I dont think Veterans deserve anymore respect than anyone else?

Question

Seriously, all of the vets I have met have been some of the most bitter, cranky, bigoted minded individuals I have ever come in contact with. I dont think they deserve a holiday. They're not anymore important than anyone else in America.

Answer 1

When I became an officer in the United States Air Force I swore an oath to Protect and Defend the Constitution of the United States of America. I take my oaths very seriously. Even though I am now a 100% disabled veteran, if the Air Force called me today to return to duty, I would. I am 60 years old and very proud of what I did for you. My father is 83, a World War 2 veteran who is very proud of what he did for you.

I went to a high school with 76 students in my class. 40 were boys and 25 have their names engraved on the Vietnam Memorial Wall. I also have over 100 people on there that I knew very well. Do you know anyone who would gladly give up there live for you? Do you know anyone who you glady give up your live for them? To both questions I believe your answer would be no.

I had a job that required me to work holidays, weekends, birthdays, anniversaries, and anytime of the day or night. I flew B52 Bombers, the average mission was 14 hours where I sat in one chair strapped to a parachute. There were 5 other people on that plane. How would you feel about knowing that your skill and alertness would have to keep them alive? I cannot stop having nightmares about that. And I had it relatively easy flying at 40,000 feet and nothing to worry about except for missiles and fighter aircraft.

I am very glad for the Army and Marines who risked it all when one of my kind got shot down and was screaming for help. These brave Soldiers, Coast Guard Members and Marines and Sailors would go out in the jungles of Vietnam and not come back without the Air Force Pilot. The brave Sailors who protected me with their airplanes. The ones who were in the swift boats. The medics for the Marines. I never knew very many of them then. I have known a lot of them now. I meet them at a Veteran's Administration Hospital every week for group therapy because of our Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

What you have seen is the direct result of PTSD. We who suffer from it have night mares, day mares, insomnia, anger issues, afraid of the dark, afraid of the light, cannot be in crowds, cannot be alone, have panic or anxiety attacks, hate the people who avoided the draft during Vietnam and ran to Canada and Sweden and then had Jimmy Carter pardon them all, we cannot function in the civilian world worth a damn. I was Pilot in Command of a $200,000,000 airplane and responsible for the lives of 5 other crewmembers, when I retired I could not get a job. I have 4 college degrees up to a doctorate, but no one would hire me. Because I had no civilian skills they said. I was also a computer systems analyst and an Airfield Manager while I was on active duty, but no civilian skills.

Yes I swore that oath freely, but that phrase "Protect and Defend the Consitution of the United States of America" is the best thing I ever said. Being in the Air Force was the best thing I could ever do. You have the right to ask that stupid question and act like an a** on Veteran's day because of me and my brothers and sisters in arms. Sir, I salute your freedom of speech, but I will never defend your speech.

Answer 2

As a veteran, I hate to hear your encounters with fellow veterans have been negative. Most vets are good people and you'll rarely know they are a vet unless you get into a conversation and the topic comes up. I don't wear my military service on my sleave, as its not something I feel I need to do. I think many of the vets you have encountered may be bitter over a lack of fulfillment of promises made to them and other vets. Years of dealing with this can cause much bitterness and resentment to the government they served. Did you know that if you make over $30,000 a year, you can't qualify for Vet Health Coverage? If I made $31,000 and had just returned from Iraq and couldn't get a job with benefits, I'd be a pretty bitter person too.

The holiday also represents vets of old who are no longer with us. In the past, many wars were fought over better terms then the ones of current. My grandfather is a WWII vet and he and his friends that are still around deserve our respect. They didn't do 6 month, or 12 month tours and come home. They went and stayed until the war was over, until they were dead, or until they were too severly injured and were sent home to heal. Those actions deserve my respect.

I'd suggest you take this Veteran's Day and try and meet other veterans. Ask older men or women that you respect if they are veterans. You'll probably find quite a few that are, and that have already earned your respect.

Answer 3

As a veteran, I hate to hear your encounters with fellow veterans have been negative. Most vets are good people and you'll rarely know they are a vet unless you get into a conversation and the topic comes up. I don't wear my military service on my sleave, as its not something I feel I need to do. I think many of the vets you have encountered may be bitter over a lack of fulfillment of promises made to them and other vets. Years of dealing with this can cause much bitterness and resentment to the government they served. Did you know that if you make over $30,000 a year, you can't qualify for Vet Health Coverage? If I made $31,000 and had just returned from Iraq and couldn't get a job with benefits, I'd be a pretty bitter person too.

Answer 4

These hero's, are a key part of a major part of our History. Aside from that, there is no way you could ever know or imagine what some of them have survived to be here and cranky today.
Next time try and talk to one of them like a human for a change. You may learn something worth while. You may even learn something about yourself.
One final thing. Veterans Day is to celebrate all Military Veterans. Not just from WW1 and WW2. Even the men and women who are fighting and dying over in the middle east. Are their lives so cheep to you? Ask your self, "Is my freedom worth a little respect for those who have fallen, those who have served and those who are still fighting?"

