Disrespect for volunteer military?

MaggieD said:

Yesterday, I told a friend about pizzasforpatriots.com. Thus is a nonprofit who solicits donations for our military to provide pizzas to our troops overseas and in VA hospitals. $20 feeds eight soldiers, by the way.

i told him I so appreciated our military and the sacrifices they and their families make. HIS reaction was along the lines of, "Hey, they volunteered," combined with a matter-of-fact shrug. I have often read that attitude here on DP. And I think it's ugly.

If we were drafting, I suspect these same people would say, "Hey, they dragged them kicking and screaming into the service. Why should we be grateful?"

If you have the attitude that you have no compassion and gratitude for those who put everything on the line in service to their country, in my opinion, you should pack your bags and leave. Disgusting attitude.

Does anyone else encounter this attitude in real life? Thoughts?

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I've never thought about. Let me give that some thought.
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Okay, I've thought about it.

#1. Your friend is stating a fact: they volunteered. (However, he meant it as a dig, it sounds like.)
#2. Your efforts to send pizza are precisely because they volunteered, at this point in time. So you should have no problem with pointing out the fact that they volunteered. But your friend was using it as a reason NOT to send pizza, which doesn't make sense.
#3. The fact that they volunteered is all the more reason to send them pizza or whatever. For those who are so inclined.

Most people who volunteer for the service (not all, but I think most) do so because it's a decent job with good benefits. They need work. They are not looking to go to war or necessarily have altruistic goals. It's a practical decision. They get a free education, or it's an easy way to get out of town, or they want the future benefits. Others do it because it runs in the family. And some do it as a career path, looking to make officer level and retire from the service. The latter group are, I think, what I would call the warrior type. It's in their blood (West Point and such).

But that's not to say we shouldn't go the extra distance to show appreciation, since it's a difficult job, if they are abroad or in a war area. Many don't know what htey're getting into. And once in, they don't get to dictate where they are sent, and how many tours they have to do in wartime.

I've never heard anyone diss the troops. So I don't know how I would react. I respect the troops, as I respect our police officers and others who put themselves in harm's way. And let's not forget our nurses and doctors who go to war zones. Very tough jobs, all of them. Where would we be without them? Whatever their reason for signing up.

Peter Grimm said:

I respect our soldiers, but some people get overly corny about it. Why does a soldier deserve more respect than a nurse or a park ranger?

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I think there's definitely some clever military-industrial complex marketing going on to that effect. Get everyone all gaga over ARE TROOPS and now it becomes unpatriotic to question another hundred billion on tanks nobody asked for, or a fighter plane that doesn't work.

MaggieD said:

Yesterday, I told a friend about pizzasforpatriots.com. Thus is a nonprofit who solicits donations for our military to provide pizzas to our troops overseas and in VA hospitals. $20 feeds eight soldiers, by the way.

i told him I so appreciated our military and the sacrifices they and their families make. HIS reaction was along the lines of, "Hey, they volunteered," combined with a matter-of-fact shrug. I have often read that attitude here on DP. And I think it's ugly.

If we were drafting, I suspect these same people would say, "Hey, they dragged them kicking and screaming into the service. Why should we be grateful?"

If you have the attitude that you have no compassion and gratitude for those who put everything on the line in service to their country, in my opinion, you should pack your bags and leave. Disgusting attitude.

Does anyone else encounter this attitude in real life? Thoughts?

Click to expand...

Rarely. But then, I live in rural Texas (Which pretty much leads the Nation in veterans programs) not in a highly liberal area.

I was surprised yesterday when we went to Ryan's Buffett and they have 15% off on mondays for veterans and active duty. Golden Corral gives free meals once a year and donates a lot to various programs. Lowes has 10% discount, but they don't advertise it. Even Vapor Hut gives discounts for active duty and veterans. The strangest though is Northern Tool, they only give discounts for active duty.

justabubba said:

first, i respect those who volunteer for military service
but unlike draftees, they did chose to serve
which is the point i believe your friend is making

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True, they volunteered. But, no one volunteering for their fist term of service knows what that really means or what will be expected of them. It is simply impossible to understand certain aspects of or the consequences of service until they are experienced. Many, who served during peacetime or in fields that never got near the front won't truly understand either. It's just one of those things that you may think you comprehend mentally, but you cannot until you experience it. Even among those who have experienced it, each individuals comprehension and experience is different from every other individuals.

Someone could watch every war movie ever made and they still would be unable to comprehend the reality.