poedxsoldiervet


That is your choice. I just hope you realise the reality of the choice you're making. By ridiculizing "happy happy joy joy" (this actually made me smile) and by chosing the gun you are lowering your own personal frequencies, you are, at a certain level, chosing death over life. You are responsible for your own vibrations and the consequences will be in your own life more than anyone else's.

But again, it's your choice and your karma. Be well.

reply to post by donhuangenaro


Nobody hates war more than a grunt in the trenches. If you're very lucky, you'll never get a chance to understand that. The people that bear the burden will do the hard part, you just relax and enjoy the benefits.

reply to post by Gawdzilla


There are no benefits to war. We are living in a civilization that is a shadow of it's potential and we are doing so largely because of the stranglehold the military, through use of resources and through strategic and planned suppression of individual freedoms throughout the globe, has on our entire planet.

All military have the same overlords, the lords of money, the masters of capital. You may buy the fiction that it's us vrs them at the national level, but the reality is that we are being played by psychopaths, tricked into suppressing ourselves.

And it's been like this for a very very long time.