On this Veteran's Day (957 hits)
Category: PoliticsRating: 0.86 on 39 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by Flack: Shitting On Your Virtual World Since 2004 (View user info) at 2007-11-11 22:45:10 EST
As Veteran's Day comes this year, It gets me thinking. And not a cliche way of thinking about sacrifice and honor and duty, but more along the lines of empty thank-yous and a VA budget consistently being eroded by our nations fat congressional fucks.
As a combat veteran, and a young one at that, It hurts to see Americans dig into mine, and others' asses about what we, as soldier/sailors/marines/airmen, we're ordered to do. While I will be the first to admit that we have it much better than, say, Vietnam-era veterans, it still hurts when some idiot who never left his house in suburbia tried to debate with me about whats going on in the world. To be perfectly honest, I, and I'm sure many other veteran's, don't really give a shit anymore about international affairs. And while it sucks that these assholes have all sorts of dumb shit to say to us (i.e. baby-killer, murderer, fascist storm trooper, etc. all of which I have been referred to), I still respect their right to say it.
Which brings me to the other side of the fence. Since I first enlisted, many people have said "Thank you."
I never liked that. It always made me feel incredibly uncomfortable. They tend to put me on this pedestal and glorify me as if I'm some kind of romantic warrior or Super-human hero. I am neither of these things. All I was was a soldier, plain and simple. I didn't do it for glory or medals or parades. I did it because I felt that, even in situations I abhorred and completely disagreed with, it was my place to pick up a rifle and fight for my country. I believe that is the epitome of a patriot. One that will fight for his/her country, regardless of individual political or social beliefs. So when these people say "Thank you" it makes me think of 2 things:
1) Either they're saying it because they see me as a glorified superhero, which I am not...
OR
2) They never had the balls to do it themselves and think that by a simple thank you, it makes everything ok.
The Veteran's Administration budget in this country sucks so bad right now. We spend so much money on stupid, unimportant programs and what happens: the VA gets what's left over in the end. I think that is bullshit. Shit needs to change.
So this Veteran's Day, If you REALLY want to thank a veteran, don't just go up to them and say thank you. Donate to your local VFW, AMVETS or American Legion post. Write your congressman about how far the veteran's benefits situation is completely down the toilet, or buy a drink for a former (or current) military member. If you absolutely must say something, don't say thank you. Say "Welcome Home." That means more to me, as a veteran, than anything else.
Welcome home, brothers and sisters. Happy Veteran's Day.
Flack
CPL, USA
SrA, Michigan Air National Guard
User Reviews
Submitted by haikumikoo (user info) at 2007-11-13 23:33:33 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
P.S. Welcome Home.
Submitted by haikumikoo (user info) at 2007-11-13 23:28:46 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by DeMoNiC (user info) at 2007-11-12 15:23:42 PST (#)
Ranking: 1
Submitted by haikumikoo (user info) at 2007-11-13 07:05:48 EST (#)
Ranking: -1
Congratulations on not dying, seriously.
No disrespect, but I just can't get behind the idea of picking up a rifle to go lower gas prices...sorry.
---
For fucks sake mate, he follows orders, he doesn't make the choices.
======
This post gave me the sense that he felt this war was just and necessary, I disagree with that. I haven't re-read the post, but I believe there's a line about having the balls to pick up a rifle and fight for your country. The balls? I'm not going to go risk my life for something I don't believe in, that's all I was saying.
Frankly I'm appalled by the treatment of Iraq veterans, I think the VA announced something like 1500 homeless veterans of this war alone...that's fucking ridiculous.
Besides, I said "no disrespect" and everything, what more do you assholes want?
Oh right, homes and medical attention.
Submitted by orphelia (user info) at 2007-11-13 17:05:17 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
respek, go and die in the ocean.
Submitted by Respek (user info) at 2007-11-13 16:48:31 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
STFU all of you, im right.
Submitted by ChaosJester (user info) at 2007-11-13 07:40:55 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by moneyshotforyou (user info) at 2007-11-13 07:10:28 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
There will always be people out there that will just not get it. They are stuck in their own little minds.
SSG USA
3rd SFG
*******************************
Dude!
You ever spend time with 1/1?
I might have known you, back in the day...
Submitted by moneyshotforyou (user info) at 2007-11-13 07:10:28 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
There will always be people out there that will just not get it. They are stuck in their own little minds.
SSG USA
3rd SFG
Submitted by orphelia (user info) at 2007-11-13 07:02:18 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
STFU respek
Submitted by Respek (user info) at 2007-11-13 06:25:00 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
here's another -2 because you pissed me off.
THANK YOU
Submitted by Respek (user info) at 2007-11-13 06:23:46 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
It makes me so happy knowing that the people most diluted by their own bullshit, for whatever reason, always end up enlisiting in the military. It such an awesome way of eliminating the psycopaths from our society; just send 'em off to war, so they can fight the psycopaths of another country. Beautiful.
