And again- I wonder...

[ObjSRgtLw]

University of the German Federal Armed Forces/ Hamburg:

The President of the University (civilian) banned field-howitzer and tornado cockpit from a military ceremony because he said

" it was too much militarian"

. For the future these military 'things' are forbidden to be presented during future military form ups in any form.
As the Officers who had organized the Howitzer and the Cockpit wanted to speak the President he sent them his Press-Speaker.

I personally think that's another good example of the problems civilians have with their soldiers in Germany. Theres almost no acceptance- even the President of the University of the GERMAN FEDERAL ARMED FORCES seems to work against us. This is not a unique case, my father already experienced similar things. Military is trained to crawl before any kind of civilian, that's why there won't be any consequences in this case as weren't in the past cases.
So you see, almost every day there are such things that just p*** me off.
Sometimes i wished I was again in the Prussian Military in the 19th century (and please don't take me wrong there now, not referring to policy only to the respect that avarage people had before Military/ Officers- today I have to justify myself to every wannabe that comes along)

 

[SpaniardUSA]

Yeah, sometimes and some countries have complex with accept the normal issue of the military. It happens in my country of origin, Spain, too. Many people think the military stuff is againts the society, they dont know that the military is the support of our society. Anyway, we stand by them and fight for them.

 

[Wallabies]

Military is trained to crawl before any kind of civilian

Same in any army I would assume, happens in mine atleast anyway. The mouth and attitudes of some of the women who work on the base towards soldiers is unbelievable. Most of the time their husbands are SNCO's or Officers who are all digger haters themselves.

 

[major liability]

Imagine that. A military ceremony too much militarian. That's pretty crazy.

 

[A Can of Man]

Like I said, we should all take a day off. Actually a few weeks.
They'll be crying for us to come back.

 

[SHERMAN]

See...In Israel, they bring you snacks and soda cans to the road blocks....The only people who act badly towards soldiers here are the Media and radical left wingers(the same really).

 

[03USMC]

But see in Israel the civvies acknowledge that the threat is real and genuine. Not so much other places, they take a "It doesn't effect me attitude." and a " If we didn't have a military everyone would love us." posture.

 

[SHERMAN]

But see in Israel the civvies acknowledge that the threat is real and genuine. Not so much other places, they take a "It doesn't effect me attitude." and a " If we didn't have a military everyone would love us." posture.

Yes and also because we have mandatory service everyone feels like soldiers are their sons/brothers/boyfriends and most civvies know what it means to be in the army.

 

[03USMC]

Yes and also because we have mandatory service everyone feels like soldiers are their sons/brothers/boyfriends and most civvies know what it means to be in the army.

Exactly. Here I have troops who are college students that have been called Pawns by the long haired hippy, tree hugging members of their student body. Seems to me universal service wouldn't be an altogether bad thing.

 

[ObjSRgtLw]

Yes and also because we have mandatory service everyone feels like soldiers are their sons/brothers/boyfriends and most civvies know what it means to be in the army.

So does Germany... but for them the 9month are almost only drinking beer and doing nothing of high importance. A professional military would improve things for us soldiers...

 

[03USMC]

So does Germany... but for them the 9month are almost only drinking beer and doing nothing of high importance. A professional military would improve things for us soldiers...

That's my hang up with universal service. You get the "I don't want to be here." bunch. Bad enough you get the moron's that enlist and then decide they can't hack it.

 

[SHERMAN]

Dont get me wrong i dident mean that mandatory service is the best i was just saying that when everyone dose 3 years service thir attitude is diffrent.

 

[ObjSRgtLw]

It sure does, but not necessarily into a good direction ... I know many cases...

 

[A Can of Man]

It's because the price of being a failure is comfort.

 

[BritinBritain]

National Service

When I was a boy at school in London, all of our male teachers were WW2 Vets, who brought military discipline into the classroom, none of this bunny hugging leftist “Let them express their feelings.” crap, step out of line and you were whacked with a cane. We never ended up as mindless cretins mugging little old ladies, or torturing puppies. I like to think that the vast majority of us grew up as decent law-abiding people.

I agree with National Service, but with modern military equipment requiring expensive and intensive training, it may not be cost effective for 2 years service. Gone are the days when British Troops were issued Lee Enfields, Bren Guns, Vickers, Sten Guns and 6 weeks infantry training would suffice. Today its quite a bit different, hell, its a lot different today to when I joined up in the 1960's.

