Are veterans better or special?

[Richard G]

To ProWraps, A lot of us were drafted into Viet Nam in 1967 when i was drafted I watched as a lot of young people burned there draft cards saying that they won't go to war. I also watched as many fled this country to Canada. I also watched as I came back from Viet Nam less a lot of good friends, that my service meant nothing to alot of people and that i should be ashamed of fighting for my country. I believe that we live in the greatest country in the world and if we need to serve our country in it's time of need then so be it we should serve. To the question is a veteran any better than a working class person. I will go one further with this for you. I believe that all people who get involved in the country ( donate time at shelters, get involved with local politics. etc.) are great citizens of this country. Vetrans do have one strong advantage over most people however. They have seen humanity at it's absolute worst, they have seen things that they don't every want to talk about or let be know. They truely understand what it is to give to this country to keep it safe and strong. I was in Tampa at the VA center and stayed at a Marriott Hotel there for a few days. The clerck at the desk thanked me for my service in the miltary. I have never asked for a thankyou but this was the first time since I got out that I had heard that. The next time you see a Vetran, think about that.

 

[Jackpine]

Ditto!

Most military people i know really dislike to be treated differently...
They want no special treatment..

 

[ddarlak]

i'll go a step further and say they are special, very special.

even more special than police and firemen, nurses, etc.

the above mentioned work hard, but get paid very well, and get a good pension/retirement.

grunts don't get paid very well, and they really risk their life.

so yea, one day to honor them is the least we can do.

 

[SignBurst PCs]

First, I served in the US Army as a Non-Commissioned Officer, voluntarily. I spent time in half a dozen countries and was put into harms way on more than one occasion. I only left the military because of medical reasons (Cancer). Do I think that makes me better than anyone else? No, but I do appreciate the kind words and recognition from those that appreciate my service.

That being said, I do honor and appreciate those others that are serving, or have served, their country and sacrificed so much more than I ever did. The measly amount of $$$ they are paid in no way diminishes my respect or appreciation for what they do or what they sacrifice. I, as a civilian now, am allowed to live under their umbrella of protection with little worry of my, or my family's, safety. I have seen other countries that do not enjoy that same protection and it makes me appreciate what I (we) have.

It does take a special person to step forward and toe-the-line. Does it mean that they are doing something that the rest of us can't, no. But they are doing something that the rest of us aren't. For that they deserve my respect.

Today, I thank all those who have served and/or are serving in our country's military.

 

[Gino]

Wow Gino, no one was being defensive, or talking it down. Why are you going on the defense.

Sorry, it was not meant towards you, but the many today which sport around the attitude of not caring for what the ultimate sacrifice is and defend their own puny lives. It was being talked about on the radio on my way in this morning, too.

It's not just here on s101, but across the whole country in so many forms.

Taking a risk here, but there are whole months dedicated to some of the stoopidest Politically Correct organizations..... and we have to justify these brave men and women for one day ?? These veterans are truly our own, while most of the other memorials are just a waste of time.

 

[ova]

284. My draft number. 1970. Don't know if this was the best or worst number in my life. Never got called. Nam was winding down and they weren't calling as many guys.

Know too many that were drafted and never came back. Also know of a few that booked north until they were pardoned.

Thanks to all that served. They are / were special. They deserve a day to call their own.

Dave

 

[HulkSmash]

Here's the real question. Those who Have served - Do you think you require special treatment? Discounts, first in line, cheaper things, less tax? Seriously i'm curious. How long does one have to serve to qualify for this?

 

[Gino]

Here's the real question. Those who Have served - Do you think you require special treatment? Discounts, first in line, cheaper things, less tax? Seriously i'm curious. How long does one have to serve to qualify for this?

To ask that kinda question, just sorta bums me out.

I was taught from little on up, that anyone my elder, deserves recognition, courtesy and manners. Hold a door open for anyone, especailly the ladies. If someone gets in line at the cashier line at the same time, to just allow them to go before you. To not defy someone older was practically a Golden Rule. Younger people need to understand we come from a different generation and not everything is black & white. With a veteran comes a simple courtesy for someone without an arm or leg or some other problems, maybe not even seen from the outside. I don't think there's a veteran alive looking for handouts, anymore than the many millions of other Americans with their hands out looking for freebies sucking at the government's teat.

Is it nice to extend a discount to someone like this.... to me it is and we do it all the time.

As for cheaper taxes..... what have all the Americans already on cheaper taxes [or none at all] done in your book to be awarded such privileges ?? For them, I don't see it, but a veteran.... if they asked, I'd be for it. Again, it's the least we can do for the ones returning. They deserve more in my book rather then being questioned their intentions back into society.

