need perspective

LtStryker

LtStryker

Active member
I am a student looking for the perspectives of active duty, retired, and reserve officers and enlisted about how you feel about civilian opinions of the modern military and throughout history. Civilians are also free to post their personal opinions or opinions of people they know about the same.
 
42RM said:
Personal experience outranks acquired knowledge, therein lies the difference.
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Exactly!

I have no problem with people sharing their opinions about the military with me as long as they are informed on the matter. I DO have a problem when a person takes what they see on TV and projects that as an authoritive source of knowledge. If you don't know, then don't ask...If you don't really want to hear my opinion on matters because they don't fit with your ideas on the military, then don't ask. If you don't like to be called on your BS because you are wrong, then don't ask. Finally, if the only depth of questions you feel to ask are along the lines of "did you kill anybody?" or "I heard it's not that bad"... then...you guessed it...don't ask!
 
LtStryker said:
I am a student looking for the perspectives of active duty, retired, and reserve officers and enlisted about how you feel about civilian opinions of the modern military and throughout history. Civilians are also free to post their personal opinions or opinions of people they know about the same.
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I reckon you (ie: civlians) know nothing about the trade or the soldiers.
Just as I don´t know (or particularly care) about civilian opinions.

Opinions are like arseholes, no?
Everybody has one..

As for the media.. "Nothing new in the truth, and no truth in the news.."

KJ sends..
 
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Good question and as a serving member I agree with Brinktk and 42RM and KJ - but I would add that a bit too much political correctness, via civilian Defence Dept authorities, over-steps into military training, discipline and service.


brinktk said:
Exactly!

I have no problem with people sharing their opinions about the military with me as long as they are informed on the matter. I DO have a problem when a person takes what they see on TV and projects that as an authoritive source of knowledge. If you don't know, then don't ask...If you don't really want to hear my opinion on matters because they don't fit with your ideas on the military, then don't ask. If you don't like to be called on your BS because you are wrong, then don't ask. Finally, if the only depth of questions you feel to ask are along the lines of "did you kill anybody?" or "I heard it's not that bad"... then...you guessed it...don't ask!
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Tommy says it all.

Civilians generally love people in uniform only when either a) one of their immediate family is in uniform, b) when they want to get a uniform into bed, or c) when the enemy is at the gates...and sometimes, not even then.

The rest of the time, most "civilians" -- defined here as those who have never been in any armed service, and do not have a living family member on Active Duty -- look at anyone in an armed service voluntarily as either a weirdo, a failure, or both.

That's been my experience, from the 80's until now.
 
Personally I think you have over looked national variances and the responses have been generalised in the extreme.

I can't and wont talk for civilians in other countries but in New Zealand your average civilian sees the military as a career choice not a calling, in general we support our military (primarily because the Government doesn't) but we are not in awe of them, I would also suggest that the vast majority of Kiwi's sign up not to defend the homeland and be knights in shining armour but because the lifestyle suits Kiwi's (or at least that was my excuse).

So I guess what I am saying is that the soldiers view of how civilians see them is perhaps only accurate within the nation that soldier is serving and not the same for all civilians if it has any accuracy at all.
 
My apologies. I should have been more specific. I am doing a report for school and needed perspective on the U.S. military. I am sincerely sorry if the fact that I am not looking into other countries offends people.
 
I think today there is a large amount of respect that is given to the US military. I grew up in Maine, a very liberal state. When I go home, I can tell who is against the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan when I talk to people. Never have I been disrespected which is something that was common during the Vietnam War.

Sometimes I think the military has too much respect from the civilians. When my wife, first moved to Fort Campbell, it was amusing to see her react to seeing Soldiers. Since she rarely saw them in Pittsburgh, she got excited. The same kind of excitement that people show to Soldiers in air ports. She actually cried when she in a friend went to a sports bar and a Soldier threw up (drunk) all over her friend while they were making out. I guess she thought that Soldiers were not capable of such things. I just laughed as I remembered my days as a young Soldier.

If you require more info just be specific with your questions and I will opine to the best of my abilities.

~DHC
 
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