Are soldiers really serving their country?

And this is not as much "reduce", but in the case of the Army "return". Up until about 2 years ago, it was possible to retire after 20 years as an E-5 in the Army. But that went away as they were forced to trim the number of soldiers.

Sadly, whenever it comes time to cut the number of people in uniform (layoffs for civilians), it is normally done by rank. In 1992 I knew a Marine Staff Sergeant with 18 years in denied reenlistment or extension because he had a DUI 10 years prior. Myself and at least 4 other prior service I know that joined in the last decade are getting axed because our time in service does not match our current rank.

One of the rumors I heard right before I got out was that the requirement for 20 year retention may even increase to Sergeant First Class (E-7) in the Army in the next 3-4 years. The number of soldiers that still need to be reduced is more then those leaving through attrition, and the JCS has yet to approve an early retirement program. If that happens, you are going to then see a lot more E-6s with 16-18 years in getting booted out short of retirement.

As far as how individuals are treated, I think that is more of a unit thing in my experience. I have been in 4 different permanent units during my career (and numerous smaller 2-6 month detached duties), and each had a very different culture. I have served in units the size of a Company, and been part of Battalion and Regimental staff. I have worked with those where a Lance Corporal was addressed by full rank and was treated as an NCO, and others where a Sergeant could hardly go to the latrine without somebody to hold his hand and make sure he washes his hands afterwards.

 

I know a Marine Sergeant who's about to get the boot after 12 years of service. Since 2001, this guy has done 6 combat deployments, 3 to Afghanistan and 4 to Iraq (including the invasion). He has two bronze stars (1 with a V), two purple hearts, and countless other awards. He's what's commonly known as a "field Marine." After avoiding it for as long as possible he got sent to recruiting duty, and through a series of events and a healthy dose of PTSD, ended up getting an adverse fit rep from some support Sergeant Major that effectively ended his career. He got sent back to a line unit and went on 3 more deployments before it became readily apparent they weren't going to give him Staff. This guy is a walking talking encyclopedia of Infantry information and is the perfect platoon sergeant. He'd be happy to stay in line units for the rest of his career and be happy. At the same time, there's a minority of "deployment dodgers" who weave in and out of B-billets saying the right things and getting all the little BS "professional development" check marks. The military, especially the Marine Corps, needs to realize that not every "career" person wants to become a 1st Sergeant/Sgt Maj./Colonel. Many guys are happy to stay at the company level.

 

That's a good point, noting the treatment of the "one term of enlistment and done" by the "lifers."

It's a difficult career to maintain for 20+ years, far more difficult than the majority of civilian careers. Maybe an incentive for re-upping would be more stability as a career progresses, at least in peacetime, realizing in war the experienced would be better served by being in theater. At least provide greater time between deployments to avoid combat fatigue. They put many of you guys through the ringer with multiple and extended TDYs. Who wouldn't want to get out after all that. As a result of the high ops tempo of the airlift mission, most of my TDYs as an Air Force reservist were short...being limited by regulations relating to not exceeding logged flight hours in a given time period.

 

Interesting question.

I'd say very briefly that they serve their country in terms of the regime's agenda. So the question really is, does the regime serve the country?

 

I'd do it because I love my job and what I do, but who pays for my living expenses? Or do I not get to sleep somewhere and eat?

 

Why should we pay you for committing crimes against humanity in our names, when the vast majority of Americans despise these interventionist neoimperialist policies?

 

Oh brother, here we go...

 

The United States is the greatest terrorist organization the world has ever known. It wouldn't be so if we just followed the constitution. Such a simple concept would save so many lives. Instead, we're expected to pat the bringers of doom on their backs and thank them for their service. For protecting us. What service? They don't serve me. Protect who? They aren't fighting for my protection. In fact, soon enough the government is going to make the argument that since we have such a successfully lethal fighting force we no longer need the second amendment. Thank you government, and thank you troops for putting our leaders plans into action that ends in the enslavement of all of us.

 

From a neutral perspective, I do acknowledge that the massive investment in military technology, skill and manpower has probably prevented the collapse of the USA currency and will probably continue to be a factor in preventing collapse in the next couple of years. On the other hand, the metaphorical baker that wakes up at 5 am to go to work also deserves recognition. I find it very troubling that the USA conducts routine drone strikes in Somalia, Yemen and Pakistan. Where does the “bad guy” stigma end? There is talk right now of conducting drone “surveillance” of the USA. It isn’t much of an imaginative leap to see armed drones in the future hovering over the USA.