This thinking however, does exclude those with DIS-honorable discharges.
​

 

[Fred Weiss]

Here's the real question. Those who Have served - Do you think you require special treatment? Discounts, first in line, cheaper things, less tax? Seriously i'm curious. How long does one have to serve to qualify for this?

I served in the U.S. Navy from 1960 to 1964. This was a time when there was not only a draft but also a requirement of all young men called "universal military service". I chose to enlist in the service of my choice before I was drafted and put into the U.S. Army.

The closest I came to being in harm's way was serving on a ship of war that, by chance, happened to be in Guantanamo Bay when the Cuban missile crisis and blockade of Cuba took place in October of 1962.

I have never felt I deserved any special treatment for my service to my country.

What I have wondered many times is why the draft was not replaced with universal national service for every citizen coming of age? Looking back, I consider the four years that I served to be among the best years of my life. If I came away with anything, it was a feeling of accomplishment, involvement and pride that has persisted to this day. My belief is that we, as a people, would be much better off if everyone was required to sacrifice a couple of years serving the country in some way.

 

[HulkSmash]

I served in the U.S. Navy from 1960 to 1964. This was a time when there was not only a draft but also a requirement of all young men called "universal military service". I chose to enlist in the service of my choice before I was drafted and put into the U.S. Army.

The closest I came to being in harm's way was serving on a ship of war that, by chance, happened to be in Guantanamo Bay when the Cuban missile crisis and blockade of Cuba took place in October of 1962.

I have never felt I deserved any special treatment for my service to my country.

What I have wondered many times is why the draft was not replaced with universal national service for every citizen coming of age? Looking back, I consider the four years that I served to be among the best years of my life. If I came away with anything, it was a feeling of accomplishment, involvement and pride that has persisted to this day. My belief is that we, as a people, would be much better off if everyone was required to sacrifice a couple of years serving the country in some way.

In Bermuda, Where i was born, It is required to serve 2 years in the military. You don' get paid a dime either. After the 2 years, you can make a career of it if you choose. Most who do this still have a full time job. This is just your way of giving back. It's more drills and firing practice over being in actual combat..it just gives discipline. I know people who tried to dodge it. They're go to jail for 30 days. It's no joke.

 

[J Hill Designs]

30days in jail or 2 years in service...hmm I might've picked jail...

no offense.

 

[Move In Media]

What I have wondered many times is why the draft was not replaced with universal national service for every citizen coming of age? Looking back, I consider the four years that I served to be among the best years of my life. If I came away with anything, it was a feeling of accomplishment, involvement and pride that has persisted to this day. My belief is that we, as a people, would be much better off if everyone was required to sacrifice a couple of years serving the country in some way.

This.

I would love a chance to serve my country on an official status, without having to go to war - I just dont see myself willingly accept that I may have to kill (obv. if the country got attacked I'd fight ofc). I've looked into the Peace Corps but it's such a pain to actually participate that I went for a private charity.
I would even go farther: you don't get to vote unless you've served your country, whether through military or some sort of civil service organization. Prove that you really deserve to make decisions for this country....

 

[HulkSmash]

30days in jail or 2 years in service...hmm I might've picked jail...

no offense.

No, 30 days in jail everytime you miss a certain amount of days.
You still have to serve, every single day of those 2 years.

 

[petesign]

As an army brat for half of my childhood. I can tell you that maybe going in, your average vet was a normal person, but they were changed into the men and women they now are... and those people are special. Whatever their reasons for joining the armed forces, or reason for staying in to me were, are irrelevant.. our military takes kids and makes them into men (or women).. there's a sacrifice made by every service member, and the greatest sacrifice of all is made by a percentage of them. I might be generalizing some here, but I think this applies to the majority of all service members.

I met with recruiters in high school, and nearly signed on the line, until my stepfather who was a master sergeant in the army talked me out of it. Looking back, I can't say what my life would be like had I joined. I am pretty happy with where I am today, but the discipline that life would have instilled might make me a better man.

 

[Suz]

Veterans, Have a wonderful day. Yes, you are all special. Doesn't matter if you were drafted or went willingly, you are special! You could have chosen many other things to make a living or pay your bills if you were not drafted and went willingly. Thank you all!

This morning, I got a very cool e-mail from a friend, it contained an attachment (photo) of an injured Army Soldier laying on what looked like the floor of an army helicopter while Medics were trying to save his life. The angle of the photo was shot from a level close to the ground, most of the photo was of the trunk of the Soldier's body which had a tattoo all down his side in a Script lettering (sorry I don't know the font , and it read:
"For Those I Love I will Sacrifice"...

