Anyone here have been/currently in the Military?

[SamuraisWisdom]

All of us here have a pretty strong view on foreign policy, particularly toward non-intervention which would mean very limited military action. So that made me curious. Who here is a veteran or is currently in the US military? It's also especially interesting to me seeing as I just joined the US Army recently and will be shipping out in several months. So I'd like to see if I have any political peers already in the service.

[Pericles]

US Army sctive duty and Army National Guard and Army Reserve 1982 to 1995. Armor and CAV assignments.

[Todd]

Army national Guard 1988 to present.

[MelissaWV]

Ron Paul, GunnyFreedom, and Adam Kokesh are current candidates (and two openly use RPFs :D) with military ties. There are a lot more who are members of the forums.

[Dr.3D]

Vietnam "Conflict" - Voluntary joined the Navy to keep from being drafted into the Army. Wanted to pick the branch I would rather be in.

[Stary Hickory]

There are people that are, therefore it follows don't make ignorant blanket statements about the military in general. Strong views against the war ok, but drawing conclusions about people based on them being in the military is ignorant.

[Reason]

<- USAF

& you should check out this group

http://www.ivaw.org/

[TonySutton]

I am a retired Marine, having served from 1980-2000.

[lynnf]

U.S. Marines, Vietnam era


lynn

[Icymudpuppy]

2000-2010 Iraq Vet.

[Uriel999]

I'm not yet. I got my AVSAB results in today (I pretty much pwned it) and will probably end up going to MEPS sometime in April. I will be joining the Marines.

[Elwar]

I'm not in the military but I've been a defense contractor for over 10 years. I've been all over the country, too many times in DC and the Pentagon. Spent a year in Iraq.

Right now I'm working on flight simulators for the Navy.

[Juan McCain]

. . . non-intervention which would mean very limited military action. . . . I just joined the US Army recently and will be shipping out in several months.
So I'd like to see if I have any political peers already in the service.


Ron Paul had the most military donations to any candidate by far, Republican and Democratic side during the 2008 primaries.

Abe yes, thanks for refreshing our memory about that fact.

I have only worked in places such as the Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawai'i,
and Veteran's Administration Hospitals in California, Texas, and Ohio -
but only as a civilian.

An influential surgeon I worked with very early in my career was a M.A.S.H. surgeon in Vietnam.

[HOLLYWOOD]

http://tickerforum.org/smilies-local/diekb.gif

[Jeros]

Separated from the Navy in 2006 after six years of service. I adhere to a sort of pacifism these days.

I don't want to seem rude, but for your own good, this may not be the best of times to join an international war machine. In other words, expect to be heavily utilized. That is, if it is not already illegal for you to quit. There are few enough honest promoters of liberty as it is.

[rancher89]

Vietnam Era Vet

http://photos1.meetupstatic.com/photos/member/9/5/3/5/highres_3818197.jpeg

BTW all but on of these people in the picture were at their precinct/county meetings. AND they all brought friends!

[pcosmar]

Class of 75

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3275/2294497087_a84b77be8a.jpg

Signed up "delayed enlistment" in 74 while in high school.

[Baptist]

Vietnam "Conflict" - Voluntary joined the Navy to keep from being drafted into the Army. Wanted to pick the branch I would rather be in.

LOL that reminds me of my old boss. He said that he joined the Navy to avoid the draft to Nam, and that "I never once saw a boat in four years!" He said that they shipped him straight to Nam where he hung with Marines and did medical stuff (think he was a coreman?).

[Danke]

ROTC 84-87.

Active USAF 88-97. Reserves 99-2001.

Over 100 combat missions over Iraq.

[__27__]

Combat wounded Iraq Vet. US Army 1st Cav.


I've been in the military, and I've been a police officer. I am fiercely opposed to both war and government force. I am able to recognize the people in both are generally very good people by nature, but in the course of war and government force we do shitty things and often become (even if it may be temporarily) shitty people. I believe your run of the mill line soldiers and officers are victims of the same system as those people who they victimize.

[Pauls' Revere]

Navy, Gulf War I (medic)

[BenIsForRon]

Gotta say, it gives me a sense of security having all you guys in the movement.


I'm not in the military but I've been a defense contractor for over 10 years. I've been all over the country, too many times in DC and the Pentagon. Spent a year in Iraq.

Right now I'm working on flight simulators for the Navy.

Damn dude, you've been in the belly of the beast. Do you think the PMC's are planning for domestic policing here, whenever the shit hits the fan? That's one of my biggest fears.

[Todd]

All of us here have a pretty strong view on foreign policy, particularly toward non-intervention which would mean very limited military action. So that made me curious. Who here is a veteran or is currently in the US military? It's also especially interesting to me seeing as I just joined the US Army recently and will be shipping out in several months. So I'd like to see if I have any political peers already in the service.

What's going to be your MOS?

[futo555]

Gulf War. 89-95 Air Force.

[Justinjj1]

Why did all of you join the military?

[TonySutton]

Why did all of you join the military?

You should probably start a new thread for your question.

[pcosmar]

Why did all of you join the military?

Not an easy answer even after years of retrospect. My reasons were multifaceted.
In part, it was my way out of a small town with little employment, partly due to a sense of adventure.
A large factor was an ignorant and misguided sense of duty.

I am glad overall for the time and education. But I do find it harder to recommend it to others these days.

[TinCanToNA]

Active duty Navy, 2004 to present (and now contracted until 2020 at a minimum).

