Posted on May 27, 2015
How do you respond when civilians question you about your military service and don't like your answer
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In May and June each year, people who don't usually talk about the military seem more interested. Personally I enlisted at the end of the Vietnam War hoping to be sent over; but, additional Combat Engineers weren't needed at that point. Throughout my career I submitted periodic requests for assignments - 1st one to Germany an a young Infantry officer during the cold war was the only request that was agreed to by the Army. Later on I realized I was going to be serving primarily to meet Army requirements - if my desires matched great if not I learned to live with it and do the best i could in every assignment to meet the requirements of those over me and train and protect those serving alongside and serving under me.
SFC Mark Merino, Capt (Join to see), MSG (Join to see), SFC Jason Bautista,CPT Bruce Beattie, CPT (Join to see), SFC Ron Chelsy, MSG Tom Earley, Capt Christian D. Orr, SSG VNicia Young, [~459598-cpl-jay-freeman], SFC (Join to see), PFC Chris Hemingway, MSG Wade Huffman, SGT Felicia King, SPC Nate Lamphier, LTC Bink Romanick, SSG Paul Setterholm, CW5 Charlie Poulton
SFC Mark Merino, Capt (Join to see), MSG (Join to see), SFC Jason Bautista,CPT Bruce Beattie, CPT (Join to see), SFC Ron Chelsy, MSG Tom Earley, Capt Christian D. Orr, SSG VNicia Young, [~459598-cpl-jay-freeman], SFC (Join to see), PFC Chris Hemingway, MSG Wade Huffman, SGT Felicia King, SPC Nate Lamphier, LTC Bink Romanick, SSG Paul Setterholm, CW5 Charlie Poulton
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Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 35
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LTC Stephen F.
My response falls under the other category which isn't listed due to only five responses.
Question: Have you ever served your country?
if answer is yes; then you should know how the game works
If answer is no; walk away they aren't worth the time
if they follow after I walk away throat punch Thursday comes early and I walk away.
My response falls under the other category which isn't listed due to only five responses.
Question: Have you ever served your country?
if answer is yes; then you should know how the game works
If answer is no; walk away they aren't worth the time
if they follow after I walk away throat punch Thursday comes early and I walk away.
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LTC Stephen F.
SPC Charles Brown, thanks for describing an other response so well. You and MSG Brad Sand were the first ones to mention Throat Punch Thursday. To be honest today is the first time I ever heard the phrase. SSG Donald Mceuen gets an honorable mention for his response. Since there is a Thank God Its Friday [TGIGs] restaurant there may be a franchise opportunity for Throat Punch Thursday Bar and Grill [TGTBG] with discounts for veterans and currently serving military.
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SPC Charles Brown
There may be, if anyone is interested this could become a booming business opportunity for them.
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LTC Stephen F.
MSG Brad Sand that indicates one the problems with acronyms by themselves. When I was working in the Pentagon for many many years I pushed the definition of Crap as [Critical Requirements and Programs]. Most people smile when they hear it.
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I usually don't really talk about my military service that often, it was more about my job.
The only time something really bad happened was at a pool party with a group of friends, it turned into an ugly fistfight because a bunch of goof offs told us that the Air Force is a bunch of p*ssies and they have cousins in the Marine Corp. It was a bad day for everyone.
The only time something really bad happened was at a pool party with a group of friends, it turned into an ugly fistfight because a bunch of goof offs told us that the Air Force is a bunch of p*ssies and they have cousins in the Marine Corp. It was a bad day for everyone.
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SSG (ret) William Martin
It's always my brother, my daddy, my cousin....they have done or have something you haven't done or have. It is never about them. I wish you had responded, "Why didn't you serve"? When you question peoples' cowardice, they will make a medical or legal reason why they didn't join.
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SSG (ret) William Martin
MSG Brad Sand, It's when people try to discredit military service when they have never served. If someone told me their father retired from the Army I am going to say, "You must be proud".
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MSG Brad Sand
In truth SSG (ret) William Martin your daddy does mean something, and I think we are in agreement on this, but if you are throwing your brother or cousin service around, I think you deserve the whipping you are about to get. I
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My first thought is to tell them KMA. But I make a point to wear something identifying myself as a Veteran most of the time. I do this to bring awareness to the fact that there are still many service members in harms way. So I bite my tongue deploy my best Military Tact and try to educate them or just explain that. Although I was not deployed to combat. The duties I performed supported the war. From there I will go into greater detail if they want and I think it will help. To do otherwise would cause them to have a even more negative opinion of the military.
I have always felt that if you put yourself out there as a veteran, or if someone identifies you as one. Then you owe it to those still serving and your fellow veterans. To conduct yourself so as to bring honor and dignity to them, their service, and the sacrifices of those that have fallen.
I have always felt that if you put yourself out there as a veteran, or if someone identifies you as one. Then you owe it to those still serving and your fellow veterans. To conduct yourself so as to bring honor and dignity to them, their service, and the sacrifices of those that have fallen.
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LTC Stephen F.
Thanks SGT Steve Oakes for stating a significant issue so well. We served for a time and there are others serving right now and many will serve in the future. WE can be part of the problem of focusing on ourselves or we can be part of the solution reminding people that freedom is not really free. Many are called to risk their lives, strength and health to keep this nation free.
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I explain it as easy as I can and if they don't like my answer, then it their tough luck.
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Apparently RallyPoint has changed the posting rules since I composed my question. Now we can tag no more than 20 RallyPoint members in a comment or response. I had to modify my question to cut it down to 20. I hope that RallyPoint does remove points already awarded to the people who I tagged.
CW5 (Join to see); SFC Mark Merino; LTC Yinon Weiss
CW5 (Join to see); SFC Mark Merino; LTC Yinon Weiss
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LTC Yinon Weiss
That's correct. We found that tagging of that many members caused the site to slow down in performance, so we capped it at 20.
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