Additionally, has anyone done a statistical analysis of body count in the USA? I acknowledge again that an attack on the USA displays weakness and threatens stability. However, how many murders in Philadelphia equate to an attempted murder of a politician in Washington D.C.? I agree with RiseAgainst with regard to the concept that the military is really a glove of the elites in the USA designed to protect them. The threat of an Arab terrorist killing a resident of Philadelphia is very low compared to the threat of a common street thug. Although I do not advocate drone surveillance, why has Philadelphia been neglected and Afghanistan, Somalia, Pakistan, Iraq and Yemen get attention? My answer is that the target of the street thug attack has been deemed insignificant by those controlling the military in the USA. Now I’m sure that the rhetoric espousers will emerge with the standard answers (i.e. the military wasn’t designed for domestic issues). Fair enough, let’s start a discussion about the Mexico-USA border before bombing another Pakistani.

 

Oh, it is much more then that. I think it would be conservative to claim that at least 60% of what we use on a daily basis is spun off in one way or another from military research. Everything from the tires on your car, the computer we use to post here, to the ambulance you take if you are injured. All is from the military. Your cell phone, GPS, digital cameras, the list just goes on and on and on. If not for "military technology", you can pretty much kill most things we use since the 1930's.

 

My daughter is a US Army Private, delayed enlistment, scheduled to leave for Basic Training on July 10th. She scored 1930 on her SATs, including a perfect score on the newly added writing portion of the test. She has had colleges from around the country offering her money to go to school. Her score alone qualifies her for multiple scholarships and grants. On top of this, her uncle would have paid any residual education expenses. He set up a fund for her the year she was born. She doesn't need the military to pay for her to go to school, or to teach her skills she could have learned going to college or trade school. As she's a female, she's barred from combat, which means she won't be collecting scalps. She joined the army because she wants to protect and defend the United States of America. She's PROUD to be a soldier. I'm proud of her. And you should be thankful she's willing to protect and defend your right to say stupid things like this.

 

Nice 2nd post brother (seriously creepy....)

First of all, I left out the obvious option of the well intentioned useful idiots who have been propagandized to all hell. The government is double teaming the people right now. Not only are they having people of the 3rd world raped and maimed as the new official policy, they're already getting ready to do the same to American citizens. Minus the lube. I don't need copious amounts of Iraqis slaughtered to remain free. Matter of fact, since we made it policy to commit this unofficial War against Islam my rights have deteriorated so so much for your ridiculous theory. I need the government to follow the laws of the United States of America's land.

 

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

Please tell us, name the rights you have had to loose in the last 11 years.

 

Patriot Act. NDAA. And the overall paranoia Americans are being succomed to is putting them in a vulnerable position to potentially give up even more rights.

Government just approved a new bill to relegalize propagandizing American citizens. Betcha already thought that was legal. You aint seen nothing yet.

 

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. You talk about paranoia, but have not said how this impacts you or takes away your rights.

NDAA is the military budget. The closest thing I have seen in that is that it allows for indefinate military detention. Are you being held in a military detention facility? If not, that does not apply to you whatsoever.

You give me paranoia. Now please tell me, how this has impacted you, and what liberties you have lost.

 

Ah so the truth comes out. The old "you're not a Muslim, so you won't get targeted, don't worry" or "you're not Japanese, so you won't get targeted, don't worry" or "you're not a Jew, so you won't get targeted, don't worry". First of all, these new policies include ALL Americans. Just because I may not be in the government's radar today, maybe I will tomorrow. I am an evangelical Christian. Some day, my people will be targeted. I guarantee it. Matter of fact, I'd argue that's already happening but we haven't seen the first of it yet in reality. All Americans deserve the right to due process. All Americans deserve the right to be protected against warrant-less searches. All Americans deserve the rights granted to us in the US constitution. And the US government has deliberately declared the constitution null and void by their actions. Well I have news for you, and I have news for DC, the law is the law and I encourage ALL Americans who don't have their heads lodged up their asses to defend it lest we lose it for good. We have one chance. Watch what is going on, if we miss this opportunity it's never coming back.

 

She can defend the state, which is she will be paid to do and required to do, or she can defend the rights and property of the people of the United States. She won't be doing both.

Since she's barred from combat, maybe she can become a drone pilot and drop bombs on people far away. Then, someday, she can tell her daughter how proud she was to "defend the United States" by dropping bombs on other people's little girls.

