Are US soldiers being taught to look down on civilains at home?

Question

I've heard some comments on the news by soldiers and in some documentaries that make it sound like they look down on all us regular people. How can you defend people you who's lifestyle you find inferior?

Answer 1

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.
Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.
The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.

The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then the
sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.
My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.

A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Medic, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.
"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"

For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..
To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,
I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night." "It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.
No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Gramps died at 'Pearl on a day in December,"
Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers."
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of 'Nam',
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.
I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.

Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue... an American flag.
I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.
I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."

"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son."
Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."

Answer 2

I serve in the US Navy. I can tell you, for a fact, that we, the Armed Services, do not look down on those at home.

There are exceptions however. Individuals, many times public figures, so-called celebrities who feel the need to make jokes, or take offense to our lifestyles, we do not have respect for. The other thing I do know, the media and some directors of documentaries, like to skew what service members say for the sake of whatever "journalistic" piece they are working on.

Every one of us who stands the watch out there, loves America, loves Americans. We aren't just fighting for your freedom, we're fighting for ours as well.

Answer 3

No they most certainly are not! And by the way...people in the military are regular people...they just lead a different lifestyle than civilians.

Answer 4

No, All we want to do is come now and be seen as normal people just like you. We came over here to do a job and when our part of the job is over we just want to come home. We may be a little defensive towards people like the DUMBA$$ who made the first answer but we do not look down on anyone. I'll be home in 87 days but who's counting. All I want to do is hold my woman and blend in.

Answer 5

It is not that we find civilians inferior it is that we actually earn for "civilians" what they take for granted. We tend to start to think everyone has the same values as us and when we step out into the civilian world we realize that Honor, Integrity and Camarade are not as widespread as we hoped. In the military it is a way of life, though not every soldier, sailor or marine is perfect. You are taught to adopt Honor , Integrity, Loyalty and Camarade as your way of life, and for the most part we do. Where as in the civilian world it is every man for him or her self.

You are taught to help the next soldier as you would a family member because he could be the man to save your live or your buddies life. So when we get to the civilian world and see how other people treat each other or the standards in which a "civilian" will accept it blows our minds. We do not look down on civilians , we are just perplexed when we have given so much for the freedoms we all enjoy and at the same time realizing that all we really having is the soldier or person standing next to you that when given the opportunity a "civilian" would choose to throw it away by accepting low standards in his or her life and treating their fellow man the way they do.

For example. I picked up a hitchhiker a month or 2 back (the only reason I ever did was because he had a MOLLE pack on and DCU boots). He got in and introduced himself as a LCPL in the Marine Corp. Just getting out of the Army myself and recently back from Baghdad I asked him questions to test his story . All I can say is he knew information that qualified him at least as a sevice member who had stepped foot in Iraq. He was home on emergency leave to see his brother who had cancer and was terminal. He had now gone AWOL because his brtohter took a turn for the worst at the end of his emergency leave and was not granted an extension. I was now willing to drive him all the way to where this Marine needed to go. We were in Texas so I assumed he woud need to go somewhere close. When I asked him where his brother was him said without flinching, Georgia!! He then asked how far it was and how long I thought It would take him to get there. I explained thatit was pretty freaking far and it would take him some time. I thought also he may be bullcrapping but he had a crude map and points plotted all the way to a little town in GA. He had water some food and a little cash. He had no money for a plane or bus ticket because most of his pay went to his brothers care. We talked on the trip(as far as I could take him, not having that much cash on me or gas) and he had a plan to see the brother he loved at least one last time. When I dropped him off and gave him some old MREs I kept in the back for emergencies, I he thanked me and rejected the offer of the 15 or so dollars I had in my pocket. He simply gave me a Semper Fi and a Thanks. I in return gave him a Hooah and your welcome.
The most shocking part of this Marine who would walk from Texas to Georgia to see his dying brother is not that but that when I got back to work the next day and retold this story not a single person believed me. Not because they did not believe the facts because they said this"Who would walk from here to GA to see their dying brother when they could just take a plane? I would steal, beg or borrow to get there but not walk all the way there!!!" Who, a Marine or Soldier would and would not sacrifice their morales do do so! I do not think civilians are inferior, but they are sure not up to our standards.

Hooah and Semper Fi !!
OIF I 2003 & OIF III 2005-2006
3rd ID 4-64 AR

Answer 6

First mistake "comments on the news". You do understand that our soldiers are made up of Americans just like you and I? They are our son's, daughters, nieces, nephews, brothers, sisters, etc..etc. Perhaps their frustration is that people are so damn willing to believe the media who has done nothing but report incorrectly since this war started. They don't look down on you, they only want you to see the truth. If you liberals start acting like the ba$tards in the 60's and 70's and start spitting on our soldiers, it will not be pretty.

Answer 7

its not that we think you are inferior, its just that civilians will never know what we go through. some civilians think that we have it so easy, try being us sometime! try leaving loved ones to go to a contry where most of the people want to see you dead then come home and have a civilian ask how things were over there or if you killed anyone or if you knew anyone that was killed . if you want to know so badly then go to a recruiter and sign up!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 8

People in the military do not look down on people in general. We look at people as individuals and then determine if that individual deserves respect.

Another thing you need to remember is that you do not any any 'right' to respect. Respect is something you earn.

Answer 9

I THINK THAT..

the reason most of them probably feel this way is because there are many UNSUPPORTIVE civilians here at home for their cause.

Therefore, they feel offended...

I could get into detail about this but I don't feel like getting fired up.

Answer 10

No way!
Though it may seem that way because you are taught to be tough, so maybe civilians think they are rude?