Do you think everyone in the military supports Bush and/or the war?

Question

I told my friend that I was thinking about joining the Navy for personal reasons and she was like, "At least wait until a Democrat is in office to do it."
I said, "Why? Just because someone's in the military doesn't mean they support the current President or the war."
To this she responded, "Well you're still supporting the idea."

Hm...

Answer 1

No, you don't have to support the war or Bush to want to serve. I think it is a patriotic thing. I feel like if you join it is because you support democracy and you feel moved to serve.

Answer 2

I'm in the Army, don't fully support Bush anymore, used to mainly because of my political affiliation. There are a lot of people in the military who frankly hate the man. Have you ever had a boss you didn't like? It's kinda the same except you won't be taking orders directly from him, there is a chain of command. In the Navy, you really aren't at terrible risk by the war, unless you're in an MOS (Job) that can get you sent there. If you're a female, don't worry too much. The only other "safe" service is the Air Force... don't join because there's a war, join if you want to. I say go for it, pursue your dreams, get some great experience and friends and do and see things your friends will never get a chance to do, not to mention serve your country. Looking at things now, I don't respect people as much who are able to but don't serve compared to Vets and currently active people. Good luck and weigh all the options, don't base your choice on Bush or your friend's opinion. Try to meet someone near your age and gender that's currently in the Navy and see how it is for them.

Answer 3

Different people join for different reasons. Some join to earn college money. Some join because they believe that freedom isn't free. Some join for the steady paycheck and benefits. Some join because they never really grew out of playing Army as children. Whatever the reason, each person has his or her own. As far as supporting Bush and the war, some do, some don't, some are indifferent. Again, it depends on each person's individual point of view. Regardless, if you are in the military, and are ordered to deploy to a war zone, then you have to go, regardless of your personal views on war OR Bush.

Answer 4

Your job in the Military is to defend this country when called upon. You may not personally agree with it, but the mission comes first. If you have doubts about whether or not you could go to war, it would be best to find another route for your life. We have been called upon to defend this Nation with both Democratic and Republican Presidents. The next President, regardless of who they are and what they say, knows that it would be suicide to pull the troops completely out of Iraq. It would cause so much instability, we would be heading right back before we got them all home. And round 3 would be worse. So in short it would not make a difference whether you joined now or after the next election. Good luck with what ever route you chose.

Answer 5

I served in the U.S. Army Special Forces under 6 differnet Presidents.
The Democrat Presidents all showed a lack of understanding about the military, it's capabilities, and limitations that made me quite nervous.
Somalia is a good comparison. Bush the Elder listened to the rising tide of world opinion demanding that someone (the U.S.) do something about the self inflicted genocide that goes on there.
He went to the Joint Cheifs of Staff and asked "What can you do and what do you need to do it with?"
The answer was a beefed up Marine Expeditionary Unit with a clearly defined mission. Secure the seaport and airfield, supress bandit activity to allow the distribution of aid.
After Clinton came in the mission morphed into a vauge "Nation Building" excercise, and "Ooh! We should remove the scary big weapons so the natives will vote for me!"
The troops continued to soldier on, with inadequate support and unclear command guidance from the top.
Consider the "Black Hawk Down" battle. The mission of the inadequatly supported troops was to capture the Warlord Aidide and his subordinates.
They captured the subordinates (Aidide wasn't there) and courageously fought their way out of a tough situation, with relativly few casualties (lesser soldiers would have been wiped out) and inflicted heavy casualties on the other side.

That's when Clinton found out that soldiers do die. He declared a loss and pulled out because it would look bad in the polls.

Bush, a clear mission statement, a well rounded force to accomplish the mission.

Clinton, unclear, tenuous direction, military force structure selected based on polling.

Which kind of leader would you feel more confident in?

Answer 6

If you wait to join just because some specific party or person is in office-don't bother. Military people join to support the nation. I spent a good deal of my life in the military, and believe me I sat through conflicts for both Democrats and Republicans.
The military is composed of just as many opinion's on politics as the American public is, thing is as a military we are there to support our nation so we put aside our politics and get to what needs to be done, what ever is the orders of our elected President and Congress. I myself was a Democrat but I knew Republicans and Independents and lots of "I don't knows"
Join because you want to and want to serve your nation, not because of the current politics.

Answer 7

I voted for kerry 2 weeks before going to Iraq. I'd say about 30 percent of the military leans left to left moderate. And you would be supporting the idea of war... war is the military's job. But there's a gigantic difference between supporting war just for war's sake and "supporting war" because you know it's foolish to think that force is never ever needed.

Answer 8

Presidents may come and go but when you join the military you are choosing to serve the nation as a whole not just one elected official in the government.

Answer 9

Yes, join the Navy, but wait until thecurrent war is over, especially as you don't support it. If you joined now you will find yourself in an awkward position if you ever had to fight there.

Answer 10

my husband supported bush before he joined the military and before 9/11,after that happened he changed his mind about him really quickly so no not everyone in the military supports bush or the war