A lone, dissenting voice among the troops

Don't thank me for my service.

I admit it; on the very rare occasion when I read about a soldier who doesn't want to be worshipped, it actually causes me to want to do so.

I make this request because my service, as you refer to it, was basically, either to train to become a killer or to actually kill people and blow # up. Now, that is not something for which a person should be proud nor thanked.

In fact, it is regrettable, and for me a source of guilt and shame, something I will have to live with for the rest of my life, as the past cannot ever be undone. So, when you thank me for my service, it disturbs me ... a lot.

First off, it brings to mind my wasted youth and lost innocence, and the horrible and unnecessary deaths of good friends and comrades. Second, it reminds me of my responsibility and culpability for the pain and suffering I caused innocent people

What more can be said?

reply to post by petrus4


Thank you for sharing this, If this was ,indeed, written by a veteran, it gives me hope for the future, as just one soldier can change the attitude of many.

Where is the honor, glory and nobility in killing and dying for greed, incompetence, and paranoia?

This should be on a plaque or something.

reply to post by theshepherd2


It was, indeed, written by a veteran. I saw a special on PBS about a group of veterans (cannot remember the group name) who were speaking against the wars in Washington, D.C. Theywere roundly (and wrongly) heckled by other veterans who differed with their viewpoint.

I myself am a veteran. I do not, nor have I ever, want to be worshipped by anyone. Likewise, I do not want to be called a 'warmonger', 'baby killer', or what have you, since I was fortunate enough to never be in a position to take another's life. I was in some extremely scary situations where I thought it might deteriorate to blooshed, but thankfully that never happened.

While I do not agree with a lot of what this veteran had to say, I do believe in his right to say and believe that way. His experience was different from mine, and I hope in time he can heal as well as possible.

Then why join the Army to begin with? I get so irritated with these former soldiers who volunteered to join an Army and are somehow surprised by the fact that armies fight wars. Why did he choose infantry? I've known many who join the infantry and do so thinking its going to be badass to fight our nations wars. Somehow they have it in their minds that its like the movies and that guts, glory, and girls is what its all about. It isn't. Its about closing with and destroying the enemies of the United States of America. Its that simple.

Guys like this piss me off.

Edit:

On a more personal note, I don't like being thanked for my service. Not because I'm not proud of my service, but because I have more to be thankful for than those who tell me "thank you for your service"

The two most common things (remark, and question) spoken to me when I was in transit while on leave, or simply going home (I had 2 tours) were:

"Thank you for your service" or a casual "Thank you"

The other was:

"Have you killed anybody?"
I was surprised how many times people asked this question. Mind you, when I say this, a lot of these people would ask it without a former hello, "in passing" so to speak.. "Did you kill anybody?" They would ask it at a bar, they would ask as the plane was taxiing, or during "light conversation". Every time this occurred, I wouldn't answer, or I'd reply with a "What?", rather just simply give body-language as if I couldn't hear them.

One time, as my plane was taxiing the runway, a woman in front of me turned around in her seat and asked "Did you kill anybody?" She actually had to ask a few times because the turbines were flaring. Then her boyfriend/husband turned to her and told her to shut up, and he then turned around in his seat and said "Welcome home." etc. To my left across the aisle was a Muslim, in very obvious Muslim attire and was an Arab if I recall.. and he was just watching this with a strange grin. Moments later, the stewardess walked up next to me, took a knee and "Thanked" me for my service, and a small conversation followed.

So there is that.

One time, a woman randomly did the "Thank you" thing, and I told her she really didn't need to do that, as in.. it wasn't really necessary. I may have come off as a little frustrated, but it was light at best. However that didn't stop her from getting a little upset with her telling me to be more respectful, and more willing to simply accept the canned gesture, I suppose.

This was all more common during my first tour, when desert camo was still proper uniform, and the digital patterned ACU wasn't even around yet. So it was clear, "This guy is coming back from the war in the desert. I can tell by his dirty boots and his permanent sunburn."... "Did you kill anybody?"

During these times and the few years that followed, I sometimes wondered if I was climbing Jacob's Ladder. Stuck in some shock induced coma on a gurney, being thrust into a surreal world to test me at my own expense. No I didn't actually kill anyone while deployed, miraculously, so don't ask.

reply to post by SyphonX


asking a soldier if he killed someone is like asking a mechanic if he ever fixed a car.

on a side note, most people who say "thank you for your service" have no idea why they're saying it, other than they have been conditioned to say it by watching other people or television.

it is probably the most hollow and insincere "thank you" you'll probably ever hear, since securing iraq's oil field wasn't done for the airline stewardess or the guy on vacation.

The guy is free to express his opinion. He did join the Marines during Vietnam as an officer. What exactly did he expect to be doing during that time, planting flowers? But whatever he did, it sounds like he's recovered well.

I've never been much for the hero thing either. I joined up, did a job for 22 yrs, retired and moved on. It wasn't that big of a deal.

Originally posted by randomname
reply to post by SyphonX

 

asking a soldier if he killed someone is like asking a mechanic if he ever fixed a car.

That's a pretty dumb and ignorant comment.

Originally posted by randomname
reply to post by SyphonX

 

asking a soldier if he killed someone is like asking a mechanic if he ever fixed a car.

Maybe if you were a sociopath.

My point was, it is not something you normally ask a stone-cold stranger in an airport. Approaching them to ask a specific question.

reply to post by bg_socalif


how is that an ignorant statement. soldiers are trained to kill people. that is your job when you are ordered to do so.

or do they now train you guys to play scrabble with the taliban.

and you always have a choice. nobody forced you to become george bush jr's shill or become part of an invasion force.

he's now bass fishing on his multimillion dollar ranch. what are you doing now.

rumsfeld, by the way found his lost $2 trillion. it was in his swiss bank account all along.

those people are who you fought, died and killed for. not america, its flag or its constitution.

If you're wired to fight THEN join the Army,otherwise if you joined for the wrong reasons, like school or a job it will f##k you up.

It isn't as "lone" as it makes it out to be. Many who served don't see their service as some heroic endeavor that saved the world. It is just most are silent about it and move on. They saw what it was and continued forward; speaking silently through their actions and through their service as a person.

Good for this veteran for speaking up, but honestly, many just don't want the spot light. They want to live their lives and fight for what really matters; their families and their friends.

Originally posted by randomname
reply to post by SyphonX

 

asking a soldier if he killed someone is like asking a mechanic if he ever fixed a car.

Served for 6 years and never shot at a live target. It isn't as common as you think.

Originally posted by projectvxn
Somehow they have it in their minds that its like the movies and that guts, glory, and girls is what its all about. It isn't. Its about closing with and destroying the enemies of the United States of America. Its that simple.

The enemies of the United States are running the country ..... and SOP appears to be running one false-flag after another.

Originally posted by cavtrooper7
If you're wired to fight THEN join the Army,otherwise if you joined for the wrong reasons, like school or a job it will f##k you up.

Well said.

Originally posted by jcarpenter
The enemies of the United States are running the country ..... and SOP appears to be running one false-flag after another.

And that's why. And that leads to answers to more why's, like ...

Its why OWS exists and that there is such a rise of libertarians waking up to the DEM/REP Military Industrial Complex system of world wide Satanic Enslavement that's bent on taking over the world. Its why otherwise good soldiers are being given terrible orders to torture and kill for no reason other than to exterminate people to appease banksters and globalists for depopulation. Its why the money systems are being destroyed too - for replacement by a 1 world bank with 666 beast marks.... and

Its prolly why they killed Kurt Cobain and John Lennon too.