What is something that you wish that more people understood about the military?

Great question COL Mikel J. Burroughs. I think it's very difficult to convey the everyday grind and discipline it takes to be in the military. From the sailor who is on a nuke sub working around the clock for 6+ months, to the E-5 who does preflight checks on a $400M+ aircraft and certifies it "ready to fly". The level of pressure, technical aptitude, ops tempo, and attention to detail are unparalleled and very hard to explain to the average civilian.

In the mid 80's, I had just returned from Marine Corps boot camp and was given 30 days to work with my local recruiters. While at my high school, we were there interacting with former classmates and familiar faces. Many of them walked by us and shouted "Baby Killers!" Fast forward to 2007. I had just returned from a year in Iraq and visited my husband's school. The kids were all 5th and 6th graders in his band classes. For the last 15 minutes of each class, after introductions and explaining that I'd just returned, he allowed them a question and answer session with me. The first question I got from each class was "Did you kill anyone?" My answer was "No, thank God". The misconception that because you serve, you must be a killer, is trying at times. I explained that my job over there was flying, but we sure got mortared quite a bit. The phrase "No one wants to fight, but someone has to know how" sticks in my head. We're not killers by nature but are trained to do so if necessary, is what I wish those who haven't served understood. Just my two bits.

In no particular order...

1. That we're not war mongering, berserker, Klingons who live and feed off of combat.

2. That we didn't enlist because we were at the end of our rope and had no other options in life.

3. That we're not robotic automatons that lack emotion and/or the ability to think for ourselves.

4. That we lack the ability to have a meaningful, faithful relationship with another person (aka a girl in every port). Yes.... I've been asked that when found out to be a sailor.

These are just a sample of the things that get under my skin when asked.

Freedom must be fought for at times; we all as citizens contribute something collectively; strive to always be a part of the solution rather than the problem.

Me personally..........WE DONT GET PAID MUCH!!!! People swear you are rich. I had to tell them if i didnt live in the barracks and have a meal card I WOULD BE BROKE

Being deployed is not synonymous with shooting and killing people.
Being deployed does not mean; raping, pillaging, plundering, and shooting every man, woman, and child within our reach.
The military does NOT make the decision to go to war.
Service members don't go to war because they like it, they due it because they took an oath... an oath that means something to them.
The military is not a movie. Do not confuse Stripes, Private Benjamin, or Mash with real life. People of any rank do not have the privilege of shirking their duty, talking back to their superior, or just being a general smart ass without consequence.
Again, it is not a movie. We are not Rambo.
No, we are not stupid people with no other future. Most of us chose to join before we even graduated. I decided when I was 15 and signed up officially 2 weeks after my 17th birthday.
We are not criminals, we are not drop outs.
Some are open about their combat experience(s) and others are not; you'll just have to accept that. It's not always a case of PTSD or otherwise being "messed up". Sometimes it's just a case of selective expression. Hell, my dad still won't open up about Vietnam to me... but he does with other Vietnam Vets. It's it worth getting bent out of shape over? No. I just let him know that if he's every ready to open up, I'm willing to listen, and if not, I will continue to love and support him.

That all of us having feelings and that we are not puppets being stringed by the government and most of us if not all have scars some visible and some not

COL Mikel J. Burroughs

1) Most people who enlist do not do so because they want to kill
2) Not everyone in the military is in a combat role
3) Not everyone in a Combat Role will see actual combat
4) The stupidest question you can ask someone who is or has been in the military is "Did you ever kill anyone?" with "How Many people did you kill?" being a close second.
5) You will call your best friends in the military some of the worst names.

we do not want to start another war

Maj Marty Hogan
Lt Col Charlie Brown
1stSgt Glenn Brackin
Cpl Craig Morton
SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth
COL Mikel J. Burroughs
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4"
LTC Stephen C.
CPL Dave Hoover
SMSgt Minister Gerald A. "Doc" Thomas
SFC (Join to see)
Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen
Sgt Wayne Wood
PVT James Strait
SGM Erik Marquez
MSgt David Hoffman
MSgt Stephen Council
MAJ James Woods
SFC Shirley Whitfield


I guess I missed this one so here goes...

How much of a brotherhood it really is. We come from all walks of life and are molded to one common mission. That I know, active or retired, I have your back and you have mine..in combatand peacetime...and it goes till death as such. It is kind of like a brotherly fight about whos best...we can beat the crap out of each other but in the end nobody better never jump my brother or sister cause even though we may disagree on somethings we will gang up on you and fight like hell for each other...civilians just don't get that brotherhood that was forged in fire.

As an airman, I wish folks didn't think all we do is fly airplanes...many of us are combat veterans and only 4% fly airplanes...rest are rescuing, fueling, running combat logistics convoys, providing out the wire security, calling in air strikes, etc. That's my two pennies.