Is anyone else tired of overly-prideful people in the military?

Question

In no way do I denounce the contributions of soldiers to this great nation. I support them. I don't thank God for IED's. However, considering we don't draft anyone, I find myself annoyed when I hear higher-ups in the military jowling about how much greater and tougher they are than me because they fight for our freedom. Most Americans put equally great contributions into this country! We all pay taxes on our checks! Hell, we bought the weapons they're using! I understand their job is tough, but damnit, it's their job. I understand veterans of wars past carrying this status, because they were forced to fight.

Being prideful about your job is one thing, like your husband. Like I stated, I don't downplay his contribution. I'm directing my question to those people who place themselves on a pedestal because of their service. Those that make it seem that they are better than the average American because they CHOSE to pursue a certain line of work.

Terry, the military is a line of work technically. I agree with you, I've never heard a soldier put down a member of the working class. This is not some catch-all defamation of every individual who has donned a uniform, this is directed at those cocky and arrogant soldiers. I support you, I support what you do, but you are not better than me.

Answer 1

Oh...my...lanta.
To those talking about the importance of jobs...
On the importance of jobs issue, it is true that the military does a very good job. And as Americans, we should be proud of them. However...saying that they are more important and "deserve our praise because of a good job"...then why don't the rest of us get praise for our good jobs? When you go to defecate in your local McDonalds, should you praise the young man who was in there an hour ago, because you were in a sanitary enviornment without hateful sayings scribbled on the wall? You could, but your praise is offered by buying a menu item, just like ours is with the mililtary. We pay taxes and donate to those "veterans" outside our local grocrery store every veterans day, just for a tootsie roll? Wouldn't you think that all that money given is used to buy all those tootsie rolls? The "veterans" barely make anything with this cheap market gimmick.
And being in the military now a days IS A LINE OF WORK!
If you're gonna get all emotional over military men and women not seeing their families and not seeing their friends and being stationed in a foreign country for months or years at a time. They chose that lifestyle. We shouldn't pity them, or give them extra special attention, just like we shouldn't pity or give extra special attention to a young man at McDonalds who cleans up after all of us.
Everybody contributes into society, and everybody does SOMETHING for America.
I'm amazed how people expect us to honor and respect the troops, yet they insult the president for being a moron. That man runs the military for Christ's sake.
Just because someone is in the military, that doesn't make them any better than the rest of us. If you don't enjoy the fact that you're in the military, then finish up, come back home, and go to your local McDonalds and clean the crappers with the rest of the people who "don't contribute to America equally"

...liberal *******...

Answer 2

I can see where you're coming from. There certainly are some in the military who boast about their military contribution and status. And some of those who consider themselves better than other Americans who are not veterans.

Why do you let this annoy you? We deal with it often, but we let it roll off our shoulders and go about our way. These kind of people are everywhere, not just military personnel.

Please keep in mind that until you walk a mile in a veterans shoes (active or not), you really should consider softening your judgment towards whether or not you think they should grib and complain about their job being tough. Military men and women deal with things in the military that you simply DO NOT deal with in the civilian workforce. Some others have already mentioned some good examples of this, but even those are just a few among the many differences. It can be a very stressful job with stresses that simply do not accompany the civilian work force.

As for taxes...bud, we all pay them, so get over it. ;) Our taxes pay for 'em weapons, too, so your tax contribution isn't anything special compared to ours.

It also would have been nice if you could have listed an example of someone who has given equally great contributions to our country than a military service member. I'm having a hard time finding one, because when I see a service member return home in a body bag, I wonder who could possibly be an equal contributor?

Lastly, have you ever been proud of something you've done? Ever thought you were better than another person in any way? If your answer is no, you are more prideful than you think. If your answer is yes, then why are you judging someone who is just like you?

And just for kicks, take the good person test, to see how 'good' you are. http://www.thegoodpersontest.com Bet your score would equal that of the person you're complaining about. Bet that person is headed in the same direction as you, too. Do you really want to spend eternity with such an arrogant person? ;) Enjoy.

Answer 3

There are idiots in every "profession" of course. However, as most have already told you very articulately the military is not a normal job. Nor is it just a job for most people but rather a lifestyle -- it effects everything about not only his life but all of ours as well, by choice yes, but that isn't the point really is it? You to had a choice when you chose your profession or job.

This war will be won or lost on the battlefield yes but also on the home front -- when those here whine and complain and grouse in the midst of things it can not help but tear down moral. Do you have that right? Absolutely! But it can wait until after the job is done. And again not everyone or, dare I say it, most of those who served in the past (with the exception of Vietnam perhaps) were forced into it most volunteered even then.

Answer 4

What you don't understand is that it is not a job, as you would think of it. They work 24/7 with no OT and no holiday pay. Going to work is a little different when you spend 1 year away from your home and family and put your life in harm's way every day.

