Support the troops?
- Thread starter financeguy
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UberBeaver
Breakdancing Soul Pilgrim
Wow.
So according to a few posters, there are at least 150,000 war criminals currently walking around in the US military, or have been discharged since the two wars began.
Because for 99.9% to not be accurate, that's how many you'd need.
Bullshit hyperbole
.1% of 1.5M (active members) = 1,500. If twice that number has been been discharged, we get 3,000. If you throw reserves and what not, you can double that, I guess. So 6,000.
Unless you're using some of FOX NEWS algorithm, in which case the math above makes sense. By "few" you mean none, and then multiply that by 10, technically, you still get none, but you can round up to 1, which is not really a "few" but you can then probably safely assume that there's probably 1 more somewhere, so now we're at a "couple" and then, naturally, they will reproduce, so you get to 3 which is a safe "few".
The_Pac_Mule
Refugee
That's really strange.
Didn't know ROTC could touch them. The Marines aren't allowed to call anyone younger than 17.
the iron horse
Rock n' Roll Doggie
Support U.S soldiers?
Yes
I"m very thankful for the soldiers who fought (and died) in World War Two
and stopped the evil.
And the soldiers now?
Yes, I support.
Yes
I"m very thankful for the soldiers who fought (and died) in World War Two
and stopped the evil.
And the soldiers now?
Yes, I support.
A stor
Refugee
That's really strange.
Yes, I thought so too. I never heard of ROTC on any high school campus before. Just the community college and universities during the sixties and seventies.
But, they did send papers home with the students asking to educate your child through the ROTC program. I was really angered by this and it pissed me off to no end. Because, this was only at the working/middle class income area schools. No wealthy public schools, what so ever.
Check out the Michael Moore film. He talks about how the military targets and recruits. They would hang around the shopping malls and focus on teenagers. They even called my home, wanting to recruit my son. I hung up on them. He was only seventeen and still in high school. Much too young to make that choice.
My husband and I both saw what Vietnam did to some of our family members. We weren't going to sacrifice our child.
The_Pac_Mule
Refugee
I am actually only 17 and enlisted.
kramwest1
has a
My mom wouldn't sign off on my enlistment at 17. I wanted to do basic training the summer between junior and senior year, and be ahead of the game for college and ROTC. Didn't happen.
I was in JROTC for the semester of my junior year that I was at St. Thomas Academy.
I knew what I was doing then, but I don't regret it not happening now.
The_Pac_Mule
Refugee
For the record I'm not in ROTC, just standard enlistment in Marine Corps
kramwest1
has a
No, but if you put in your 2 years of active as an enlisted, it will give you great perspective if you go on to college and ROTC or OCS.
Good luck regardless.
A stor
Refugee
I wish you only the best and pray that you will always be safe.
I want to make a point. As to what I was saying before. I do not "knock" the brave men and woman who defend our country. I sleep safe tonight because of you. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
I grow up during a different time. We were in a very long war. I can't say if it was right or wrong. I honestly don't know. I was only a child. But, I saw what it did to our soldiers, my family members who returned home. The training back then and the resources to help, were I'm sure. Not as good as they are now.
I told my son. If he wanted to join the military. He would have to go to college first. I felt that age 21 or 22 would be much better for him to make that choice.
A stor
Refugee
That's really strange.
My son graduated from high school in 2002. So, I'm not sure if ROTC is still on the high school campus. But, there were at his school. In 1998. In all fairness, 9/11 hadn't occured as of yet. It was a program to help your child get college money.
My husband and I just weren't comfortable with it. My son was a great student and college would have been no problem for him. Plus, of course we would help with the expenses.
Canadiens1131
ONE love, blood, life
- Joined
- Aug 18, 2004
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There's no need to pander to him.
I don't think there are many people in their right minds who would wish harm or bad luck to someone in the armed forces.
For many folks, the military is just a decent provider of structure and some college money. Unfortunately, I have a couple of high school friends who joined up because they liked Saving Private Ryan and Starship Troopers, and who I wouldn't really want to see given a semi-automatic rifle to point at things.
Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't see how one could see the modern U.S. military, with its current mandate and idiots in Washington who got it into this mess, as a shining beacon of service, pride, and defending one's country. If anything they're creating more future terrorists over there.
The_Pac_Mule
Refugee
There isn't, and I don't ask for it, but I do enjoy hearing those kinds of things, lol. Thank you Kramwest and A Stor.
Our current mandate is to keep extremism out of Afghanistan, help out rebuilding with the local population, and provide humanitarian aid. Thats what it's always been in any situation really.
Your mandate is to support nation building overseas, which is a strange mandate for a national military force.
I would wish anyone in the armed forces a safe journey and a safe return. But I don't see it as a shining beacon of light like some others do and frankly I've seen enough of what happens to individuals serving (and not that rarely either) to know that they are no better than any other person who picks up a gun. There is really only one group in a war that is innocent - the civilians - everyone else, in my view, is seen best when we get rid of some of our naivete. For example, none of Abu Ghraib surprised me in the least.
