I'm currently a student at the USMA, and will be commissioned an Armor officer upon graduation. I have met so many civilians that are extremely ignorant about what the US army is and what it does. I even had one person tell me that the majority of troops in Iraq were Marines, followed by the National Guard, and that the Army was useless! And I had someone else tell me that Marines did all of the fighting and the Army only existed as a reserve force for the Marines. Why dont people get their facts straight, that 120,000 US Army soldiers are serving in Iraq, thats 85% of the personnel in Iraq? And besides that, they are serving in Al-Fallujah, and Baghdad, in the Sunni Triangle, the most dangerous part of Iraq! This is seriously ridiculous, (I'm not bashing Marines, I have immense respect for the Corps) but Marines fight battles, the Army fights wars. We have all of the heavy equipment and supplies and take the brunt of combat.
2006-12-01 15:30:59 · 17 answers · asked by Dave 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Military
I think Americans believe that the Marines win wars because we haven't been in long-term combat for a long... long time.
And people are already forgetting what a tsunami is or why it might be importnat. More people died from that... died... than there are in our Army. Craziness!
2006-12-01 15:33:36 · answer #1 · answered by J G 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Hey, I don't know why people are so stupid, but I thought that the National guard is the Army. At least when I was in basic training, I was there with Regular Army, National guard, and Army reserves. I also heard from drill SSGs that people who join the marines are trying to prove a point to someone. I feel that all FIVE branches of the military contribute equally. It doesn't matter who is where, they are all fighting for the same thing. That is just my opinion.
GOOD LUCK and GOD BLESS!!!!
2006-12-01 15:45:36 · answer #2 · answered by israel'sgirl 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Its sad but true. The news only likes to give credit to battles and quick news story's that for the most part the marines aare fighting but without the army the nation would crumble to any nation with a sling shot.
2006-12-01 15:56:10 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Jeez Lt, no wonder things are going so slow over there. Let's get a few more leathernecks on the ground and wind this thing up!
Just kidding (I couldn't resist).
Listen, you are NEVER until your dying day going to get the vast majority of civilians to understand the intricacies of the various branches of the military, their, mission, or their capabilities.
The bottom line is that you have a career that most people don't understand, and most people have careers that you don't understand.
Don't worry about, just go lead and kick @ss and take names.
BTW, what do you think about tracked vehicles for urban combat with 25mm and up mounted weapons verses the rubber tired go carts with pea shooter 50 cal mounted weapons?
Check out this link
http://www.combatreform.com/popguns.htm
2006-12-01 15:44:58 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Let me be the first to apologize for civilian ignorance.Army, Navy, Air force, Marines. My son is a Marine in Iraq and I know he would be proud to fight beside you any day. God bless our troops,and the Army too, just kidding, SEMPER FI, DO OR DIE OORAH!
2006-12-05 14:04:26 · answer #5 · answered by Mother of a Marine 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you’re debating with people on that subject on a chat forum like yahoo! answers then take it with a “grain of salt.” (c um grano salis) The people that are giving you that kind of false info and comparing branches on who is better are usually high school “wannabes” or “arm chair” strategists. If they never served or “been there and done that”, then they don’t know squat. Just listen to those around you who have “been there and done that” when you become an officer and you’ll be okay. Good luck.
2006-12-01 17:52:50 · answer #6 · answered by James 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Sir, I cannot believe you are wasting your time in this forum. Most of the people here are either grade school age or idle computer users with nothing better to do but write ridiculous writings and mis-informations. Most if not all the people whom you are referring to never serve in the military. I can assure you if we had the military draft, those people would not be so ignorant and moronic.
2006-12-01 15:38:54 · answer #7 · answered by me_worry? 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I myself am in the military and a student as well. That being said, yes there is a bias. However it is not totally ignorant. Soldiers always deserve respect no matter what and yes the left wing contributes unfairly to anti-military feelings. But military personel do tend to carry themselves in a way that gives them a bad wrap when they are not on duty. The way that military personel generally act when not on duty alienates them from civilians. That is where the bias comes from.
2006-12-01 15:40:44 · answer #8 · answered by areyousurehankdoneitthisway 1 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Thanks for your service. Get used to civilian ignorance. In yesteryear large portions of the population served in the military. Thankfully that is no longer needed (knock on wood). So all most civilians know about the military they get from Hollywood and/or CNN.
Solution: Don't sweat it. Educate people if you feel like it, but don't let their ignorance bother you.
2006-12-01 15:37:03 · answer #9 · answered by Ed 1 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Again, and again, I blame our news media for this. I am proud of our US Army, and all the military that fight for our freedom from terrorism.
To me, you are all a band of brothers.
I am proud of my grandson who is in the Army and going to Iraq tomorrow. He is 21.
2006-12-01 15:52:57 · answer #10 · answered by makeitright 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