• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Army Times: 89% of Soldiers Do Not Want Parade

CMPancake

No gods, no masters.
DP Veteran
Joined
Oct 13, 2014
Messages
6,250
Reaction score
6,257
Location
Tacoma
Gender
Male
Political Leaning
Socialist
https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-military/2018/02/08/89-of-readers-say-no-parade/

As the Pentagon continues to work on parade options to present to President Donald Trump, an overwhelming number of Military Times readers have weighed in: Don’t have one.

The informal poll was launched Wednesday after news reports that Trump had requested a military parade and that the Pentagon was working on parade options for him.


As of Thursday afternoon, more than 51,000 readers had responded. The majority, 89 percent, responded “No, It’s a waste of money and troops are too busy.”

The other 11 percent responded “Yes, it’s a great opportunity to show off U.S. military might.”

89% of Soldiers think a military parade is a waste of time and money. The other 11% are divorced senior NCO/Officers who hate their troops.
 
aber der führer Drumpf FORDERT eine Parade
 
Something you never hear in the Army:

"Hey you what what I wish we did more of? Formations and DNC."
 
Come on, I'm sure y'all would want to see this rolling down main street:

2oSX7jM.jpg
 
Come on, I'm sure y'all would want to see this rolling down main street:

2oSX7jM.jpg

Only if we can attach some big ass speakers to it and blast:
NSFW
 
https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-military/2018/02/08/89-of-readers-say-no-parade/



89% of Soldiers think a military parade is a waste of time and money. The other 11% are divorced senior NCO/Officers who hate their troops.

Find a way, ANY way, to go on leave, is what I would do. Of course, I'm a vet, so not my problem anymore.

Someone on another forum suggested that Vets march, like somehow we all can't wait to march! "Goody Goody, we get to march!" Please...

You want to honor the troops? Volunteer at the local VA. Much better than a parade, and you might meet some cool vets with some VERY COOL stories, and learn some REAL HISTORY.
 
https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-military/2018/02/08/89-of-readers-say-no-parade/



89% of Soldiers think a military parade is a waste of time and money. The other 11% are divorced senior NCO/Officers who hate their troops.

I could have done without your last sentence. It didn't add anything to the article. Maybe it made you feel better. Even so, we aren't the old USSR or North Korea. There is no need to show off. As a career military man, I always hated parades. So the Army Times poll doesn't surprise me one bit.


I think what does surprise is all the hub bub about a parade. Bad idea yes, but why make it a partisan issue?
 
I think what does surprise is all the hub bub about a parade. Bad idea yes, but why make it a partisan issue?

Trump should be made aware of how the majority of the military views his military grand-parade idea.

Pennsylvania Avenue in D.C. is not Red Square in Moscow, nor should we mimic the authoritarian regime's of the world.
 
Trump should be made aware of how the majority of the military views his military grand-parade idea.

Pennsylvania Avenue in D.C. is not Red Square in Moscow, nor should we mimic the authoritarian regime's of the world.

I agree. I was just surprised by all the vitriolic responses to it. I probably shouldn't have been. Anything Trump is either loved or hated. I just chalked it up as a dumb idea. Nothing to be loved or hated about it, it was just a plain dumb idea in my book.
 
Why do so many people have to conjure up images of Nazi's and Communists concerning military parades? Can't one just be proud of our military?

I spent 4th of July in Traverse City, Mi. two years ago and there was an air show. It was on the beaches of the bay there, and it started with two really cool large military helicopters stopped in the air at each end of the bay and just hovering for about 5 minutes only about 50 feet above the water before the Blue Angels appeared. It's pretty awesome to see in person and can even make one emotional....this is who protects us. These are the awesome machines they protect us with. We have our freedom because of this. Amazingly, I never once conjured up images of Nazi Germany or the Soviet Union, I actually just felt grateful and proud.
 
Um, the parade isn't for the troops. It's for PR. It will work too.
 
A gaudy display in the style of North Korea etc.? Nope, don't think it's such a good idea. Something more low key and respectful? Maybe.

That said, I don't think a poll of military personnel is all that relevant to the decision.
 
A gaudy display in the style of North Korea etc.? Nope, don't think it's such a good idea. Something more low key and respectful? Maybe.

That said, I don't think a poll of military personnel is all that relevant to the decision.

Why not? They are also citizens.
 
Um, the parade isn't for the troops. It's for PR. It will work too.

This is going to help get the lights back on, on the island surrounded by 'big water?'
 
Why not? They are also citizens.

Oh, if Trump wants to consider a poll of the troops before making his decision I'm sure he can. Maybe he's even likely to do that- he isn't really familiar with matters of the military. And I'm not saying they don't have a right to have an opinion on the propriety of it.

Once it's ultimately decided to have a parade though, it doesn't really matter how many soldiers did or didn't want to participate.

Put it this way. That majority of the troops being in opposition is pretty much what I would expect on this, no matter who was proposing the idea.
 
Last edited:
I served three years active duty in the military during the Vietnam War. I can't think of a single guy I served with who liked parades or who thought they were anything more than a gigantic waste of time and energy.

My only question is that if the parade happens, does Trump get himself a fancy uniform with lots of ribbons on it that he can wear while watching?
 
A gaudy display in the style of North Korea etc.? Nope, don't think it's such a good idea. Something more low key and respectful? Maybe.

That said, I don't think a poll of military personnel is all that relevant to the decision.

Well, since they are the ones who have to parade, I can't think of any single group more relevant.
 
Why not? They are also citizens.

Because they follow orders

Unlike civilians...when told to go someplace, they just go

They may bitch about it, but they know their duty

And the military is not a democracy...it is another of those authoritarian places a lot of you liberals hate
 
Well, since they are the ones who have to parade, I can't think of any single group more relevant.

Since they are the ones that have to parade, it makes their opinion that much less relevant to me. If I take a poll tonight on any military base asking if it's a good idea to have PT Monday morning at 0500 instead of 0600 I can easily see the results being 89% opposed.
 
I'm a vet...Vietnam through the Gulf War. I'm well aware of the mindset of the American soldier.

Let me do my job. Make sure I have all the resources to do my job. I don't want to go to war, but I will. If you don't have anything for me to do, cool...let me do what I want to do. Parades? Yeah...I know why we have them, but I can find better things to do with my time.

I'm also a father. My oldest son has been fascinated by the military all his life. When he was 6 years old, I used to cruise along the banana belt on Ft. Carson with him on the back of my Goldwing. He wanted me to stop at every single motor pool so he could look at all the vehicles...both armored and unarmored. He made me tell him everything I knew about each and every one of them. I studied so I had the answers for him. At the local Memorial Day Parade, the horses...the marching bands...the politicians...didn't interest him. The military...THAT'S what he wanted to see. If he wasn't deaf in one ear, he'd be coming up on his 10th year of service right about now.

I'm thinking there are a LOT of sons...and daughters...out there just like my son. A big military parade would be awesome in their eyes.

The soldiers who have to march? Yeah...they have better stuff to do. But after the parade, when they have their static displays...they are going to love the kids, like my son when he was 10 years old, who come up and want to talk about the equipment. Some of those kids, like my son, will be telling those soldiers about caliber, maximum range and rate of fire.

THAT'S why we should have a parade.
 
Because they follow orders

Unlike civilians...when told to go someplace, they just go

They may bitch about it, but they know their duty

And the military is not a democracy...it is another of those authoritarian places a lot of you liberals hate

Orders doesn't mean soldiers can't have an opinion. They do, and don't care for Trumps desire to imitate Kim.
 
Back
Top Bottom