[rancher89]

Not an easy answer even after years of retrospect. My reasons were multifaceted.
In part, it was my way out of a small town with little employment, partly due to a sense of adventure.
A large factor was an ignorant and misguided sense of duty.

I am glad overall for the time and education. But I do find it harder to recommend it it others these days.

qft^^^^

[Reason]

I'm not yet. I got my AVSAB results in today (I pretty much pwned it) and will probably end up going to MEPS sometime in April. I will be joining the Marines.

Not recommended.

[Cap]

Navy, 73-77.

[dean.engelhardt]

Navy, Seperated in 1989. I remember the peace through strength days. It worked.

[Jeros]

Why did all of you join the military?

young dumb bum

[Philhelm]

Army Reserve 2002 to 2010, and was in Iraq in 2003-2004. My ETS date is March 12 of this year. Less than a week then I'm done with the IRR.

[BlackTerrel]

Ron Paul had the most military donations to any candidate by far, Republican and Democratic side during the 2008 primaries.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=3601542&page=1


Obama, an Illinois senator, brought in more donations from this group than any White House contender from either party. The Democrat announced Wednesday his plan to withdraw all U.S. troops from Iraq by the end of 2008.

Paul, a Texas congressman and the only GOP presidential hopeful who supports an immediate troop withdrawal, comes in second.

"Paul and Obama are talking straight to soldiers, and what they are saying is resonating," said Larnell Exum, a retired Army lieutenant colonel, who gave $500 to Obama. Exum, who works for the Army as a congressional liaison, is a Democrat but voted for George Bush in 1992.

The center tallied money from donors who list the Air Force, Army, Marines, Navy and National Guard as an employer. Overall, these donations are miniscule: Obama got 44 contributions worth about $27,000 and Paul 23 for about $19,300. Republican John McCain, an Iraq war supporter and Vietnam prisoner of war, was third with about $18,500 from 32 donors

Either way you're talking about 100 donors out of two million people in the military - not very statistically significant.

My experience with friends/family who are currently serving is they run the gamut politically, but they all take pride in what they do and think they are doing good. It's hard to motivate and work if you don't believe in it.

[anthonyca]

Why did all of you join the military?

I joined to uphold the oath to defend the constitution against all enemies, both foriegn AND domestic. We did nothing of the sort.

[catdd]

Army '73-'76

[Juan McCain]

Here's another but with Ron Paul 1 Obama 2 and McCain 3 . . .
there was some media coverage at this about 9 month campaign mark anyway.

http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/ron_paul_leads_military_donations_race/

"Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul, the congressman from the Houston area who opposes the Iraq war,
has gotten more contributions than any other White House contender from donors identified as affiliated with the military.
According to a Houston Chronicle analysis of campaign records from January through September,
Paul received $63,440 in donations from current military employees and several retired military personnel.

Democrat Barack Obama, another war critic, was second in military giving. The Illinois senator got $53,968 during the nine months.

He was followed by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz, a decorated Navy pilot and former Vietnam prisoner of war,
who received $48,208 in military-related giving. McCain has been one of the most vigorous defenders
of President Bush’s decision this year to increase U.S. troops in Iraq."

[Tabby]

//

[Danke]

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=3601542&page=1



Either way you're talking about 100 donors out of two million people in the military - not very statistically significant.

My experience with friends/family who are currently serving is they run the gamut politically, but they all take pride in what they do and think they are doing good. It's hard to motivate and work if you don't believe in it.

That article has comments back to 9/14/07. I'd be interested in the running total right before Ron Paul dropped out of the race.

[JoshLowry]

That article has comments back to 9/14/07. I'd be interested in the running total right before Ron Paul dropped out of the race.

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showpost.php?p=1152871&postcount=24

Those numbers are from Q4 of 2007. Pretty much the final push into the primaries.

Q1 of 2008 doesn't really apply because after 1/8/2008 Ron Paul's campaign basically lost all steam.

[amy31416]

amy pi--I hope your cousin comes home safe and sound.

Me too. So do his daughters, wife, sister and parents.

He's a great guy, a great dad and one hell of a mechanic.

http://www.facebook.com/profile/pic.php?oid=AAAAAwAgACAAAAAPxfq47VAYe20f48KgLLFH9h CwTp-lQ2YftvQBWWVK1MKzqJKdOwUQXnCJp1fKcRb_smjE_1DAWQi8b TesfDxfHbg0oeU3ksezxl0f8tN_LxLKkqacfVdJjyRUI3jBJbe f&size=normal


I wish I'd said that. Priceless. I'm not worthy.

:p

[rancher89]

Me too. So do his daughters, wife, sister and parents.

He's a great guy, a great dad and one hell of a mechanic.

http://www.facebook.com/profile/pic.php?oid=AAAAAwAgACAAAAAPxfq47VAYe20f48KgLLFH9h CwTp-lQ2YftvQBWWVK1MKzqJKdOwUQXnCJp1fKcRb_smjE_1DAWQi8b TesfDxfHbg0oeU3ksezxl0f8tN_LxLKkqacfVdJjyRUI3jBJbe f&size=normal



:p

Nice picture!

[starless]

Air Force 2006-current.

[nbruno322]

Every member of the US Armed Services should know about the USS Liberty....

YouTube - Deliberate Massacre of US Sailors on USS Liberty Covered By Fox W/Commentary From CIA Analyst (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHNa5UZkFNs)

[rancher89]

My husband told me that they did cover a few of the "false flag" operations that have been disclosed during his training. He didn't go into detail however.

[New2Libertarianism]

I thinking of joining when I'm of age.