The fact that they volunteer to make those sacrifices is even more commendable. As a civilian, you have no idea what is like and what our troops sacrifice. Try going a couple of weeks without a bed, shower, family and sleep, that is a typical condition for a soldier at war. It doesn't matter if it is 100 or 20 below, they are still required to be outside and doing the mission, no matter how long it takes.

Answer 5

We help buy our own weapons too. You simply contribute like the rest of us (in terms of money). We (military) pay taxes except when temporarily stationed in tax free zones. Civilians can also take advantage of the same tax free zones doing contract work. So that is also not unique to one group of people. This is the same argument people try to use with police and firemen and teachers etc. They all pay taxes too, so give it up. If anything, I am tired of the "I pay your salary" line. Technically, I pay money out of my own pocket, in the form of taxes, towards my own salary, and weapons, and equipment.

This is not a perfect world and never will be. There are degrees of everything. So by saying all Americans more or less contribute the same is a moronic argument. A policeman contributes a little more than the kid cleaning the toilet at McDonalds. And you can take that from a guy who's done both. Paying taxes does not make anyone a "good" American or citizen. It simply makes you a law abiding one...at least as far as the tax code goes.

Answer 6

This should help you understand a little.
We get killed, we pay those same taxes you do, we get paid little to do what most Americans wont. We sacrifice time and energy from ourselves and our own families to help all people whether they are grateful or not. We have no say in the people in charge of us most who are civilian but dictate our fate. We work long hours with no overtime, do some tasks that we were never "told" we would have to do when signing up. We get little sleep and sometimes have bad dreams when we do. But do we complain or cry about these things we do now. We stand tall and we are proud. We fight hard for a war we oursleves may not agree with. I know that what I do gives you the ability to ask the questions you just have. Knowing this alone gives me a high sense of pride. I love America and I love what I do. While you are tired of us being prideful just use whatever energy you have left to support us while we continue to work tirelessly at war.

Answer 7

You seem to be under the impression that the military is like any other job. However, I have yet to see the McDonalds institute a 10 week basic training and 20 week AIT to flip hamburgers. Not just anyone is allowed to join, and not everyone is allowed to stay. So yes, the average military veteran contributes much more than just the taxes that are automatically taken out of his/her pay. And not all veterans of wars past were forced to fight. A great number volunteered.

Also I have yet to hear a 'higher-up' 'jowling' about how he is better than you because of veteran status. It is our honor to be able to serve. It is in your best interest to STFU.

Answer 8

Well, let's look at a few facts. First, only 15% of adult males can even make the physical standards for entry into the armed forces at this time. Secondly, they are "on duty" or "on the job" 24/7. If they don't like the orders from their bosses they can't just quit and get a different job. In fact, they could be court-martialed and wind up as a convicted Federal felon. Even police officers and firefighters don't face that scenario if they decide to quit their professions. They are placed in positions where absolute strangers can shoot at them or try to kill them using other murderous devices, but the service member has to follow a set of rules written by a group of lawyers in fighting back against this threat. For if that member doesn't comply (chapter and verse) with those "rules of engagement" he will be flayed on the pages of the NY Times or the Washington Post, whose editors will be calling for his head. They are the ones who are now the source of pride for the "Petey Patriot Platoon" who wouldn't have given any of them the time of day on September 10,2001. When one of them dies he is mourned by the "Bleeding Heart Brigade", none of whom gave a damn for the 7,500 who died on active duty during the eight years of the previous administration. They are also the whipping boys for the spineless, hypocritical politicians who stint on their necessary budget needs to prosecute this war and even claim that the people at Guantanamo who guard the very folks who mean to kill us are the same as the Nazis.
Finally, they too pay taxes. Their predecessors didn't have to. At least until 1956. And that includes Social Security Tax. So, if they stay long enough in the military to retire and finally get old enough to collect that Social Security tax in later years, they will find that their Social Security payment is now considered taxable income because of the outside income from their retired pay. So the FICA is taxed twice! And no one prior to 1991 faced that.
Meanwhile, the average civilian gets to go to the mall and grouse about military people being "overly prideful". Hell, given all that they face from the rest of the population and the politicians elected by that populace, I'm in awe that they would take the oath and join the armed forces in the first place!

Answer 9

What "equally great contributions have you made to this country." You're trying to compare to people who put their lives on the line daily in a war zone. I can think of few things you can do to compare to that. It's a one of a kind job. You talk as if soldiers don't pay taxes, we do. It's practically half my paycheck.

Think and say what you believe, just don't forget who helps defend the freedoms that let you do that.

Answer 10

you are probably the person that would try and pick a fight with a service member in a bar to see if you measure up...and me(cocky arrognant 3 tour combat vet) would beat into oblivion. You see not all service members are "overly-prideful" but when I get back from the desert and have survived countless fire fights and ieds then yeah I guess my chest is puffed up a little bit. oh and my dad (draftee) is the same way. but when you go home to a nice warm dinner and family time...joe is in the field eating mre's and for what. because he is overly prideful or is he just maybe making your life better.

This country was built on wars not peace. when you realize that you will pat joe on the back instead of talk about how he is "overly-prideful"