a rant that will probably tick quite a few off regarding Military/LEOs

[BigMatt]

I thank the military volunteers that put themselves out there to fight for my freedom. I also pity the guys and gals that volunteer to do so and are thrust into conflicts that have nothing to do with protecting our freedoms.

However you feel about the subject, there are military, police and service members all over the country that have been injured/killed in the line of duty, and I urge you to donate to any cause that will help the wounded servicemen/women recover and live more normal lives after the fact. I personally like the Wounded Warrior Project.

 

[ATOMonkey]

There are lots of good hard working folks that are injured or killed while bringing food to your table and power to your home. They work long hours, and have to sacrifice time away from their families.

The charities for those people are no less noble.

 

[BigMatt]

There are lots of good hard working folks that are injured or killed while bringing food to your table and power to your home. They work long hours, and have to sacrifice time away from their families.

The charities for those people are no less noble.

What is your point?

 

[ATOMonkey]

Prima facie

 

[grizman]

wow........am sorry you feel that way military/LEOs deserve the respect am retired army have family who work in Police force ..........am here to tell you i have seen sacrifice given not by just us military or the LEO's doing there duty there family must sacrifice also in ways you can't imageine.......

Your comments are a perfect example of how people don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it......most American are ashamed of the treatment they gave to soldiers during and after Vietnam . Most support there military even if they don't support the war, they do not want to repeat the shame of are past so they go out of there way to show support. I wonder if you realize how many who volunteered to put on that uniform gave their lives so you can freely write your comments...

100% correct Sir!
Example of family sacrifice, my wife spent 22 years as a Army wife, my daughters spent 7 and 13 years, respectively, as Army brats. What does that mean? During those years they only had a husband or father physically present for 30 days a year.

No real veteran ever claims to be a hero, even those who have the medals/ribbons that prove they performed heroic selfless acts in the line of duty to his fellow man and country.

To say that those who put themselves in harms way intentionally deserve no more respect than one that faces a dangerous job due to a high number of accidental deaths is, well, quite disrespectful. There is a huge difference between the two! You see, Soldiers and LEO's do it for you and everyone else, very very few soldiers or LEO's take on those careers for the money! Not the best paying jobs for the risks involved! The others mentioned do it for personal gain, I.E. for the money.

But what do I know? I am only a retired combat Veteran and currently a farmer!!

 

[Win52C]

Police officers do indeed have a dangerous job.

Measured by fatalities per 100K, police officers rank in the top ten behind:

Fishermen
Loggers
Pilots
Farmers
Coal Miners
Roofers
Garbage Workers
and
Truck Drivers

The 15 Most Dangerous Jobs In America

Lots of brave folks out there worthy of respect, but in my opinion military folks are in general a cut above.

WAIT a minute..Im a Pilot!!! Crap I better start looking for a new Job....wonder if the local PD is hiring?

 

[Spanky46151]

OP, you and serpicostraight should get together. I think you'd hit it off well.

 

[ThrottleJockey]

What is your opinion of Volunteer Firefighters?

This is where it gets hinky....There is no standard whith which to measure a "volunteer" FD. Some truly are "voluntary" and others just claim to be. Take GTVFD (Greene Township) for example, they have schedules and salaries just like any other job, government employees on government pensions, etc....Then take an example of Farmersburg where it truly is a "volunteer" FD, I know this because their chief is a member here and I met him last summer, we discussed some of these issues. I live across the street from the GTVFD Capt. and we've had similar conversations. I grew up on Lake Lemon and we were served by the Trevlac VFD, also a truly "volunteer" FD but also much different in structure from either of the others mentioned...so, are they employees or truly volunteer members of a "bucket brigade"?

 

[ATOMonkey]

Ok, this is what rubs me the wrong way.

If military, leo, fire, etc is all altruistic service and deserves to be elevated above the plebes who just work for the money, then why did EVERYONE get so out of kilter when there was talk about postponing paychecks for the DoD?

Same thing happens every time a municipality wants to change how they pay police/fire.

 

[actaeon277]

Ok, this is what rubs me the wrong way.

If military, leo, fire, etc is all altruistic service and deserves to be elevated above the plebes who just work for the money, then why did EVERYONE get so out of kilter when there was talk about postponing paychecks for the DoD?

Same thing happens every time a municipality wants to change how they pay police/fire.

Gee, them selfish people. Trying to feed their family and everything.

 

[iChokePeople]

Gee, them selfish people. Trying to feed their family and everything.

New recruiting requirement -- you should only sign up if you're willing to go to war, give up your life, if necessary, AND if you promise not get "out of kilter" if the government's screw-ups cause your family go to hungry. Got it.

 

[grizman]

Ok, this is what rubs me the wrong way.

If military, leo, fire, etc is all altruistic service and deserves to be elevated above the plebes who just work for the money, then why did EVERYONE get so out of kilter when there was talk about postponing paychecks for the DoD?

Same thing happens every time a municipality wants to change how they pay police/fire.

Simple, those you call "plebes" serve only their own interests, whereas the others serve the interests of everyone including you.
None of the jobs mentioned in this thread other than the Mil,LE or FF, involve a possible sacrifice of their life for another person. While they may be dangerous they die from accidents while seeking personal monetary gains.

