What is your most radical or unpopular opinion concerning the military?

It's not what it used to be in the 60's

Thanks for the question brother joe

Man, that's a tough one. I guess it would be that people are people, no matter the uniform or flag. I discovered that people did not shed their culture or upbringing when entering the service. If you were a racist at home, you are now a racist in a uniform.

I enjoyed the omelette with cheese MRE.....when it was warm

That our services are being traded and used for the wrong purposes. We are a bargaining chip to be used in cementing an agreement. Especially when there is no real legitimate reason for our presence there?

That the VA should be reserved for the use of combat injured veterans and retirees only. Active duty service members have access to the military hospitals, as do reservists injured on active duty. If you are done with your time in the service and didn’t make it a career or weren’t injured in a conflict, find yourself a civilian health care provider and stop clogging up the system. The VA is broken - per a Special Agent wit the VA OIG, half of the people walking the halls are “one pump chumps” who either purposely committed fraud to enter the system, have faked PTSD, or had a service officer at their local VFW, American legion, Etc help them craft the wording for a non-service related injury to make it appear service related. Sorry Charlie, but just because you are a Vietnam era veteran who served one tour in the jungle without a Purple Heart, why are we paying for your diabetes 40 years later? Perhaps you shoulda held back on the daily box of Krispey Kremes, you lard butt! Sorry, but lifestyle injuries, be it hurting yourself in the weight room during or after service, poor health choices, or simply a certain “era” of service crowds out facilities that should be dedicated to Purple Heart winners and retirees only. Want to fix something in the VA? Change the rules, fire the fraud perpetrating service officers who tell you to get your free medical by crafting your story about your injury and stop the intentional attempts by every Discharge counselor who prompts you to think of every single injury you’ve had and somehow make it service related to “get your piece of the pie.” I don’t care if it occurred on active duty - if it’s not combat related and you aren’t medically retired, get a civilian health provider. It’s your choice to leave the service before retirement eligibility....You’re wasting my taxpayer dollars for claiming you are somehow disabled. Are you that guy who has had flat feet you’ve had since birth, yet still managed to turn it into a 10-20% lifetime payout? YOU are the reason the VA is broken. You should be ashamed!!!!

I would have to say deployments and transfers. While I was in years ago I had a few TDY’s and a couple of deployments but today’s force has had many under their belts. Too many. I saw a TV show where 1 Army guy had 6 Purple Hearts. I recall one friend complaining about a transfer to Maxwell AFB from Robins AFB. After 14 years ar Robins. At that time I had made approx 6 PCS’s. They may do it now,but I was never told what I needed to do for a promotion. I got you didn’t make it.. How can you get any where without knowing where you short falls are. I had the records, awards and had run a branch . What was next?

Getting a Thanks isn't exactly being granted hero worship. I think 7% of the population Volunteered to serve in the Armed Forces, that kind of puts those that did step up just a bit elevated at least.

I believe that US military forces should not be committed, with the exception of non-combatant evacuation operations, without a declaration of war. Once a declaration of war is made, the only acceptable outcome is for the enemy to surrender unconditionally, and the war should be fought in that context. Those nations that offer material support to our enemies should know that their interests and personnel in the combat theater are fair game and will be targeted as if they were enemy assets.

SGT Joseph Gunderson Dare I say married Servicemen? I know, it reads Servicemen!