veterans day

[Jackalope]

Oh, I should have specified I'm joining the reserve forces. Then from there I'll see where I want to take it.

(I'm assuming that you're in the USA since your profile says you're from New York.)

Just so you're aware, joining the reserves or national guard is no guarantee against being deployed in a war zone.

At the height of the war in Iraq, I wouldn't enlist in either unless I was absolutely prepared to go to war. Really, that's true regardless of when you enlist - it was just far more likely at that time.

Also - in the reserves and national guard, the benefits pretty much suck unless things have dramatically changed in the last 20 years. Many if not most of the VA benefits aren't available to you unless you've spent more time on active duty than you're likely to do in the reserves (unless you are put on active status and shipped off to Afghanistan).

I can't say for certain that things are the same now as they were back when I served (1986-1993), but I would do your homework and make sure you know exactly what you're getting into before you sign anything.

[xxxtobymac]

I'm not trying to be disrespectful but I have a problem with men and women dying for lies and not needed death how bout this Istead of sending our troops out to die how about they be fought by the ass holes who start them

[KichigaiNeko]

I understand your point toby and agree whole heartedly. {* is suddenly bombarded with mental images of our politicians going to war }

[frankiej]

You just gave me a fantastic image of Alex Salmond kicking ass on a battle field.

[Jackalope]

I understand your point toby and agree whole heartedly. {* is suddenly bombarded with mental images of our politicians going to war }

If only it were so.

[ib.me.ub]

Oh, I should have specified I'm joining the reserve forces. Then from there I'll see where I want to take it.

Take the safe option, join the Air Force or Navy, or the Army in a non-combat role (slightly safer). But if you join the Army in a combat role (active or not), you should be prepared for the possibility of being sent to a war zone.

[passionatefool]

I'm not trying to be disrespectful but I have a problem with men and women dying for lies and not needed death how bout this Istead of sending our troops out to die how about they be fought by the ass holes who start them

Me too. However I think I'm a little bias because I am a pacifist, but of course I also do see that war is necessary sometimes, but not a lot of those happened. I think we are sending young men and women into danger and have them killed because of lies, it isn't worth it, a close friend of mine is now in Iraq, and my brother is in the army and it makes me kind of sad thinking that they really do believe they are protecting our freedom...and maybe they are..who knows..

[Mister Agenda]

I don't think it's fair to put the blame on the soldiers, who for the most part join the armed services in good faith. They don't set policy. Politicians do, and we're the ones who elect them. The current neocon in charge's hands are as bloody as the previous one's. In order to have a credible national defense at all, we need soldiers who can be trusted to follow lawful orders and not desert. It's our job to make sure their bosses can be trusted to give them the right orders, and we've failed horribly to do so.

[bozo]

In the UK we have remembrance day on the 11th November. It started as Armistice Day after the ending of WW1 IN 1918.
From remembering the dead combatants of that war it has evolved into remembering " the fallen " from all military conflicts.
Red poppies are sold, proceeds going to help sustain old soldiers by the Royal British Legion.
I have several problems with it.
Firstly, it is in memory of fallen combatants that were on " our side ".
Civilian casualties of war are ignored in this ceremony, even though their deaths are significant and increasingly so in modern warfare.
The fallen are awarded hero status, but I maintain all of the dead as a result of war are more accurately victims.
The other side's dead are not remembered either and because of that I used to wear the white poppy which is known as the peace poppy and which mourns the death of ALL victims of war. Unfortunately, that used to get me in all sorts of situations with people who dont like the white poppy and what it represents. Nowadays I give the money but don't wear the red poppy because at the end of the day I think it glorifies war.

[Zen Badger]

I will always pause a moment for all the poor bastards who died for a lie.
Even those who flew airliners into the twin towers, because they died for the biggest lie of all... Religion.