But one thing is the same today as it was then, military service installed discipline, pride in oneself and comradeship.

Many years ago, I arrived back in UK from a Far East 2 ½ year tour, I went for a beer at a pub near my home one evening for a quiet pint or three. One of the locals out of curiosity asked why I was so tanned, had I been on holiday. I mentioned I had just finished a Far East Tour and on disembarkation leave. Immediately half a dozen pints lined up on the bar from various blokes, and they kept coming. When I tried to buy a round of beers I was firmly told, “Put your money away son, its no good here.” I staggered out of the pub without spending a penny.These days in parts of UK, members of the military are “banned” from various shops and pubs in certain towns. Disgusting!

 

[ObjSRgtLw]

Good post BritinAfrica

 

[Del Boy]

Gone are the days when British Troops were issued Lee Enfields, Bren Guns, Vickers, Sten Guns and 6 weeks infantry training would suffice.

Good post, struck a note of nostalgia here. I went to school in London post-war, 1945 - 50, and served my National Service (Egypt) after some years at sea. I missed the Kenya campaign.

One point - in those days of Lee Enfields, Bren Guns, Sten guns etc., infantry training still ran for a concentrated 3 months before joining battalions. I agree that it must be very different today with our professional armies and their advanced weaponry.

 

[Del Boy]

Yes and also because we have mandatory service everyone feels like soldiers are their sons/brothers/boyfriends and most civvies know what it means to be in the army.

That's how it was in National Service days here. Everyboday, more or less, did their stuff and thefirst question when young guys first met was -'What were you in?' (Force, Regiment etc etc.)

Now, our soldiers are held in high regard by our indiginous Brits, but are opposed by some of the large ethnic groups in our imposed and fragmented multi-cultural society.

Here's an interesting perspective of the relationship between Brits and our troops. (Of the people not government). A letter to one of yesterday's national newspapers FROM a Gurkha!:-

'The benefits culture has exploited the people of this country - while those who really needed them most are denied them.
After almost 200 years, we Gurkhas are still struggling to assert our status in the British Army. Meanwhile, the British government is providing all kinds of expensive facilities to people who are spreading hatred and violence in this country. British values and morality are hanging by "a thin red line". '

Yam Gurung (ex-British Army).

We sure do love our Gurkhas, in small towns where they have settled crime has dipped considerably it appears. People here would like to have them and all of all of our troops back here in Britain handling our security situation.

There has been talk of employing ex-soldiers as teachers in our tough schools.

 

[BritinBritain]

One point - in those days of Lee Enfields, Bren Guns, Sten guns etc., infantry training still ran for a concentrated 3 months before joining battalions. I agree that it must be very different today with our professional armies and their advanced weaponry.

LOL I was being a smart arse to prove a point.

I joined the RAF and after basic and trade training I was posted to an operational station. After a year, myself and a few others were posted to the Far East for 2 ½ years. On arrival back in UK after disembarkation leave I was posted to an English Electric Lightning interceptor station with 24 hour flying. Those bloody aeroplane's made a hell of a noise on take off, especially when using reheat! A few months after joining the station I was sent on detachment to St Mawgan for a few months, arrived back on station, then sent on another detachment to Malta and Cyprus for another 6 months! If they didn't like me, all they had to do was say so lol.

After discharge I really missed the life, so I joined the local Queens Regiment TA and ended up as a GPMG gunner. After 5 years I moved from London to Essex and transferred to the local Royal Corps of Transport TA. Many of the fella's were ex regular soldiers, RAF and Royal Navy, the comradeship and humour was exactly the same, it was like I had never left.

During the Falklands War, the Squadron was tasked to transport live ammunition, explosive kit and other stores to ports of departure. The route would take the Squadron through the Dartford Tunnel from Essex to Kent. Problem was, live ammunition and explosives were banned from the tunnel, so the red flags were removed from the trucks till they got to the other side of the tunnel and then put back on. Problem solved lol.

All in all I did 15 years in the TA, it was good fun, AND I was paid for it, and I got from under the wife's feet for a couple weeks. lol

 

[A Can of Man]

If you do the job right, nothing in the world is as fun as the military.
Do it half arsed and it's the biggest waste of time ever.
It's always funny watching 10%ers talking about how they're going to make their time after the military count and how they're going to do this how they're going to do that. Bullsh*t.