Can people that haven't served in the military have an opinion about the military?

Question

I've seen people say that unless you've served, your opinion doesn't matter. What do you think?

Answer 1

Well, in the United States, there is something called The Bill of Rights. In that, citizens of the US are guaranteed freedom of speech. Therefore, there is no legal reason why a person outside of the military cannot have an opinion about the military.

Next up, the military serves the citizens of the US. That is the reason. The military is to protect the citizens. If the military, people in the military, or people who disagree with view from those not in the military wants to suppress people's opinions of the military, then that is the military abusing the citizens.

By tossing aside opinions that don't matter because the person stating them has never served in the military is kind of scary. That is placing the military as more important than the citizens. That is something I think Germany did back in the WWII era. That is something that the Soviet Union did back in the cold war. This is not something that happens in a country that guarantees freedoms of citizens. A citizen has the right, guaranteed by the Bill of Rights, to hate the military and be vocal about it.


Something to remember. There is no military requirement for a person to serve in Congress, the Senate, or as President. That means that the people who decide what the military is going to do, are not required to have military service.

Answer 2

You got some good answers, But I'm going to give you a different take.

College professors are some of the most educated people in their fields, and yet they have some of the stupidest opinions I ever heard. You can be a Marxist, know everything about Marxism, and still be stupid.

You can be an actor. Study hard for 20-30 years. Star in everything and guess what? Your critics will be people who have never acted in their lives, yet they're experts at analyzing the actor's performance, and we recognize them as experts.

My point is: You don't have to be a physics expert, or a medical doctor to know you if you fall on your head from a 3 story building, it hurts. I find that people who become experts through experience or education tend to develop a very narrow view on whatever their expertise is in. An "outsider" can provide some critical thinking a so called expert might miss.

Answer 3

everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But I think that unless you've served in the military or are a close relative/spouse of someone in the military, you can't really base your opinion on anything other than what you hear on the news, or read in the newspaper. Which by the way, half the stuff you hear on the news isn't the complete truth.

Answer 4

It depends. Most cases I would say non military wouldn't have an idea what is BEST for the military etc. Especially what it's like in a war zone area.... but non military people should have the right to have an opinion of where the focus of where the forces are going (ex National Guard). What happens when we need them at home because of tornados? and floods?

But then again, do people have the right to tell you what you should do in your profession? Well, it's a free country, but would you want people who know nothing about what you do to dictate how you do things?

Answer 5

I think everyone's entitled to they're opinions. Some peoples' opinions are more educated than others in certain areas. Like the military's opinion of the military. Who would know better? Or a doctor's opinion about the flue.

Answer 6

I have served in the military, but I certainly don't care if those who haven't express an opinion. I just take that fact into consideration when deciding whether I give their opinion any credibility....just as I would anybody giving an opinion on a topic with which they don't have direct experience.

Answer 7

I agree! I haven't served directly but have been an army wife for 13 yrs. (I also have lupus which prevents me from serving). My children and I may not have served directly but we have served by supporting my husband/their dad.

I think everyone should have to serve some way... maybe not military but there are other options- peace corps, other public service.

Just as if I don't vote, I have no business complaining because I didn't try to make a difference.

Answer 8

Yes, you sure can have an opinion, but you have to understand, if it's likely to carry less weight than somebody who has served. I'll be honest with you, I've found the average civilian who didn't serve to be pretty ignorant about the military. I chalk it up to them getting their information from TV and the movies.

Answer 9

I think that everyone can have an opinion. Whether or not it's an educated one is up to you. Obviously, people who have served will have a VERY educated opinion, and the opinion of someone who has not served may not have much merit to them.

Answer 10

I don't care if someone has an opinion in regard to military matters or not, but I do care when they spout misinformation about the military as part of their opinion.

The military is an extremely large and complex entity, and is much much deeper than the average enlisted member, or even field grade officer understands. It operates on a delicate system of checks and balances on so many different levels, that your average civilian, even if highly "educated" by Fox News, hardly has even the slightest idea of what goes on in it.

In addition, a military Family member who is just basing his/her opinion of the military on what he/she sees from the job of his/her spouse, hardly qualifies (in most cases) as an informed opinion of the military as a whole.