Here are some freedoms she could be defending, but won't. This is Laurence Vance's list

The freedom to fly without being sexually violated. [or ride the bus, or ride a subway, or take a train, or, eventually, to enter a supermarket or shopping mall.)
The freedom to purchase a gun without a waiting period.
The freedom to grow, sell, and smoke marijuana.
The freedom to sell goods and services for whatever amount a buyer is willing to pay.
The freedom to make more than six withdrawals from one’s savings account each month.
The freedom to drink alcohol as a legal, voting adult under twenty-one years of age.
The freedom to purchase Sudafed over the counter.
The freedom to gamble without government approval. [including online]
The freedom to deposit more than $10,000 in a bank account without government scrutiny.
The freedom to not be stopped at a checkpoint and have one’s car searched without a warrant.
The freedom to sell any good or offer any service on Craigslist.
The freedom to fill in a "wetland" on one’s own property.
The freedom to cut someone’s hair for money without a license.
The freedom to home-brew over 100 gallons of beer per year.
The freedom to advertise tobacco products on television.
The freedom to smoke Cuban cigars.
The freedom to not wear a seatbelt.
The freedom to be secure in our persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures.
The freedom to keep the fruits of one’s labor.
The freedom of an employer and an employee to negotiate for any wage.
The freedom to discriminate against anyone for any reason.
The freedom to videotape the police in public.
The freedom of businesses to hire and fire whomever they choose.
The freedom to not be brutalized by the police.
The freedom to not be arrested for victimless crimes.
The freedom to sell raw milk. [to willing, aware, knowledgeable adult buyers]
The freedom to not have one’s child subject to unnecessary vaccinations.
The freedom to not have one’s child unjustly taken by Child Protective Services.
The freedom to not be subject to the Patriot Act.
The freedom for kids to set up neighborhood lemonade stands.
The freedom to not have every facet of business and society regulated.
The freedom to stay in one’s home during a hurricane.
The freedom to not have our e-mail and phone conversations monitored.
The freedom to travel to and trade with any country.
The freedom to be left alone.

I'll add:

The freedom to make distilled alcohol and distribute it to willing buyers, including restaurants and bars without tens of thousands in licensing and companies licensed to carry it
The freedom to offer rides to people in return for money
The freedom to protect at events without being treated as a terrorist
The freedom to not be beaten up for "contempt of cop."
The freedom to not be searched on the street by cops looking for guns or drugs at random
The freedom to not be detained indefinitely without access to lawyer or due process because one is labelled a "terrorist" even as an American on American soil
The freedom to leave the country and not be taxed for upwards of ten years on income earned in other countries


Shall I go on?

 

Let's institute anarchy! Every man and woman for themselves.

 

Very nice, trying to spin this to a race or religious thing. But you have yet to give me a single instance of where your rights have been violated.

And you do not know me, my race or religion, or that of my family. Give me proof of warrantless searches done against you. Give me proof of where your Constitutional rights have been violated. Otherwise, all I see is a paranoid individual with little connection with reality.

BTW, you are talking to somebody who was held by TSA for over 2 hours after returning from an overseas flight because his name appears on the "No-Fly List". And I certainly do not feel that my rights were violated. Were yours ever violated more then that?

 

In other words, unless it is something I believe in, it is wrong. And anybody that does not believe in everything I do, they are wrong.

Why do I feel I am suddenly surrounded by 2 year olds, that want everything they want, and cry when they do not get it?

Actually, I disagree with at least half of what you listed, if not more. And I suppose you want all of those things, and at the same time be 100% safe from criminals.

 

Either you defend everyone's rights or you don't understand the concept and don't deserve to be free. Merely saying "these tyrannical policies haven't been used on you yet, so you didn't lose any rights" is a non-argument because the bill of rights is supposed to protect all Americans. If we let it not protect some then technically nobody is truly protected by it.

 

There is absolutely nothing in that list which suggests that one person should be free to harm another person.

I can only conclude that anything short of totalitarianism is, in your mind, anarchy.

 

And you havve yet to say how any of these violate your civil rights, or the rights of anybody else.

I believe in protecting rights. I refuse to buy into paranoia. Since you can't list a single instance, I consider this a fail on your part.

 

Can you list the rights that you believe in protecting? Then we can name those rights you don't think are worth protecting.

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...an-terrorists/2011/09/07/gIQAcmEBAK_blog.html

Also Anwar al Awaki and his son murdered in cold blood for the crime of 1st degree thought and speech.