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I wanted to address the stratification of service that exists within the military. There isn't much of that in the Air Force due to the very limited number of actual "Combat" AFSCs. I mean, I feel I did an important job in Iraq by being the COR of a contract that provided employment to LNs doing manual labor around JB Balad. Every Iraqi we gave a paycheck to was one less that was collecting a paycheck for picking up a gun and shooting at coalition forces. However, I am not a combat veteran. The mortars that came down around us on a daily basis doesn't qualify as "combat". Although I feel I earned my hostile fire pay, I still don't feel like I should get the same regards and benefits as combat vets. I get the good natured ribbing that goes down the line from grunts to "fobbits" (of which I proudly consider myself) to those who never deployed. I've never seen that kind of exchange as hostile... it's just part of the military pecking order.
How do you all feel about that? I know they don't have unnecessary jobs and that every job in the military is important... But how do you combat vets really view fobbits and non-deployers? How about inter-service? Is anyone genuinely hostile towards those of different branches?
How do you all feel about that? I know they don't have unnecessary jobs and that every job in the military is important... But how do you combat vets really view fobbits and non-deployers? How about inter-service? Is anyone genuinely hostile towards those of different branches?
Deployment
Combat
Service
Posted 11 y ago
Responses: 70
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As an "E" ... I deployed to SEA during Vietnam (Thailand, Phillipines and Okinawa) and flew a little over 30 hrs of "Combat Time" on air refueling missions. Did several deployments in my just under 4 years of total E time, not to mention many, many days on SAC Nuke Alert. As an "O" ... I deployed to Germany (I know ... tough gig) and flew another 55 hrs "Combat Time" aeromedical evac missions into Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait on C-17s. I personally realize the difference between my flight time and the warrior outside the wire as NOT being the same "combat". But remember we all did what we needed to do to support the mission. Take care of each other and watch over each other ... just like we did then. When I came home after my "E" tour (1974) ... the WWII and Korea guys at the local VFW didn't really recognize the fact that we "non-boots-on-the-ground" were even Vets. As one might expect ... that local VFW is closed its doors ... all the WWII and Korea guys died off and since they never really "accepted" us ... no one to carry it on. Don't lever let that happen in your community.
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Quote by Ernie Pyle...“All the rest of us—you and me and even the thousands of soldiers behind the lines in Africa—we wanted terribly yet only academically for the war to be over. The front-line soldier wanted it to be terminated by the physical process of his destroying enough Germans to end it. He was truly at war. The rest of us, no matter how hard we worked, were not. Say what you will, nothing can make a complete soldier except battle experience.”
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I am not a combat vet, but I would think they really wouldn't think less of anyone who is truthful and not claiming to be a combat vet, someone has to feed those who went/go out into the red zone , maintain the equipment, take care of pay, clothing, etc
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There are those of us who were on the front lines, those that were in the FOB and those that were never deployed. To me, it doesn't matter which category you fit into just as long as if you were asked to go to the front lines, you would proudly do so. I think what makes people angry is those that try to get out of doing what they took an oath to do.
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I got out as PFC with an honorable. Partly because of my own stupidity and party because of the black hole where I was stationed. When I meet someone that is an actual combat vet, I can honestly say I get a little jealous. Not because of the benefits or the treatment they receive, but because I wish I could've had the chance to serve and fight for my country. But as a tank mech on a base that had no tanks and no deploying units, I was kind of screwed.... That being said, if there was a way I could fight, I mean really FIGHT for my country today, I would. Even if it meant dying for. Because freedom isn't free.
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I dont think there is any "real" animosity between MOS, Branch, or non-deployers. There may be some ribbing. But that is more boosting self morale. "My team is better than your team". All said and done, we all served.
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There is always someone who was farther out or had it worse. Veterans are such a small % of the population, we don't really need to fight among ourselves. Just don't claim to be something you are not. I say I am an Afghanistan vet not a combat vet. I always figured you at least needed to fire your weapon in anger and not into the clearing barrel to be considered having been in combat. ;)
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I think under normal circumstances, nobody is going to hold a fellow serviceman's service or status against them in any kind of serious way. (Joking or ribbing doesn't count.)
Where people start getting seriously annoyed is when someone gets pretentious. That could be in the form of someone who hasn't deployed telling someone who has deployed the way things are or the way things should be, or the person who has deployed treating people who haven't deployed as if they have no credibility simply because they have not deployed. Nobody likes being looked down upon, especially if it's for something beyond the person's control.
Where people start getting seriously annoyed is when someone gets pretentious. That could be in the form of someone who hasn't deployed telling someone who has deployed the way things are or the way things should be, or the person who has deployed treating people who haven't deployed as if they have no credibility simply because they have not deployed. Nobody likes being looked down upon, especially if it's for something beyond the person's control.
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