Oh Im sorry, did you want more respek for being a VETERAQNS!!11!...? Well you should be happy you're get anything at all. Because YOU KNOW that if you gave most people the opportunity to think about the mental state somebody has to be in to WILLINGLY endanger their own lives for the sake of patriotism of all dumbass things, they'd give you a kick in the ass for being a retard and enlisting in the first place.
Hows it feel to have endangered, and ultimately have wasted your life, Mr. veteran? Does it feel shitty? I hope it does. And no, im not calling you a baby-killer, or a fascist, or a storm trooper, Im calling you a dumbass for enlisting in the military, and not living a normal life devoid of the man's visceral nature to kill and go to war. And im sure you have a PERFECT reason to enlist, im sure it was just swell....oh wait no it wasnt because you chose this life, because youre a retard, and you--as well as your dumbass war buddies--deserve to have not come home.
Like I said, a perfect way to eliminate the psycopaths.
OH! and one more thing..
-2 DIE ON THE BATTLEFIELD, CUMDUMPSTER.
Submitted by Wildman (user info) at 2007-11-12 21:29:11 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
yep...still don't mean nothing
Submitted by DeMoNiC (user info) at 2007-11-12 18:23:42 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
Submitted by haikumikoo (user info) at 2007-11-13 07:05:48 EST (#)
Ranking: -1
Congratulations on not dying, seriously.
No disrespect, but I just can't get behind the idea of picking up a rifle to go lower gas prices...sorry.
---
For fucks sake mate, he follows orders, he doesn't make the choices. One day y'all will regret your attitude towards soldiers. It may be different in America and it really does seem so because in Australia we hold great respect for all our armed forces.
Submitted by MyNameIsTim (user info) at 2007-11-12 17:58:58 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
remember that time we were in vegas at the dueling piano bar and they played god bless the usa, and someone bought all the servicemen a shot?
and you took yours and then you puked?
i do.
re thank yous:
when i say thank you to a serviceman, it's my quick way of saying "while i may not agree with the current politics in this country, i tend to respect you for what you do"
the 'what you do' being serving your country, which regardless of ones personal beliefs, i think is an honorable thing to do.
thats all.
Submitted by haikumikoo (user info) at 2007-11-12 16:05:48 EST (#)
Ranking: -1
Congratulations on not dying, seriously.
No disrespect, but I just can't get behind the idea of picking up a rifle to go lower gas prices...sorry.
Submitted by ConorJS (user info) at 2007-11-12 15:14:42 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
"They tend to put me on this pedestal and glorify me as if I'm some kind of romantic warrior or Super-human hero."
Not that I have any kind of basis from which to speak, but I always got the impression that this kind of glorification made most soldiers who dealt with it feel kind of weird.
Submitted by triangle_man (user info) at 2007-11-12 12:41:54 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
The VFW I go to has Newcastle.
As long as you aren't doing 'shrooms you're ok in my book.
I ride with a lot of Vets, I hear ya
Submitted by skrapmetal (user info) at 2007-11-12 11:37:54 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
I'm a veteran, and I give a bit of time and a bit more money to AMVETS. They do good work.
Submitted by scourge (user info) at 2007-11-12 11:30:40 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
i took down the jolly roger in my front yard to fly an american flag today. i only fly it on the 4th, memorial day, and veterans day. rest of the time it's the 'keep-out-of-my-fucking-yard-yappy-dogs,-fat-housewives-wanting-to-look-at-the-landscaping,-and-grubby-little-kids' warning flag.
the maybe-meaninglessness of this gesture is not lost on me. it's just what i fucking want to do, so i do it.
Submitted by sicosemen (user info) at 2007-11-12 09:46:44 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
I got a shit pang during flag football yesterday that I grabbed some toilet paper out of the glove box and left a can of peanut butter by a log. It wasn't pretty, nor did it smell like peanut butter.
Submitted by St_Jimmy (user info) at 2007-11-12 08:58:41 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Flack (user info) at 2007-11-12 07:23:06 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
CW1?
Thats not the correct abbreviation for the lowest warrant officer rank. The correct abbreviation is WO1 which might make me believe that you are full of shit.
Or not. Whatever.
Peace out, Chief.
Submitted by Empathetic (user info) at 2007-11-12 05:40:53 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Lighten up.
4 time combat vet, 3 theaters.
Empathetic
CW1/USA
Submitted by orphelia (user info) at 2007-11-12 05:13:33 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Berty (user info) at 2007-11-12 04:59:37 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
And not a cliche way of thinking about sacrifice and honor and duty...
