I was curious how the Marine Corps or military service in general affects political views. Is there a tendency after serving in combat or in wartime to lean more toward the anti-war left? How does this affect people. Or is it that basically the political views that you had before going into the military stay constant. This is one of those questions where there isnt any black and white answers, it is obvious that it all depends on the person. But i would like to hear some of your opinions on this matter.
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Does the Marine Corps change political views?
- Thread starter MNU-OCS
- Start date
I cant really answer that since I became affiliated (OCS) with the MArines at 19 and am now 31. I know that the perponderance of Os are fairly conservative the enilsited Marines are also fairly conservative but there is a little more deiversity in views. I think my views have remained fairly constant I am one of the more liberal voices in the ready room but still very conservative by society as a whole's standard.
Read the news and make up your own mind.
Read the news and make up your own mind.
Taxman2A
War were declared.
Life experience in addition to personality shapes political views. This is a generalization but I find that people with conservative political affiliations are more likely to choose a career in the military. Of course there are exceptions to the rule. I am currently in Iraq, and have seen many interesting things since being in country. I could certainly understand how instances arise that could cause someone to become against war as a matter of principal while over here. I also know many people on their 3rd or 4th deployment to this place that believe in this war, and war in general as a necessary evil. I believe the way you react to a place like this has to do with how you were raised, what specific incidents you are involved with in country, and your understanding of why those events occurred. Sure, if you believe your best friend died in Iraq for no reason, you may be inclined to be a conscientious objector. Regardless of my personal views, I think those that have been here and experienced it have a strong argument to be "anti-war" if they choose. Most of my Marines are 2 or 3 time veterans of this place, and I see a mix of views amongst them.
Anti-war doesn't always have the same meaning. A veteran may be anti-war for a completely different reason than a pacifist. A pacifist may be anti-war for a totally different reason than a leftist (be careful with them... leftists have been responsible for some of the greatest slaughters in history... don't be decieved by their anti-war slants). Get to the reason behind their stance. I guarantee they're all different.
Relatively Few Oppose the Commander's Intent
Just remember that while in uniform, your political views need to stay inside your head. I have seen officers and enlisted members get into trouble for voicing their opinions, particularly when they are in opposition to their Commander-In-Chief. I don't think that it necessarily changes one's political views, but it does seem as though most service members would rather believe that the job they are doing is right and just, rather than opposing it.
Just remember that while in uniform, your political views need to stay inside your head. I have seen officers and enlisted members get into trouble for voicing their opinions, particularly when they are in opposition to their Commander-In-Chief. I don't think that it necessarily changes one's political views, but it does seem as though most service members would rather believe that the job they are doing is right and just, rather than opposing it.
gaijin6423
Ask me about ninjas!
I'd say that it's not so much about keeping your political views completely bottled up, but more in tune with knowing where and when it's appropriate to express them. For example, it's probably better to restrict your political discussions to your peers, and never when in earshot of others. I've had both junior and senior Marines ask me specific questions, though, and that can be a tricky situation. I recommend a little prudence. I'm not suggesting lying or morphing into that yes-man assclown everyone hates, but tact is one of those leadership traits for a reason. (A concept that I really only grasped recently.) It never hurts to have a decent argument to back up what you believe, either.
As awesome as Reagan was to the military, historically, BOTH parties have fvcked the military. Republicans will just seem to treat us better.
Concur, Brett. I've received that raise every year like clockwork. I can't remember any year not getting it. Were there any that you can think of?
In my 15 years of Naval service, I have never not recieved an annual pay raise. It is usually between 3-4 percent and has not varied significantly between Bush 41, Clinton, or Bush 43 since it is not a presidentially mandated increase, but part of the annual Defense Appropriation Act passed by the Congress.
Brett
But your previous post stated that Clinton put a stop to military pay raises - clearly a false statement. I'm no Clinton lover, but let's not misrepresent the truth. In all cases, as is consistent with policy, federal pay raises are indexed to the CPI, so the "raises" really are just an annual adjustment for inflation.
Brett
So what youre saying is we should be happy that the Republicans are thoughtfully giving us the reach around while sticking it to us