Sorry, I cannot attach the photo without permission from the photographer. There's a good mental picture though.
Happy Veteran's Day!!!!

 

[David Wright]

This.

I would love a chance to serve my country on an official status, without having to go to war - I just dont see myself willingly accept that I may have to kill (obv. if the country got attacked I'd fight ofc). I've looked into the Peace Corps but it's such a pain to actually participate that I went for a private charity.
I would even go farther: you don't get to vote unless you've served your country, whether through military or some sort of civil service organization. Prove that you really deserve to make decisions for this country....

You must have read Heinlein, especially Starship Troopers. Only he proposed it as farce.

 

[ucmj22]

I served in the U.S. Navy from 1960 to 1964. This was a time when there was not only a draft but also a requirement of all young men called "universal military service". I chose to enlist in the service of my choice before I was drafted and put into the U.S. Army.

The closest I came to being in harm's way was serving on a ship of war that, by chance, happened to be in Guantanamo Bay when the Cuban missile crisis and blockade of Cuba took place in October of 1962.

I have never felt I deserved any special treatment for my service to my country.

What I have wondered many times is why the draft was not replaced with universal national service for every citizen coming of age? Looking back, I consider the four years that I served to be among the best years of my life. If I came away with anything, it was a feeling of accomplishment, involvement and pride that has persisted to this day. My belief is that we, as a people, would be much better off if everyone was required to sacrifice a couple of years serving the country in some way.

I have thought about this also after being in Germany where there was compulsory military service. Consider it a government supplied 2 year technical degree. Unfortunately The Germans 55 year experiment with conscription ended in 2011. Germany required all males of 18 to serve 2 years of compulsory service in military or civil protection until the end of 2010. Military experts found that this non-volounteer force created a military that was "ineffectual" and "in desperate need of modernization" and a professional volunteer force could be better trained and equipped with much less monetary waste.

 

[Move In Media]

You must have read Heinlein, especially Starship Troopers. Only he proposed it as farce.

I have and I dont know where you got that he wrote it as a farce. The FILM was made as a farce, but Verhoven never even finished the book....

And in that world militarism was the solution because the human race was able unite against an outside threat, it's a sci-fi novel, I'm not proposing that this is a good idea for our reality. However, the idea of working for your right to vote, not necessarily through military as in the book, appeals to me,as well as the idea of mandatory service to your country.

 

[David Wright]

I have and I dont know where you got that he wrote it as a farce. The FILM was made as a farce, but Verhoven never even finished the book....

And in that world militarism was the solution because the human race was able unite against an outside threat, it's a sci-fi novel, I'm not proposing that this is a good idea for our reality. However, the idea of working for your right to vote, not necessarily through military as in the book, appeals to me,as well as the idea of mandatory service to your country.

You are right between the differences between the book and movie.
Here is a Heinlein quote:
I also think there are prices too high to pay to save the United States. "Conscription is one of them. Conscription is slavery, and I don't think that any people or nation has a right to save itself at the price of slavery for anyone, no matter what name it is called. We have had the draft for twenty years now; I think this is shameful. If a country can't save itself through the volunteer service of its own free people, then I say : Let the damned thing go down the drain!"

 

[routierracing]

I don't believe they are any better than any of us. However, I do believe they have Earned a LOT of appreciation. I particularly admire the service members with the "no thanks required" attitude.

 

[EstiSetser]

First off, I respect almost anyone who chooses to don the uniform. There are those fratboy-in-fatigues types who do as little as possible and demand the most respect without actually commanding it. But the rest of them, those that choose to get into it and take their job seriously without throwing it in everyone's face all the time, that takes serious conviction. I don't always agree with our grounds or methods for war, but that's no reason to denigrate the people whose lives are risked on that behalf. Military spending does need to be cut, but by way of ending wars, not cutting soldier salaries and VA benefits.

That being said though, joining the military is not the only way to "pick up the tab" after benefitting from the government for 18 years. Going to college does extend the ride, but it opens up opportunities for a higher salary, which means a higher tax rate and thus more being paid back into the system. (I did an independent analysis about 2 years back and found that, on average, Pell Grants generate more tax revenue than they cost within 4 -5 years after graduation.) Also, people benefit from the government our entire lives. FDA, EPA, DOE, DOT, DHHS, etc.

 

[tsgstl]

If you don't serve you are a coward or selfish. Sure there are other reasons but 90% of the time this is the case. I admit to falling into both of these categories. Fighting for our rights is admirable and deserves recognition.
"Where is my day" for raising your family? Most shallow thing I have read today.