-------------------
*sudden mental image of 1950's propaganda poster depicting 2 boys sat around smoking reefers with a speech buble claiming "Honour & Duty? That's for squares!" whilst the sillohette of a Russian soldier looms behind them, his eyes, snarling mouth and communist star defined in filled in red*
Submitted by TheDoctor (user info) at 2007-11-12 04:36:26 EST (#)
Ranking: -1
Submitted by odin (user info) at 2007-11-12 04:32:40 EST (#)
Ranking: -1
Soldiers = suckers; just following orders, fight them over there so we don't have to fight them over here, and on ad nauseum.
brain-washed, but hey, at least it's a pay check.
Submitted by Tom (user info) at 2007-11-12 04:28:19 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
I don't support the war in Iraq, but I think the people that work as pawns for our government are pretty cool. I feel sorry for you guys having to listen to the idiots that live in your country talking about how much they love or hate you. Honestly, I think both camps are equally retarded. You have the people that scream 'baby killers' at you, and then you have the people that whip out their red and blue colored pencils and spend 5 minutes drawing a "God bless you" cartoon on a napkin. I'm really not sure what would insult me more. I find the entire conversation pretentious.
Submitted by ChaosJester (user info) at 2007-11-12 02:49:14 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by BLITZKREIG_BOB (user info) at 2007-11-12 00:50:11 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Rock on.
Submitted by UTOCKIN2ME (user info) at 2007-11-12 02:13:36 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I have to agree with most of what you say.
I come from a military family -with soldiers and officers dating back to the civil war
and before that in the UK
I am not a soldier-i do have some training in militia rank.
When most people thank you, it's not because they don't have the balls to be a soldier
It's because they have a choice not to-and because of those like you-the choice not to be.
But i understand what you mean. The people that are thanking you are the same people that
you have committed to protect.
To me,each and every one of you are heroes-you might not see it because to you it is your calling
and your duty.
I don't know what to say as a response to someone thanking you for what you do-but i do know that it's better than not being thanked at all.
Maybe it's a thing where not responding is respectable all the same.
My hand is on my heart for you.
Submitted by iddqd (user info) at 2007-11-12 02:08:14 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
i find the phrase 'fighting for my country' to be somewhat distasteful.
Submitted by netimportant (user info) at 2007-11-12 02:02:03 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
I can call whoever I want a pussy, it's one of my rights as a United States citizen and a human being. Isn't freedom what you fought for as an American soldier? I don't owe anyone anything just because he joined the military.
Submitted by ShimishSmortion (user info) at 2007-11-12 01:42:31 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Thank You.
Submitted by DeMoNiC (user info) at 2007-11-12 01:36:33 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
Submitted by netimportant (user info) at 2007-11-12 16:16:47 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
"I did it because I felt that, even in situations I abhorred and completely disagreed with, it was my place to pick up a rifle and fight for my country. I believe that is the epitome of a patriot. One that will fight for his/her country, regardless of individual political or social beliefs."
You should fight for what you believe in and not what your leaders or the people around you believe in--that's what makes a pussy.
-----
You've been in the military recently then? You've also thrown your weapon at your commanding officers feet and told him/her you dis-agree with your orders? Who the fuck are you to call a soldier a pussy?
You, my dear are obviously more suited to politics or some obscure protesting organisation.
Submitted by netimportant (user info) at 2007-11-12 01:16:47 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
"I did it because I felt that, even in situations I abhorred and completely disagreed with, it was my place to pick up a rifle and fight for my country. I believe that is the epitome of a patriot. One that will fight for his/her country, regardless of individual political or social beliefs."
You should fight for what you believe in and not what your leaders or the people around you believe in--that's what makes a pussy.
Submitted by BLITZKREIG_BOB (user info) at 2007-11-12 00:50:11 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Rock on.
Submitted by HadToBeDone (user info) at 2007-11-12 00:28:33 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Instead of bitching about all the other social programs sucking up the VA budget, why not bitch about the "War on Abstractions We Refuse To Allow To Scare Us, so Be Very Very Afraid" sucking up EVERY budget?
Submitted by apollo88 (user info) at 2007-11-11 23:42:13 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
just following orders eh?
Submitted by Phallic_Cymbals (user info) at 2007-11-11 23:30:18 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Well I'm very pro-military but i disagree with a lot of what you just said. Apart from giving to Vet associations, that's fine.
Submitted by Kre8rix (user info) at 2007-11-11 23:28:23 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I was on TDY in Austin last year and a truck full of mis-informed, ideological idiots threw a 44 oz soda at me, screaming "baby killer" as they sped off in their new f-250. I wonder if they appreciate the irony in that...
I'm deploying in 3 weeks, and look forward to hearing "welcome home".
I appreciate the sentiment, and a happy veterans day to you as well.
Kre8rix
SPC, USA
1st TSC
Submitted by Zampano (user info) at 2007-11-11 23:20:34 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Yeah, Michigan! Woo!
But apart from my superficiality, a nice meditation, cutting to the quick.