Posted on Dec 30, 2018
Does anyone else have difficulty connecting with other veterans or military service members?
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Posted >1 y ago
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Sometimes. But that is a product of lots of different factors.
The average Service-Member is around 20-30 years old. I'm past that by a dozen years.
Most Service-Members/Veterans fall under the "One term" or "Retired" umbrella, with a few of us choosing to get out after a couple terms. It changes the way you look at the Service. As a first termer, you tend to only see the "extremes" or problems and benefits, but generally don't get why things are the way they are. As you get closer to the retirement bracket, you understand the system, but you are much more affected by systemic pressures. Being in the middle, you get the advantage of context but aren't quite institutionalized.
Then you start adding in education, family, location, etc and all these contextual things create nuanced viewpoints about subjects. Like it or not, Veterans and Military members sway towards regimented or rigid though processes. We're not known for our willingness to change our minds (generalization). This means that we can get into pissing contests about things we AGREE on. It's even worse if we have a fundamental disagreement about something.
RP is pretty good about not being an echo-chamber, but we (collectively) have our biases. However, it's not the 85% that we agree on that will make use fight like cats and dogs, but the 15% that we disagree on. All this creates barriers when connecting to new people.
The average Service-Member is around 20-30 years old. I'm past that by a dozen years.
Most Service-Members/Veterans fall under the "One term" or "Retired" umbrella, with a few of us choosing to get out after a couple terms. It changes the way you look at the Service. As a first termer, you tend to only see the "extremes" or problems and benefits, but generally don't get why things are the way they are. As you get closer to the retirement bracket, you understand the system, but you are much more affected by systemic pressures. Being in the middle, you get the advantage of context but aren't quite institutionalized.
Then you start adding in education, family, location, etc and all these contextual things create nuanced viewpoints about subjects. Like it or not, Veterans and Military members sway towards regimented or rigid though processes. We're not known for our willingness to change our minds (generalization). This means that we can get into pissing contests about things we AGREE on. It's even worse if we have a fundamental disagreement about something.
RP is pretty good about not being an echo-chamber, but we (collectively) have our biases. However, it's not the 85% that we agree on that will make use fight like cats and dogs, but the 15% that we disagree on. All this creates barriers when connecting to new people.
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SFC Joseph McCausland
Thank you Sgt Kennedy for your insight and candor. I'm grateful for RP, more specifically the veterans and active duty men and women who post their comments. Unlike most other social media platforms, I find that even when posters on RP disagree with one another, it's done in a much more respectful manner. Perhaps it's because we fought for liberty and the right to "free speech" that we hold true to those rights.
We must stand up and voice our objections when we see any of our or another's constitutional rights being violated. We must ask ourselves, was the oath we all took just for that specific time in our life or was it a lifetime oath? Is it our ethos that is now a part of us that we must always be fighting to preserve? Personally for me if I don't speak up, then I feel I'm disrespecting my fallen brothers and sisters whom no longer have a voice but perhaps their voice is not silent, perhaps they speak louder then all of us by saying............
"We lay down our life so others could continue to have Life - Liberty - Pursuit of Happiness", now, go my brothers and sisters protect these rights and continue our fight".
Sorry for veering away from the original question but the erosion and hijacking of our civil rights that I am witnessing ever day is something that deeply concerns me.
We must stand up and voice our objections when we see any of our or another's constitutional rights being violated. We must ask ourselves, was the oath we all took just for that specific time in our life or was it a lifetime oath? Is it our ethos that is now a part of us that we must always be fighting to preserve? Personally for me if I don't speak up, then I feel I'm disrespecting my fallen brothers and sisters whom no longer have a voice but perhaps their voice is not silent, perhaps they speak louder then all of us by saying............
"We lay down our life so others could continue to have Life - Liberty - Pursuit of Happiness", now, go my brothers and sisters protect these rights and continue our fight".
Sorry for veering away from the original question but the erosion and hijacking of our civil rights that I am witnessing ever day is something that deeply concerns me.
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Yep, it can be difficult especially if there is a mismatch in experience. Combat vs support, pilot vs infantry. Takes time to work from the most common ground (veteran) to actual connection.
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SrA Shawn Leggitt
MSgt Brite,
That makes a lot more sense. Thank you for your response.
Very Respectfully,
SrA Leggitt
That makes a lot more sense. Thank you for your response.
Very Respectfully,
SrA Leggitt
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Connecting how? I find it easier to talk to a veteran than civilian with no military experience.
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SrA Shawn Leggitt
Im refering to this website ma'am. I guess what i am trying to say is if i click connect what are the odds of someone accepting the request?
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Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS
SrA Shawn Leggitt - 100% if you send it to me. I'd lean to better than 75% with most folks on here though, if only because some still have OPSEC concerns.
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