Posted on Feb 7, 2018
Should the Pentagon host a grand full regalia military parade down Penn Ave every Veterans Day?
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DoD
Office of the President (POTUS)
Drill and Ceremony
Posted 8 y ago
Responses: 128
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NO! NO! NO!
I am all about vets, I love America, I love our service members.
I will just keep this to a couple of things, 1) very reminiscent of every dictator on the planet. They love to get dressed up and make everyone watch how tough he is. I have never been a big fan. I am all about celebrating our service members but thats not the right way. 2) terrorist attacks
So I guess the simple answer is no not a good idea.
I am all about vets, I love America, I love our service members.
I will just keep this to a couple of things, 1) very reminiscent of every dictator on the planet. They love to get dressed up and make everyone watch how tough he is. I have never been a big fan. I am all about celebrating our service members but thats not the right way. 2) terrorist attacks
So I guess the simple answer is no not a good idea.
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Yes it would be a national pride event but overall no. A) Logistics alone would be a nightmare, B) security would wake you from the nightmare in A and send you into a cold sweat, C) from a soldier's POV - are you fucking kidding me?!?!
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Parades should be for victory! We have not achieved FULL victory in what is approaching a 20 years war. There are vets currently homeless, sick and hurting, spend the money on them 1st! When we have a solid reason for such an expression of might then we display it in a parade.
Hitler, Stalin, Mao and others used/use such displays to bolster their egos. This is not needed. Our men and women know they are the best. What is needed is $$$ to assure our current forces have what they need when they need it to get the mission accomplished and bring people home broken or in flag draped coffins, because we executed a plan for victory over foes. Wasting funds on annual parades by using tax payer funds is misappropriation. Cutting the waste and creating an efficient and effective national budget that recognizes the requirement "...to provide for the common defense..." is critical!!!
Yet, I might be in favor of a Not For Profit very very public "Military Celebration Fund (MCF)" that would allow the public to contribute to pay for such events. The fund could be mapped enabling anyone to show by county, state and say FEMA region in a Heat Map form the total aggregated donations received from the public to support such events. The director of the program would have a fixed salary and only need a small staff. By having total donations received and a very public say bi-annual (two yearly at a minimum, with quarterly or monthly preferred) accounting of such funds, the nation could share at Memorial Day and Veterans Day to have low cost / high impact appropriate celebrations.
Think of it, if the ~20 million veterans each donated $100 /year then ~$2 Billion/year could be had for a national day for a military parade in DC, if that is what the public really wants. Or, do each mother and father whose child is in the armed services want them to have the right gear to support the mission so they can come home safe? Do mothers and fathers who are now care givers for wounded veterans need financial relief? They do!!!!!
I have no issue with a pass in review of say a battalion strength from each service Army to Coast Guard and a fly over of the Blue Angles, Thunderbirds or Jump Demo from the Golden Knights. I don't even have an issue of a bunch of people jumping out from APCs to give candy and gifts to the kids. But, we need to think long and hard, about rolling tanks down Pennsylvania Ave. unless we have achieved full unquestioned victory in the current global struggle.
Making sure our military can fight when called is our 1st priority to help "...secure the blessings of liberty for ourselves and our posterity..." Seems clear to me when our priorities must lay and that is with helping current veterans live with dignity and future vets continue to live with their commitment to the honor of serving a great nation, whose flaws are opportunities to make us all better to and for each other.
In short, I agree with LTC Mathews in this regard!!!
Hitler, Stalin, Mao and others used/use such displays to bolster their egos. This is not needed. Our men and women know they are the best. What is needed is $$$ to assure our current forces have what they need when they need it to get the mission accomplished and bring people home broken or in flag draped coffins, because we executed a plan for victory over foes. Wasting funds on annual parades by using tax payer funds is misappropriation. Cutting the waste and creating an efficient and effective national budget that recognizes the requirement "...to provide for the common defense..." is critical!!!
Yet, I might be in favor of a Not For Profit very very public "Military Celebration Fund (MCF)" that would allow the public to contribute to pay for such events. The fund could be mapped enabling anyone to show by county, state and say FEMA region in a Heat Map form the total aggregated donations received from the public to support such events. The director of the program would have a fixed salary and only need a small staff. By having total donations received and a very public say bi-annual (two yearly at a minimum, with quarterly or monthly preferred) accounting of such funds, the nation could share at Memorial Day and Veterans Day to have low cost / high impact appropriate celebrations.
Think of it, if the ~20 million veterans each donated $100 /year then ~$2 Billion/year could be had for a national day for a military parade in DC, if that is what the public really wants. Or, do each mother and father whose child is in the armed services want them to have the right gear to support the mission so they can come home safe? Do mothers and fathers who are now care givers for wounded veterans need financial relief? They do!!!!!
I have no issue with a pass in review of say a battalion strength from each service Army to Coast Guard and a fly over of the Blue Angles, Thunderbirds or Jump Demo from the Golden Knights. I don't even have an issue of a bunch of people jumping out from APCs to give candy and gifts to the kids. But, we need to think long and hard, about rolling tanks down Pennsylvania Ave. unless we have achieved full unquestioned victory in the current global struggle.
Making sure our military can fight when called is our 1st priority to help "...secure the blessings of liberty for ourselves and our posterity..." Seems clear to me when our priorities must lay and that is with helping current veterans live with dignity and future vets continue to live with their commitment to the honor of serving a great nation, whose flaws are opportunities to make us all better to and for each other.
In short, I agree with LTC Mathews in this regard!!!
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No I don't think this is the way America needs to be portrayed. I still think we should live by Theodore Roosevelt's policy of "Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick". There is no reason to go showing off our military. When we need to use it people will understand our capabilities.
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CPO Nate S.
Roger that! "Speak very softly, but make sure those you are speaking too/with know you have the BIG Stick and will use it, but prefer not to!" Of course that does not mean giving $150 billion to a known state sponsor of terrorism when $150 Billion could have redirected to US Veterans for their care and support. What could that have done to help vets of all strips and need levels. A bunch!!!! Lets see $150 Billion / 20 million vets would have been $7,500 per veteran if such funds had been redirected to them. Or, if invested to support the veterans homes in in Gulfport, MS or Washington, DC could have done a world of good. Humm!
Lets see, Teddy secured a little place call San Juan Hill, right?!?!?! Precisely because, like with Gettysburg having and holding the high ground is strategically and tactically sound!
Lets see, Teddy secured a little place call San Juan Hill, right?!?!?! Precisely because, like with Gettysburg having and holding the high ground is strategically and tactically sound!
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I'm not for it but glad to see a President proud of the military instead of using them as servants or not even saluting
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MSG Mamerto Perez
He was but your are so blind and brainwash and can't see the difference. He nothing but a CHICK HAWK and that is not offensive.
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SFC Mamerto Perez
CPT Bob Coleman - Must be yours, I didn't vote for him and yes I still wear my decorations in my Honor Guard Uniform with the American flag, and you and him can kiss my Ass
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SFC Mamerto Perez
Mr Ex Capt, when I was an NCO, you didn't what the ARMY was and that is not Vulgarity, what your President talks is.
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