Posted on Aug 2, 2015
In general, do those who serve in the military make better citizens?
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I am no longer surprised when responses by members of RallyPoint reflect a deeper knowledge and greater respect for America than I find in other Internet-based discussions. It seems that those who serve are better, more informed citizens.
For example, someone recently asked if the electoral college should be eliminated and several responded with great insight into the workings of that institution. The same discussion outside of RP would elicit inane and ill-informed responses.
Thus, I suppose my real question is "Why do those who serve make better citizens?"
I suggest it is because service members have a greater investment in their nation. Sadly, about half of Americans have not only not served but also don't pay taxes. They take without contributing. In other words, they have no investment to protect.
What say you?
For example, someone recently asked if the electoral college should be eliminated and several responded with great insight into the workings of that institution. The same discussion outside of RP would elicit inane and ill-informed responses.
Thus, I suppose my real question is "Why do those who serve make better citizens?"
I suggest it is because service members have a greater investment in their nation. Sadly, about half of Americans have not only not served but also don't pay taxes. They take without contributing. In other words, they have no investment to protect.
What say you?
Citizenship
Patriotism
Leadership
Education
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 24
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CPT Jack Durish, I would expect that most of those who serve or who have honorably served in the military forces of the Armed Forces of the United States of America make better citizens than the average citizen.
Each of us, whether we have served in combat or not, by joining the military has risked deployment to hostile areas where we could have been killed or wounded. By the grace of God none of us on RallyPoint have been killed; but, many have been wounded while serving this nation.
I would also expect that those military members who received bad conduct and dishonorable discharges make worse citizens than the average citizen.
Everyone who enlists or is commissioned swears an oath to uphold the constitution of the United States of America ... In addition each of us goes through educational classes on military law and the constitution, customs and courtesies, and we are encouraged to vote in Federal elections. These basic activities have command support. This distinguishes military members from most of the citizens in these United States with the possible exception of those who serve in law enforcement.
Each of us, whether we have served in combat or not, by joining the military has risked deployment to hostile areas where we could have been killed or wounded. By the grace of God none of us on RallyPoint have been killed; but, many have been wounded while serving this nation.
I would also expect that those military members who received bad conduct and dishonorable discharges make worse citizens than the average citizen.
Everyone who enlists or is commissioned swears an oath to uphold the constitution of the United States of America ... In addition each of us goes through educational classes on military law and the constitution, customs and courtesies, and we are encouraged to vote in Federal elections. These basic activities have command support. This distinguishes military members from most of the citizens in these United States with the possible exception of those who serve in law enforcement.
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YES. Citizenship should be earned. Like the book Starship Troopers, civilians get basic rights and citizens get full rights.
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Service is an Investment. Possibly one of the greatest we can make as Free Citizens. We are dedicating the one resource which we can never reclaim, Time. Each of us are promising a period of four years to the Nation.
During that four years, we catch "glimpses" of its inner workings. It's like having Toto pull the curtain back, and seeing the Wizard for just a second. We can choose to ignore the man behind it or we can dig deeper to find out what is really going on.
The vast majority of people never bother. They are content to have the "All Powerful Wizard" just run the show...
But I digress, as with any Investment, when you "own" something, you care about it. When we dedicate a portion of our lives to this Nation, we take ownership of it. A share. A small share, but a share none the less. And that share has value. We don't want to see it constantly devalued. We want to see it increase in value. We want to see the Nation get better. And when "others" do things that make the Nation worse, it makes us angry, because they are destroying something we own (collectively).
Those who don't Serve, who haven't worked for it, take it for granted. The Nation is a "resource" that can be wasted to them. There is a philosophic difference there, which I do not believe can be overcame.
During that four years, we catch "glimpses" of its inner workings. It's like having Toto pull the curtain back, and seeing the Wizard for just a second. We can choose to ignore the man behind it or we can dig deeper to find out what is really going on.
The vast majority of people never bother. They are content to have the "All Powerful Wizard" just run the show...
But I digress, as with any Investment, when you "own" something, you care about it. When we dedicate a portion of our lives to this Nation, we take ownership of it. A share. A small share, but a share none the less. And that share has value. We don't want to see it constantly devalued. We want to see it increase in value. We want to see the Nation get better. And when "others" do things that make the Nation worse, it makes us angry, because they are destroying something we own (collectively).
Those who don't Serve, who haven't worked for it, take it for granted. The Nation is a "resource" that can be wasted to them. There is a philosophic difference there, which I do not believe can be overcame.
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