I and those like me have suffered, bled and a whole have died to protect this nation and its people. LEO's and Firefighters die every day doing the same for mostly the same reason. Ask any Mil,FF or LEO on this board or anywhere if a paycheck is/was their motivation for their service, the answer will be no.

Placing ones life in harms way for others is the difference and the reason most decent folks show Honor and Respect for those that do/have done so.

 

[mike8170]

Ok, this is what rubs me the wrong way.

If military, leo, fire, etc is all altruistic service and deserves to be elevated above the plebes who just work for the money, then why did EVERYONE get so out of kilter when there was talk about postponing paychecks for the DoD?

Same thing happens every time a municipality wants to change how they pay police/fire.

What other payments were going to be postponed at that time? Social security? NO. Congressional Pay? NO. If any one other .gov employee was not getting paid, they would not show up to work. If the military is not getting paid, they would still have had to be at work. There would have been no choice, with families at home trying to figure out how to pay the bills and get food to the table.

 

[J_Wales]

WAIT a minute..Im a Pilot!!! Crap I better start looking for a new Job....wonder if the local PD is hiring?

You better believe it!

At over 70 fatalities per 100K, your job's fatality rate is almost 4 times greater than that of police officers.

 

[RockofStrength]

Simple, those you call "plebes" serve only their own interests, whereas the others serve the interests of everyone including you.
None of the jobs mentioned in this thread other than the Mil,LE or FF, involve a possible sacrifice of their life for another person. While they may be dangerous they die from accidents while seeking personal monetary gains.

I and those like me have suffered, bled and a whole have died to protect this nation and its people. LEO's and Firefighters die every day doing the same for mostly the same reason. Ask any Mil,FF or LEO on this board or anywhere if a paycheck is/was their motivation for their service, the answer will be no.

Placing ones life in harms way for others is the difference and the reason most decent folks show Honor and Respect for those that do/have done so.

When last I looked, without a farmer or fisherman most people on this planet would die a very horrible, painful death. I suppose they only serve their own interests, then? That attitude is the one I absolutely despise: if a person chose to put themselves in a job where their lives are on the line then they obviously joined in order to serve their nation and should be put on a pedestal, but if he chose a risky, difficult, dangerous job that doesn't involve fighting people or events that actively try to kill him then he's just in it for personal gain.

There is honor and respect deserved for serving in the military, as a policeman etc. Don't take away the honor and respect due others who make those jobs possible because of that fact.

 

[miguel's sister]

Why does the general society place such importance on military and LEOs? It is almost as if godhood status has been bestowed on people that have VOLUNTARILY chosen a dangerous profession. It is akin, IMO, to the idiotic idolatry of celebrities. Not any of the above mentioned professions are forced upon a single soul in the USA. We do not have conscription; have not had a draft since the early 1970s; do not force people into jobs that garner the spotlight. These jobs are CHOICES made at the individual level. Pure and simple.

Do not get me wrong. I appreciate most of what military and LEOs do for security purposes. I simply refuse to give them any more credit than "job well done" when it is merited.

Your thoughts?

Well...as far as the Military is concerned they take an oath to protect the Constitution of the United States of America against all enemies foreign and domestic. That's a pretty large scope of responsibility, no? I give thanks there are people in this world who get the bigger picture and sign on the dotted line... Not many people are willing to sign their lives over to Uncle Sugar.

Most of the Military people I know (and I know a few ) don't really want the attention bestowed upon them and are quite uncomfortable with attention or being called a hero.

Of course there are always the ten percenters and posers, just like in any other field...

 

[nemo97]

Really.
So the fact that before WWII, wars were getting bigger and more often doesn't mean anything. Isolation only meant that our enemies picked the fight, and were eliminating potential allies.

Of course, some will bring up the present wars. And they are a drain on men and money. How about the drain of a World War.
Like it or not, our forces are a stabilzation.
But when we eliminate all military, except at the state level. You mean the states will provide for a "common defense"?
Nothing against militias, or National Guards, but really?
I guess that's because everyone else in the world is friendly, and will leave us alone because we're the ONLY BAD BOYS.

I believe what you are supporting easily equates into empire. I am opposed to empire.

 

[nemo97]

Well...as far as the Military is concerned they take an oath to protect the Constitution of the United States of America against all enemies foreign and domestic. That's a pretty large scope of responsibility, no? I give thanks there are people in this world who get the bigger picture and sign on the dotted line... Not many people are willing to sign their lives over to Uncle Sugar.

Most of the Military people I know (and I know a few ) don't really want the attention bestowed upon them and are quite uncomfortable with attention or being called a hero.

Of course there are always the ten percenters and posers, just like in any other field...

How many of these folks have read the Constitution and know what is in it? And when will the defense of the Constitution begin?

 

[jeremy]

How many of these folks have read the Constitution and know what is in it?

A far larger percentage than those who have not served...

And when will the defense of the Constitution begin?

Careful with exactly how you phrase that question...
It sounds very close to Sedition to me...

But, what the hell do I know. I am just a dumb mechanic...

 

[Jenel]

Having a employment history in Military, LEO, Firefighting, and EMS, I can say that those of us good ones, who believe in the constitution and truly helping others selflessly don't want to be called heroes. I have seen my fair share of douche bags who just want the badge, gun, and glory. But I do think that people should realize that if we didn't volunteer than you would be on your own and in most cases SOL.