Why Haven't You Enlisted?

I took the asvab everything (score of 96 If you were wondering) even had the poor freaking recruiter stop the car on the way to MEPS and ask for my CID badge because I knew so much about standard weapons, tactics, etc. And was promptly told I would have to take a 2,500 dollar test to prove I do not have asthma when they recieved my med records from age 8 and I was prescribed an inhaler. Up until that point the only thing that kept me out of OCS was no college. Am I bitter yeah a little there is nothing worse than being told you can't serve because of a medical technicality. As for those saying they won't serve because the war is wrong... of course the war is wrong. War in general is not a productive pursuit, but until my government crosses the line anything that threatens my country including them is something I will not tolerate existing one second longer than I have to.

Don't feel too bad, astral_ice. You gave it your best shot, I guess. I never heard of the military asking a recruit to pay for a medical test. There are plenty of ways to serve your country, though. You should check into them.

there are more ways to serve your country then in any armed services to. Everybody in the country that produces something, from the farmers that farm food, to Doctors that heal people, to people like me, artists, who make advertisements and artwork for the people. Its all ways of serving your country, as you are providing a service FOR your country.

Originally posted by GradyPhilpott
Re-evaluate your values and priorities.

Which values are those that you speak of?

Well, you could start with the value of patriotism and the priority of self and work from there. You might also consider that maybe you don't have all the information and that you should think in terms of the greater good.

Originally posted by GradyPhilpott
Well, you could start with the value of patriotism and the priority of self and work from there. You might also consider that maybe you don't have all the information and that you should think in terms of the greater good.

There in lies the problem my new good friend.

What makes your views of patriotism and that of the greater good correct?

What if my greater good differs from yours?

Where do we go from there?

Please do enlighten me.

@GradyPhilpott


Im not really sure what put a lapse on our conversation. It could be a number of things.

[optimistic thought]
Maybe my last post kinda stumped him. Maybe he looked inside himself and saw that there may be other viewpoints out there in this world.
[/optomistic thought]

[pessimistic thought]
Maybe he thinks I'm just like any one of the other countless newbs that hasnt an intellegent thought in his head cause he is misguided and uniformed.
[/pessimistic thought]


My glass is half full...........how bout yours?

Originally posted by GradyPhilpott
Why haven't you enlisted?

I'm a little old now in my sixth decade and having served my six year obligation and serving a "tour of duty" at the same time as the illustrious Mr. Kerry, though with considerably less fanfare and far more serious wounds.

When Pearl Harbor was bombed, most people had never heard of Pearl Harbor. Yet men stood in line for hours to sign up. These men stormed the beaches of Normandy, Anzio, Guadalcanal, Iwo Jima and Bougainville. They fought in North Africa, France, Brussels, and Italy. They liberated Paris, Sicily, Manila, and Auschwitz. They fought in sub-zero temperatures at the Battle of the Bulge, in the steaming hot jungles of the South Pacific and the dry, suffocating heat of the Sahara.

The stench from the dead on the islands of the Pacific was so bad that pilots flying over were said to become sick from the smell. Rotting bodies were everywhere and men would lose their footing in the mud and slide down a hill onto a mass of rotting flesh and maggots. They ate their meals sitting on top of the dead to stay out of the mud. They exchange their wet uniforms with the dry uniforms on the dead. They saw heavy combat for week and months on end.

The US dead were stacked like cord wood on the beaches, and yet they fought on. On Peliliu, Chesty Pullers, First Marines took so many casualties that when a reporter asked a Marine who was returning from the front, if he was with the First Marines, he replied, "Mister, their ain't no more First Marines."

These men endured heavy losses under the most vicious of circumstances so that the world can be free, not only for their own posterity, but for those whom they would never meet again.

Today, we all know of New York. We saw the towers burn and collapse and about the only response we can get is, "Do you think they will reinstitute the draft?

Why haven't you enlisted in the cause of liberty?


[edit on 04/10/11 by GradyPhilpott]

I enlisted, and I believe that it should be mandatory for EVERYONE to at least go through basic training. There would be a lot more respect in this country, not only for each other, but for military across the world. There would be more pride in our country. People wouldn't take stuff for granted. The country as a whole would be a much better place. I don't expect everyone to put 2,4 or 6 years, but basic training alone would make a world of difference for this country. That's just me....

Originally posted by beatneck
Im not really sure what put a lapse on our conversation. It could be a number of things.

Maybe my last post kinda stumped him. Maybe he looked inside himself and saw that there may be other viewpoints out there in this world.

Maybe he thinks I'm just like any one of the other countless newbs that hasnt an intellegent thought in his head cause he is misguided and uniformed.

This thread is really not about me and I have other things to do in a day, but a short answer to your post might be that my view of patriotism is closer to the values that have kept this nation free for more than two and a quarter centuries. You may believe as you wish.

Originally posted by GradyPhilpott
... be that my view of patriotism is closer to the values that have kept this nation free for more than two and a quarter centuries. You may believe as you wish.

It's the geographical location that has kept the US free for two and a quarter centuries, and not the superb patriotism of the US compared to other countries. I am pretty sure if the US was on the European continent, it too would have been invaded in the numerous wars the Europeans had to endure.

And no, supporting your government in a war isn't always good patriotism: we have learnt that when the Waffen SS committed genocide after genocide.

My personal opinion: if somehow a religious dictatorship would threaten Europe and my country, I would voluntarily enlist myself and fight till I die -I will not be taken alive. But if my government now imposes a draft for the war in Iraq, forget it!

Again, just my opinion.

