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

We as Marines and soldiers do not make the wars we fight in. We don't initiate that process. So civilian, we swear an Oath to the Constitution, YOU send us to war through your votes for your elected Representative so. Don't hate the player, hate the game (of war.) We just do the dirty work YOU sent us to do...

It would be asinine to have any military service member advise that the camaraderie from serving and being with other service members did not benefit them. Having it, in and of itself, is a foundation for furthering oneself and the focus of building oneself in any aspect.

Being a Pershing-II vet is something any of those MOS's would advise that we would go back and do in a heartbeat. Skill sets and the INTENSE aptitude building that came from it are things that I still measure my ability to focus and have the drive to continue through whatever strife that encompasses my life. YES, the learning curve and extremes in learning felt like they were debilitating, for the fast track learning paces we had, but they were nonetheless truly beneficial.

If anything was obtained more than any other aspect of my service, it was my ability to see "outside of the box" and see others and their merits accordingly. This is NOT just seeing other service members. I say that with distinction because it includes my viewpoint of all of our societies and plethora of cultures, on this blessed planet, as being sacred and needing each other within their perspective environments and through all aspects of functioning. This being either conservative (as I am), liberal, neutral, or whatever that may be and I truly wish that each citizen of our blessed country had to serve and be enlightened with this same perspective of living on this blessed planet


Be encouraged

COL Mikel J. Burroughs As a significant other for two deployments and an LEO daughter, not a Veteran myself... I wish that people in our communities would see that we have a deployed loved one and check on us once in a while. It's hard, it's lonely, and no one understands when you live off post. I wish more community members would embrace military families and try to understand, if not relate -- and maybe learn something.

The thing I would like people who haven’t served is that we do not get scared easily and we are not shaken easily. I have a saying. “No one is shooting at us, we can work the rest out.” People that know me know I am pretty laid back and don’t backdown.

I wish the new kids would be patient enough to wade thru the bs to bud their own stories. good stories don't happen in five minutes :)
Lot of hurrying up and waiting befire you can tell it in amusing tale..

Based on my career in the Navy and a second career in the private industry, made it clear that the military will do anything to achieve an objective, regardless of any reward or commendation being considered. Some of the most innovative people, in the event of arduous situations, equipment issues or personnel shortages, and the job will be completed to ensure mission success. Civilians need a carrot to do anything that requires extra effort, with few exceptions. Unfortunately, once our military brothers and sisters become part of the civilian population, rewards are the motivation rather quickly.

That we're not all heroes, so stop using that blanket label. It's embarrassing.

I wish civilians knew the difference, between what different branches do and what different mos's do. I've had to call out people stories so many times when they tell me their boyfriend was stacking bodies in Afghanistan, after I find out hes a desk jockey in the air force who has never stepped outside the wire.

I wish they understood the military evolves over time and the BS stories they heard from twenty years ago no longer apply.

Hmmm ... If I had to choose one thing, it would be to recognize the level of training and expertise that most members come out with. It seems that most see military current or former as somewhat lowbrow. I was and am very well read, and the level of training I had as a USCG ET-1 enabled me to hold my own with many who held an electrical engineering degree, but none of that was recognized outside of the military. I know from talking to others I was not alone in that respect.