Answer 5

No person is any more important than any other person. The only thing is...we still have people set to govern the country. We need to respect those people. The reason veterans that you have met are grumpy is because they've been through alot. They fight to save you and every one. You think you could show a little respect? They have lost friends and family because of their job. They belive in a free country. I believe in a free America don't you. They work from sun up to sun down. They have alot more character than some of us. They have alot of courage. They deserve our respect. They deserve a holiday. Do you deserve a birthday? No! What have you done to deserve that? Nothing! Do they deserve a day of honor and praise? Yes!! They fight for us. They get off their bottom and actually work for a noble cause. You should consider next time you judge them for what you think. My uncle is in the military. He is fighting for his and our lives! I would join the military as soon as I got the chance. Only problem is I'm only 12. Consider who they are. I don't know you. What if I just came up and said "your ugly". How would I know? I wouldn't. So if you go up and say " your bitter,cranky,and you have a bigoted mind!" How do you know. That certain individual...do you think he likes being judged every where he goes? Have you ever thought...that mabye what you think you see in them, is a reflection of your own heart?

Answer 6

Well, some people don't like him because they think he's a "pedophile" and they believe everything that the media say about him. He's INNOCENT and people need to show some respect to him because he contributed a lot in the music industry and he's the King Of Pop. <3 (Oh, and btw, I'm 15 turning 16, and I know his music is REAL music. The music today sucks, especially rap and hip-hop. It's not the same as the 80s and 90s music and I only like certain artists.)

Answer 7

I hope you are kidding or "trolling." While no one is more important than anyone else, that does not mean that we should not set aside one day out of the year (as if that is enough) to honor our veterans. Casting aspersions on all veterans because of the mistakes or woundedness of a few is just not the way to go. I had to learn that one myself. I grew up in an Air Force family with a father that fits, for the most part, all of your criticisms, and worse. He never really healed after Vietnam. Beneath his abusiveness lies a good heart and a pure spirit, and he has tried to do some good with especially young men in his church and community. We are all mixtures of shadow and light.

Thankfully, as God or luck would have it, I have met far more veterans who are kind, compassionate, and well worth the honor: students, online friends, poets, peace activists, etc.. No one is perfect. Yet they are all brave and beautiful, each in his or her own way. So, may God bless them all. I hope you will find within yourself some kindness and grace, and then rethink your stance in time.

Answer 8

The veterans that we have paved our way for the America that we are today , they risked their life to fight for us and through out the diff wars alot did not come back , and the things that they have seen in alone ranks them high in my book . take a look at a history book and see what they did and now look around you because it could all be diff if we didn't have them fighting for us. My husband serves in the army and has been to Iraq 2 time already which is nothing compared to some people and i respect each and everyone of our service members because they are risking their butts everyday for us and they can be called at a moments notice to leave. so do some research before you post and question like this one and i just hope it isn't some idiotic question for some term paper to see how many people you get to agree or disagree!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 9

I am guessing by your comment that you have never been in the Armed Forces. I will tell you this, America’s Veterans are the only reason you are able to even post a comment like that! If it was not for American Veterans past and present you would not be able to enjoy the Freedoms that you do. America is a free Country because people like me and everyone else in Uniform knows that pu%%ies like you could not last one min in a War Zone! So yes America’s Veterans past and present deserve the recognition they receive, and you ask me they do not get enough. We sacrifice our families by leaving them for upwards of 2 years to protect a Country that is the Greatest in the World and to also protect all you F*@cking pu%%ies that post comments like this, because it is your right of freedom of speech. All veterans have earned their freedom. But the real question is have you earned your freedom to question us or were you just born into that freedom because of all the Veterans!

Answer 10

Well,as a 6 year veteran of the U.U.Army I can tell you why we are cranky.We spend alot of our time training and the go to war ,We are paid very little for what we do.and then we come home get out of the military only to find out that most people don't want to hire veterans.Why shouldn't we have a holiday.We vow to give our life for the freedom of our country and keep the liberties the people like you seem to take for granted and come in here wondering why we have a holiday.That's why!!!

Answer 11

What a cruel and insulting question for Veteran's Day.

My great Grandfather served in WW1, got bayoneted, mustard-gassed, and shot in the head so that he had 2 silver plates in his skull; nonetheless, I never heard a word of complaint about the war or his service from him- and yes, he was a cranky, bitter man.

His daughter, my grandmother, served as a nurse in WW2- she was cranky and bitter- something about having a cranky, bitter father and the army being segregated did that to her.

I have two uncles that served in 'Nam and one was so cranky and bitter that he didn't survive it; the other is cranky and bitter because he has a scar on his back from a bullet, and saw kids being shot and other horrors that have him rolling and screaming in his sleep all these years later- and his wife is probably a little cranky from him waking her up and occasionally hitting her- because when he's asleep, he can't help it.

I also have a cranky, bitter cousin- he was in the first Gulf War.

All of them had or have PTSD. All of them suffered to defend our country from threats and were neither rewarded properly by our government, nor appreciated by stay at homes like you.

What's your excuse for being so ignorant, narrow-minded, and childishly unrealistic? If you eat poo poo, you'd better stop- it's rotting your brains.