Blobber


[edit on 7-12-2004 by Blobber]

Originally posted by Jaruseleh
I enlisted, and I believe that it should be mandatory for EVERYONE to at least go through basic training. There would be a lot more respect in this country

And, there wouldn't have been the stupid Iraq invasion. If the general public as much as learned to field strip a weapon, spent some uncomfortable nights in a wet tent, and was shot at at least once, there's be lots more common sense. I also think that having served should be mandatory for anybody to be elected prez.

Originally posted by Blobber
It's the geographical location that has kept the US free for two and a quarter centuries, and not the superb patriotism of the US compared to other countries. I am pretty sure if the US was on the European continent, it too would have been invaded in the numerous wars the Europeans had to endure.

The oceans limited the attacks on the mainland, but the willingness of Americans to go to war and die for the cause of liberty is what has kept the free world free. Any other assessment would be based on an ignorance of history.

[edit on 04/12/7 by GradyPhilpott]

Originally posted by GradyPhilpott

but the willingness of Americans to go to war and die for the cause of liberty is what has kept the free world free. Any other assessment would be based on an ignorance of history.

[edit on 04/12/7 by GradyPhilpott]

And the death of the English, the French, the Dutch, Koreans, Indians, Australians, Vietnamese, Nepalese, Chinese etcetera... don't they count in preserving capitalism and democracy, aka freedom?

There are hardly friends in geopolitics, only common interests. Millions and millions of people around the world have died in preserving our way of life, not only the Americans.

Blobber

[edit on 7-12-2004 by Blobber]

Originally posted by Blobber
Millions and millions of people around the world has died in preserving our way of life, not only the Americans.

Never have I even implied such is not the case.

[edited for clarity.]


[edit on 04/12/7 by GradyPhilpott]

I did. But because I have asthma they refused me. My husband tried to get into the Airforce adn they shot him down because he had a GED.


Now if we needed me so badly .. why shoot down people like my husband? I understand not taking me. I have an illness .. but, why not take him. He coudl still go through bootcamp and protect his country .. why the hell does it matter .. when he at least got his education .. yet he isn't good wnough. Yet, people say we aren't helping our country. There are many like him who want to ... and are told no.

*Z*

Originally posted by Zerinity
I did. But because I have asthma they refused me. My husband tried to get into the Airforce adn they shot him down because he had a GED.

Well, no one can blame you for trying. The military has standards today that they formerly didn't have. The military is so techology dependent that even a grunt has to have skills that were unheard of in my day.

I would only say that all the services don't have the exact same standards and that there are other ways for people to serve their country.

Why haven't I enlisted?

Because it is a volunteer army and you may choose to join up or stay out.

I don't find any glorification about people who serve in the military. Nor do I "rank" you above someone else because you served a few years in a volunteer army by your own choice. Nor do I feel sorry for anyone who is killed in Iraq... hey... we are the invaders....Iraq is simply defending itself. Is it wrong for countries besides America to defend themselves from imperialist invasion? The flag waving nationalists continue to believe the garbage that comes out of the religious fanatic known as GWB who insists he is on a crusade to spread American hard-capitalism and corporate ran government on the world. What democracy in Iraq? A choice between two USA backed puppets with GWB still pulling the strings?

The right-wingers like to wave flags and flex military muscle and I find it deplorable.

Easy for the nationalist conservatives to chant WAR WAR WAR when half of them don't even sign up, they like to watch others die for there backwards political agenda.

It is also easy to chant WAR WAR WAR when your not on the receiving end of military force.

The warmongers themsleves don't sign up, but they then throw cute little insults at "liberals" who don't sign up.

Personally I think if you are so for a certain war, you should sign up and go yourself, but don't bash others who are anti-war and not willing to join up.


Some of these right-wing crackpots keep rambling on how our wars "preserve" liberty. How is invading Iraq making Americans gain more "liberty" Looks to me these fools believe it's fine to kill hundreds of thousands of a foreign peoples for our own self-interests.

Why do you think people like Bin Laden do what they do? It's not because they are religious fanatics, or insane.. it is because they are tired of imperialist policies being pressed upon foreign peoples.

Don't think you will attack someone and they will take it and not respond back.. that is foolish thinking.

[edit on 8-12-2004 by RedOctober90]

Was declined for a medical condition so I defend America as best I can in a civilian capacity.

I may not agree with your reactionary politics Grady but I can respect your sacrifices for this country as a soldier. I am not the type of spineless liberal who will bad mouth a soldier without direct reason.

Originally posted by GradyPhilpott
....but the willingness of Americans to go to war and die for the cause of liberty is what has kept the free world free. Any other assessment would be based on an ignorance of history.

[edit on 04/12/7 by GradyPhilpott]

you seem ignorant of what 'freedom' really means. this whole thread is testament to it. 'freedom' and 'duty' don't mix in a rational mind.
'duty' is mental slavery. (mind you, i feel i have a duty to be here to bitchslap propogandists)
'freedom' is to only follow your own desires. (i'm not getting paid for this 'duty', so it's something i have decided to do with my 'freedom')

die for the cause of liberty. WHAT A CROCK! die for the cause of propping up a dysfunctional monetary system, though. that's what all the soldiers have died for. die to perpetuate the myth of borders, maybe. die to ensure the continued success of industrial magnates, and corrupt leaders, sure. die to distract the masses from the REAL problems. die to be a 'sacrifice'(watch how often that word gets used, and then think about what a 'sacrifice' is.)

any assessment of history which turns a blind eye to the real source of conflict in the world(the money 'makers') is damned to something beyond ignorance, and THAT thing is deceit.

Originally posted by billybob
'freedom' and 'duty' don't mix in a rational mind.
'duty' is mental slavery.

I pity you. Freedom and duty were indissolubly mixed in the rational minds of those who sacrificed so that you could spew sewage.



[edit on 04/12/8 by GradyPhilpott]