No, I Have Never Been In the Military

[Feeding the Abscess]

http://lewrockwell.com/vance/vance319.html


It happens every time I write an article about war. It happens every time I write an article about the military. It happens every time I even mention war or the military.

The question may take a variety of forms but it is really always the same: "Have you ever been in combat" "Have you ever been in the military?" "Have you ever served?"

Because I have never been in combat, been in the military, or "served," my answer is, of course, always in the negative.

Those who ask such questions have one purpose: to discredit everything I say about the military. In their mind, it is either that I can’t possibly have sufficient knowledge of what it is like in the military to be able to criticize it or I have no right to criticize the military because I have never been in it, or both.

But rather than hang my head in shame and sheepishly acknowledge that I have never been in the military, I lift it up high and shout No, I have never been in the military. I have never experienced the "glories" of combat. I have never had the "honor" of serving. Thank God I was never in the military.

Laurence Vance strikes again! More at the link.

[tod evans]

My time in the USN, right out of school, taught me at a young age just how dysfunctional any organization run by government actually is.

For those who claim knowledge of the sheer stupidity and mediocrity promoted within the ranks, only experience will assure you of your position.

Every citizen has not only the right, but the duty to scrutinize "our" military and the missions they are sent on.

Remember, today's military is voluntary so every member is involved in spite of better paying jobs in the private sector, some because of a sense of "duty" others because no-one else would pay them for their efforts..

[Intoxiklown]

Speaking to the issue of control, I hate when people say only military and police should have access to weapons. The only difference between mlitary/police and citizens is you are conditioned to give less thought to shooting a person in BRM. I knew more about shooting and weapons than many of my drill instructors when I joined the Army. They are NOT better trained with weapons. They are simply trained to take orders much easier, and give less thought to shooting a man.

So I ask all my fellow liberty lovers, as a veteran. Who do you want armed? You and your children? Or people like me who has been trained to follow orders, and give no more thought to putting 3 center mass in you than putting them into a paper target?

[coastie]

My time in the USN, right out of school, taught me at a young age just how dysfunctional any organization run by government actually is.

For those who claim knowledge of the sheer stupidity and mediocrity promoted within the ranks, only experience will assure you of your position.

Every citizen has not only the right, but the duty to scrutinize "our" military and the missions they are sent on.

Remember, today's military is voluntary so every member is involved in spite of better paying jobs in the private sector, some because of a sense of "duty" others because no-one else would pay them for their efforts..


Same for me. I find it quite amusing these military types think by default they are better and smarter than everyone else. This is actually encouraged by the higher ups. Almost all of them are in the military because of one thing, and one thing only-to save their asses financially. Period.

I also encounter the same thing when speaking out on the wars, not because I didn't "serve", but because I was in the Coast Guard-you know, not in the military.:rolleyes:

I had someone very recently tell me I was not only never in the military, but that I didn't do anything for the country except rescue people out of the water. I retorted with:

"That's an interesting take. Most of my service was, in fact, at Search and Rescue units. however, these were also Law Enforcement units. You see, I patrolled the coasts HERE, making sure the Al-Qaeda boogeymen you so adamantly believe are coming to get us never made it ashore. I boarded and cleared the vessels w/ supplies, humvees and helicopters heading to Iraq and Afghanistan, and made sure the boogeyman weren't sabotaging those ships. Most importantly, I did whatever I could to make USCG boardings as painless and non-intrusive as possible to our fellow American citizens. I would educate the public about the Constitution, what our job <actually> was, and told them myself they didn't have to answer any of my questions(that I usually never asked to begin with), and that they should just be quiet while we were there, else their own mouths get them into trouble. I made sure Americans rights were not violated in any way, thereby upholding my oath. What did you do,while in the Marines, that had ANYTHING to do with the oath we BOTH took?"

Long story short cause I'm out the door to school-I made a new friend that day. We meet regularly with other vets in the area, just to shoot the shit, talk about where the country is heading, etc. 9 times out of 10, passerby hear our conversations, and listen and join in. Sadly, I'd say less than 50% of those are receptive, with maybe 20% downright hostile about it.