The_Pac_Mule
Refugee
Not really. I believe we have a responsibility to help other nations overseas. Are you opposed to the battalion of Marines we sent to Haiti to help rebuild after the earthquake?
Canadiens1131
ONE love, blood, life
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The difference is that the US did not demolish the Haitian infrastructure and occupy the country before helping them to rebuild. That's not a liberal viewpoint, it's historical fact.
Talk about winning hearts and minds. After the second Iraqi war, and Afghanistan, I don't think there are many countries who would want the special brand of "helping" the US mandates its modern military to provide.
The poor bastards left serving in Iraq and the ones with a long fight ahead in Afghanistan are unfortunately the ones who have have to deal with the lasting effects of the Bush Doctrine, which has proven to be a monumental, disgraceful failure for US foreign policy.
The_Pac_Mule
Refugee
Canadiens1131
ONE love, blood, life
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?
The_Pac_Mule
Refugee
I just hear this same kind of stuff over and over, and it's really not true.
Canadiens1131
ONE love, blood, life
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What's not true about our overseas forces being there to clean up the gigantic mess from a failed foreign policy doctrine?
We didn't go into Iraq to liberate anyone. We went into Iraq to preemptively disarm them on shakey intelligence, and civilian and military planners had almost no well thought out plans post-invasion.
It's a clean up in one country, a very hot war in another, and the entire tme Pakistan has been playing the US and insurgents off against each other.
Surely you understand that this is not nation building?
A stor
Refugee
Pac mule, I know it is none of my business. Please wait another few years before you join the military. Seventeen is too young. You are barely out of high school. Work, get some sort of training and if you still feel the same way. When you are in your mid-twenties. Then, pursue a military career. Seven to eight years from now, isn't a long time. Plus, we may not be at war. I pray we aren't. You could have a great career in D.C. Working for the pentagon or something simular.
If I wanted a career in the military. I would definately get a college degree first. At least a Bachelor of Science. Better yet, a Master's Degree. Preferebly in medical, engineering or technology. Because, you will automatically be trained as an officer. Higher rank equals much better choices for you in the long run.
If I wanted a career in the military. I would definately get a college degree first. At least a Bachelor of Science. Better yet, a Master's Degree. Preferebly in medical, engineering or technology. Because, you will automatically be trained as an officer. Higher rank equals much better choices for you in the long run.
Moonlit_Angel
Blue Crack Addict
Just found this article on Yahoo! that tends to illustrate your statement here:
Iraqi leaders not following US advice on gov't - Yahoo! News
Clearly they don't seem all that impressed with us anymore, presuming they ever were.
Yep. What a memory/legacy for them, eh?
When it comes to rebuilding countries after natural disasters, or helping them with aid (medicine, food, etc.), I'm all for our military's efforts, as well as the efforts of anyone else who's interested, to help with such things. But wars do not help people. They may solve a few problems here and there in the short term, but for the most part it seems they just create new problems and make long-standing ones worse. And yet again, it strikes me funny that we feel we know how to help other countries fix their governments-you've seen how brilliantly ours has been working as of late, right?
If they ask for our help and advice, then perhaps go for it. Otherwise, I'm incredibly hesitant about us getting involved in structuring the government for another nation.
Angela
The_Pac_Mule
Refugee
I'm not talking about Iraq, I'm talking about Afghanistan. I don't regret going into Afghanistan. Most people in the military who actually understand whats going on don't regret it either. What we do regret is the way the war was initially fought. It could very well have been over years ago if we went in with a much stronger force and actually locked the country down.
I do regret going into Iraq, and the way the war was fought.
But I do agree with that last part.
No, don't worry about it
I actually don't want a career in the military. Well, maybe I will change my mind afterwards, but as of now I just want to do my four years in the Marines (Eight years technically, four active four inactive) and then go to college. I've been working for several years, and have been thinking about it for quite some time. I feel I'm ready. Thanks for caring though! A stor
Refugee
You are welcome Pac mule. I only wish you the best. Perhaps you can do something that is non-combat. Medic or technology. Both are always needed, especially medical. The Military can train you for this.
A stor
Refugee
Thanks Angela for the article. I don't think we should "help" the Middle East even if they say please. Our military is fantastic at helping countries who need and appreciate it. When a natural disaster strikes. As Pac mule mentioned with Haiti.
The_Pac_Mule
Refugee
I wanted to be a combat medic, however the Marines have the Navy take care of their medical needs. I'm signed up for combat support, and I'm aiming for tank crewman.
kramwest1
has a
I wanted to be a combat medic, however the Marines have the Navy take care of their medical needs. I'm signed up for combat support, and I'm aiming for tank crewman.
As I have heard more than a few Marines say, "The Navy? Yeah, well, they get us there."
The_Pac_Mule
Refugee
My friend is joining the Navy. He always gives me rides to school and other places. I always tell him that a year or so from now he's still going to be giving me rides 
