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Marine wants people to stop thanking him...

helolumpy

Apprentice School Principal
pilot
Contributor
So the guy has a thing against the military. He did his time, was not happy and got out.
He makes some baseless accusations such as "Anyone that still thinks that we're in the middle east fighting for justice because of 9/11 needs to think again." But he fails to discuss the issues or present evidence to support his statement. He's just bitter about his time and wants to vent.

Since he doesn't say when he served or got out, I'm curious how the morals and intelligence of his new career compare to those in the military.
I've been told by a few of my friends who got out, 'and you thought there were a lot of idiots in the military....'.

While I can't speak to this individual, in my experience, most of the folks who constantly complain about the military brought the crappiness upon themselves. Yes, some do get screwed over by the system, but most of the folks who complain about the military were the ones who were constantly getting into trouble and then when it's time to get out blame everyone but the person truly responsible.
 

IRfly

Registered User
None
<shrug> Some people are super moto, some get disillusioned. Who knows what this guy may have seen or been part of that put him in the second category? Two things:

1) At least he's putting it out there in a public forum for debate and discussion rather than say, stealing a bunch of classified info and giving it to a genuinely creepy dude; and
2) Hey, if he volunteered, put on the uniform, and did his time honorably, then he's entitled to say whatever he wants about his time in service. I don't find "fighter pilot" business consulting or "SEAL pushup systems" to be particularly tasteful either, but they've earned the right to do it.
 

Yardstick

Is The Bottle Ready?!
pilot
My blood pressure goes up everytime I go on Reddit. It's usually populated by flaming liberals, and usually every political or military discussion turns into a gigantic circlejerk. Of course people are entitled to their opinions, but some of them shouldn't be allowed to breed.
 

BUDU

Member
See, there's your problem. You went to reddit for a political or military discussion instead of pictures of cats.
 

Yardstick

Is The Bottle Ready?!
pilot
Yeah, I've about given up on Reddit for anything other than pictures of cats and boobs
 

phrogdriver

More humble than you would understand
pilot
Super Moderator
I thought it might be a more thought-provoking article. Personally, I get a little sick of the thank-you business myself sometimes. While at the individual level, I know it's well intentioned, as a whole I think the yellow-ribbon, military appreciation silliness is a product of collective societal guilt about people not doing anything worthwhile. You want to "support our troops?" Don't just put on a bumper-sticker, enlist! Join a volunteer fire department. Become a cop. Join the Peace Corps. Whatever. Just get off your ass and sacrifice something for the nation that all your damn country songs say is so great. Some discussion of the whole phenomenon might be worthwhile.

Really it was just a screed by someone who's disgruntled about his bad experience. In any large group of people doing something, there will be people who end up hating it. The comments were even worse. Just because someone didn't like his choice of job doesn't mean he has to insult everyone else who still does it.
 

Renegade One

Well-Known Member
None
No worries, lads...in a couple of years the "mandatory genuflection and politically-motivated "thank you's" will disappear and you'll again become a part of the great unwashed who lacked better options...so that's why you joined the military.
I can only hope that your 10 or 20-year high school or college reunions are timed so that you're still riding the wave. It really sucks if a time ever comes that you're embarrassed to wear the appropriate uniform to either/both of the above. I was lucky. Wishing only the same for all of you.
P.S.: It doesn't exactly suck to have the prettiest girl at the dance on your arm... (feel free to reverse the gender-specifics here if that suits...).:)
 

MonkUSMC

Playing the waiting game
I'd rather be thanked and get sick of it than get spit on. I can kind of agree on what this guy is saying though.
 

Stearmann4

I'm here for the Jeeehawd!
None
Personally, I get a little sick of the thank-you business myself sometimes. While at the individual level, I know it's well intentioned, as a whole I think the yellow-ribbon, military appreciation silliness is a product of collective societal guilt about people not doing anything worthwhile. You want to "support our troops?" Don't just put on a bumper-sticker, enlist! Join a volunteer fire department. Become a cop. Join the Peace Corps. Whatever. Just get off your ass and sacrifice something for the nation that all your damn country songs say is so great. Some discussion of the whole phenomenon might be worthwhile.

And that right there would solve 50% of our Nation's citizenship problems...

MR-
 

LET73

Well-Known Member
No worries, lads...in a couple of years the "mandatory genuflection and politically-motivated "thank you's" will disappear and you'll again become a part of the great unwashed who lacked better options...so that's why you joined the military.
I can only hope that your 10 or 20-year high school or college reunions are timed so that you're still riding the wave. It really sucks if a time ever comes that you're embarrassed to wear the appropriate uniform to either/both of the above. I was lucky. Wishing only the same for all of you.
P.S.: It doesn't exactly suck to have the prettiest girl at the dance on your arm... (feel free to reverse the gender-specifics here if that suits...).:)

I don't know... the "great unwashed" attitude is alive and well, too, even if there's less overt expression of it. I think the real issue is that so few people know someone who's in the military that they see the extremes--it's either the guy who failed at civilian life and joined the military because he couldn't do anything better, or the hero who signed up to die for his country, depending on one's political views. I think the "thanks for your service" people mean well; I just hope they do something besides thanking random uniformed strangers.
 

Renegade One

Well-Known Member
None
I don't know... the "great unwashed" attitude is alive and well, too, even if there's less overt expression of it. I think the real issue is that so few people know someone who's in the military that they see the extremes--it's either the guy who failed at civilian life and joined the military because he couldn't do anything better, or the hero who signed up to die for his country, depending on one's political views. I think the "thanks for your service" people mean well; I just hope they do something besides thanking random uniformed strangers.
They do mean well. Let's just accept that at face value. But you're right..."random uniformed strangers" is probably the best many can do...because they lack the fathers/mothers, aunts/uncles, sons/daughters, brothers/sisters...you get the idea...that would allow them to hang a (hopefully) "Blue Star(s)" flag in their porch window. Assuming people still do that...
God Bless the too many who hang a "Gold Star(s)" banner. It's been a hard 10 years for many.
 
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