I know I can seem quite the pessimist here sometimes in regards to where we're heading, but that doesn't stop me from speaking out, and trying to educate as many people as possible before TSHTF.

[Acala]

Having never served in the military I generally do not opine on how the military should be run. I truly DON'T have any expertise in the area.

How the military is USED is another matter entirely. While having been in the military confers some expertise over non-vets in terms of understanding military operatons, it confers no such benefit on the wisdom or morality or Constitutionality of policy decisions about the whens, wheres, whys, and hows of deploying the military. Those questions are absolutely the proper domain of civilians and service history is irrelevant.

[EBounding]

Back when I bought into neo-con foreign policy, I felt guilty that I wasn't serving in the military. I'm glad I don't have that guilt anymore.

[Romulus]

I think the whole argument is a lost one... joining is voluntary. Judging and criticizing people who do that, will not advance liberty.

It's important that we make the distinction, we do not support the mission, instead of being viewed as attacking an individual for making a voluntary decision.

[July]

Well I can say it doesn't really get any better or easier when you DO have related experience that they are demanding. Sure there are some who will look at you with an added expectation of credibility (because you've been there and know first hand), and some will listen...and yet others will simply dismiss you as a hypocrite, with even less credibility...You can't win. It's just another way of deflecting and avoiding talking about the real issue.

[pacodever]

US Navy surface warfare officer for six years. I was not impressed with the many aspects to include senior enlisted and officer leadership and lack of technical expertise, how junior enlisted and officers were trained, how financial resources were utilized and regularly squandered, how our foreign policy employs the fleet (six month deployments of busy work) , etc. It was an eye-opening lesson on government waste, fraud, corruption, and incompetence.

Veterans and civilians alike should never hesitate to criticize the military. Active duty should never hesitate to right wrongs within the system.

[Feeding the Abscess]

I think the whole argument is a lost one... joining is voluntary. Judging and criticizing people who do that, will not advance liberty.

It's important that we make the distinction, we do not support the mission, instead of being viewed as attacking an individual for making a voluntary decision.

I disagree. I think that, because it's a voluntary decision, it is important to point out the error of joining.

Your argument works better for those who didn't have a choice in the matter.

[phill4paul]

My time in the USN, right out of school, taught me at a young age just how dysfunctional any organization run by government actually is.

I, too, joined the Navy right out of high school. I came away with one lasting impression....

NEVER work for someone you wouldn't hire.

[klamath]

If you make sound researched statements about the military it doesn't matter whether you have served or not. When you make stupid uninformed wrong statements from something you learned on a blog about the military then yes you should get it thrown back in your face when you try to defend a position you know nothing about.
Case in point when that military officer shot all the fellow soldiers at Ft Hood, people were trying to say it was a false flag because after all how could all those soldiers with ALL those Assualt weapons not have fired back?:rolleyes:

[Romulus]

I disagree. I think that, because it's a voluntary decision, it is important to point out the error of joining.

And in doing so, by that link, you're judging every active duty or veteran, as a group instead of individuals. Did they ALL "urinate on dead bodies"? No. To insinuate or accuse like that is uncalled for. That article is ridiculous. And I'm not some flag, military worshiper, its just bad tactics if we are working to educate people on freedom.

No I have never been in the military, and I can stand on that merit alone without have to demean anyone who has.

[Feeding the Abscess]

And in doing so, by that link, you're judging every active duty or veteran, as a group instead of individuals. Did they ALL "urinate on dead bodies"? No. To insinuate or accuse like that is uncalled for. That article is ridiculous. And I'm not some flag, military worshiper, its just bad tactics if we are working to educate people on freedom.

No I have never been in the military, and I can stand on that merit alone without have to demean anyone who has.

He's not saying all military members urinated on dead bodies. He's pointing out the atrocities that occur in the military, both by individual members and the institution as a whole.

[oyarde]

Well :) , part of feels a little sorry for this guy .Never having the oppurtubity to go 4 weeks without a shower , eat a cold K Ration.He has no idea what he missed out on , LOL.