military service is no "better" than any other service

Why does everyone get so starry eyed over military service. Almost everyone in America provides service (look at all the nurses, teachers, cops, and firemen).

 

Nurses, teachers cops and firemen wouldn't be living in freedom if it weren't for the military, Danr.

 

Sure they would, as a matter of fact they would be paying a lot less in taxes!

 

All this "freedom" talk. The word freedom is used to justify anything. There are countries with practically no military with just as much freedom as us. I don't think our freedom has really been threatened since the war of 1812.

 

hmmmm, well, actually I may be wrong about that. I guess the Germans and Japanese would have taken our freedom if they had won WW2.

 

As you may recall, we had (for all practical purpose) no military at that time. We raised a fighting force pretty quickly and did quite well with it. I guess the historic example you provided proves my point!

 

I think that in any branch of the military you are put through hell and back again and that has to leave an impression on you. You are told what to do and when to do it and heaven help you if you don't. I imagine there is every type of pressure possible put on you to perform at your maximum level and then some. I have been told second-hand that you don't just put that aside the second you are a civilian again. I'm not talking about those that have actually seen combat but the average joe that was indoctrinated into the military system. For some, it is the closest they've ever come to a real family and they aren't about to turn their backs on that. It's a different mindset and I think that more than a few have trouble adjusting to life after the service. I am all for cutting them some slack if they need it but I am unwilling to be bullied by their behavior and intolerance of my opinions whether they like it or not. If they are really fighting for my rights as I hear them say so often, they should be willing to tolerate my freedom of speech no matter how much they disagree with what I say.

 

True...

 

The fire brigade are specially trained in an area where the armed forces are not,so serving in the fire brigade,the ambulance service & the police is as important as serving in the armed forces.In Australia,the army is working with the emergency services in the flood-ravaged areas of New South Wales at this time.

Aidan.

 

Here he goes with the fire thing again. I guess you think anyone who drives around with lights and a siren is important. Gee why not include tow truck drivers and cable TV installers. how you can equate an ambulance driver with a marine is beyond me. I think you have a little ''flame'' in your heart for ''fireys''.

 

Craig,you are a wanker!

Aidan.

 

Really? When do you think the US put together a military force? Idiotic statement alert!!

 

What was true about that brain dead statement?

 

America has had its own army since 1775/76,when the American Revolution broke out.

Aidan.

 

Danr is somewhat correct on this point. My father went into the military well before Pearl Harbor and stayed in until September 1945. He told me that before the attack, the men were wearing left over World War I uniforms. They weren't issued weapons because there weren't enough to give one to each man. The platoon shared several World War I vintage rifles to train on the range. He never saw a tank or other armored vehicle, the few they had were in storage. After Pearl Harbor, his unit was put on a ship and sent into the Pacific without being issued any weapons. They were told that they would get them when they arrived. Eventually the weapons arrived, and half of the men received pistols because that was all that was available. They went into battle under-armed and wearing World War I helmets and leggings. But morale was high and they believed they would be in Tokyo by Christmas, 1942. So I would say they were unprepared.

But Danr is wrong that it didn't matter. A large number of American soldiers died early in the war because of lack of training and lack of state of the art weapons. It mattered a lot. The political challenge is to maintain the best military force in the world, but resist the urge to use them as presidents seem to have grown fond of doing.

 

Dude, try reading a book. After the war to end all wars the military was (for the most part ) dismantled. Your ignorance knows no limits.

 

The most offensive thing about this entire topic is the person who posted on a subject that he is totally out of line. His oppinion on this topic is completely ''dumb' (in every sense of the word) on the subject.

Like yelling 'fire' in a theatre, there should be a law against this type of actions from the peanut gallory.

 

I guess somewhat correct is just like somewhat pregnant. YEAH RIGHT!!!

DANR is never correct about anything he posts. Cloudedass, just tell Danr he is full of crap. For someone to say the US hasn't had a military that long shows complete lunacy.

Last I checked the Marine Corps has been around since 1775.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_Marines

 

Military service is the most you can do and the all you can give, there is no other service that comes close in terms of sacrifice

 

The reality is that military service is pretty safe compared to working on a fishing ship of certain types or construction.