Military Service, Combat, and The Application of Power

Discussion in 'Off Topic' started by Imitation-Cheese, May 28, 2016.

  1. To continue our discussion and not to disturb an otherwise memorial thread, this thread is here to discuss anything related to the topic(s) above.

    This thread was motivated by my opposition to the use of the U.S. Military, by the government, to fight wars that I believe to have been started under false pretenses and perpetuated based on lies and deceit.

    I don't care if you're a veteran or not. Everyone has the right to freedom of expression, whether you're a vet or not. I'd lay my life down in defense of your ability to exercise that right.

    So you can talk about the merits and drawbacks of our armed conflicts, or you can discuss just about anything related to the military or military life.

    There's probably gonna be a number of combat vets posting on this thread, myself included. So feel free to ask any questions you may have about the military.

    So, discuss away, if you wish.
     
  2. In response to Todd on other thread - to my knowledge, there has never been a psychological evaluation required for military service.

    And no, I wouldn't have been rejected for having a dissenting opinion against our use of military force. That's a right we are all entitled to under the Constitution, whether you're a soldier or not. So I don't think a recruiter could reject you based on that. And besides, army recruiters do not have the authority to reject applicants. They're only allowed to recruit and assist in processing them.
     

  3. lol times have changed in my day you would've been rejected 
     
  4. When were you in?
     
  5. Todd got in a little hometown jam.. So they put a rifle in his hand..

    Sent him off to a foreign land..
     
  6. lol long before Iraq ...& no ashes in my time you couldn't join to escape criminal civilian conviction.

    ...hell in my time they rejected you if you had tattooes (no bs)
     
  7. So in your time, you weren't allowed to have an opinion about the war?
     
  8. Lolol ...hell no cheese  not if was dessenting to the governments point of view
    (or even your chain of command). I'm not going to say when I was in it but it wasn't "that" long ago.

    You would have gotten article 15 & prob booted for taking too much smack ...either failure to conform to military life or some other bs but yeah they would have railroaded you cheese
     
  9. Well I'm sure they could charge you with whatever they want, but if you had the balls to speak out against the war while on active duty (I did) then any charge against you wouldn't stand at a court martial, so the charge would just get thrown out on Constitutional grounds.

    Even in "your time," you could have spoken out. Maybe there just weren't any people in your unit bold enough to say anything.
     
  10. LOLOL ...I don't know exactly (strictly conjecture at this point) but the chain of command I had???? 

    ...whether it stuck it or not in "my time" if it was a time of war we would've gotten charged with treason
     
  11. I think a lot of American politicians should stand trial for the wars, I also think a lot of American soldiers should stand trial for war crimes that they committed.
     
  12. Treason? Did you know anyone who was actually charged? That seems a bit extreme.
     
  13. British politicians too, but British soldiers don't have the track record off American soldiers e.g. Vietnam. Of course there are British soldiers who have committed crimes, but it's a much rarer case than an American soldier doing it.
     
  14. I am in the process of applying to west point and my only question is if you could redo your life would you still join the military again?
     
  15. Actually many British soldiers have been convicted for crimes in Iraq including unlawfully killing civilians. A simple Google search cites many cases. Various cases of them assaulting teenagers etc and charged. Royal military police spoke out against it. You're wrong. British army has committed a lot more crimes than the American army
     
  16. My problem with military service isn't the job or the people in it. Military life is great for the most part, minus some of the drama that goes on, but that's any job.

    My problem is that I was being ordered to fight wars against countries who had no intent of attacking the United States.

    I would recommend military service only in the case where our foreign policy changes to one of non interventionalism. I could only ever put on a uniform again if someone had invaded us or was on their way here to invade us.

    That's my belief of what our military is for - to protect our borders.

    If you've no care about who or why we war, then I'd say go for it.
     
  17. No I don't cheese because no one dared to talk like that it was emphasized many times though by chain of command ...I can guarantee you Cheese if you talked like that they'ld screw you ten ways to Sunday.

    ...like I said the chain of command I had wouldn't have let that stand

    No freaking way
     
  18. I understand, Todd. Military culture can sometimes be harsh.
     
  19. You were ABSOLUTELY NOT allowed to have a voice of dissent against chain of command ...PERIOD