Why do so many Americans show a complete lack of respect for Soldiers and Veterans?

SSG Toryn Green — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 21:58:51 -0400

Is this due to a change in which our Country is quickly becoming much more liberal or is there just an ignorance as to what the military is about?

Response by SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL made Aug 27 at 2015 10:02 PM

SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 22:02:28 -0400

SSG Toryn Green Simply the majority have not served, only 1% of all Americans have served. If they served they would respect the Freedom all Armed Forces that have sacrificed for freedom.

Response by SSG Leo Bell made Aug 27 at 2015 10:04 PM

SSG Leo Bell — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 22:04:23 -0400

The people who don't respect the soldiers or veterans are the ones who worry about there self only. They have tunnel vision and only see what they want to see. I don't they respect anyone but there self.
Luckily I haven't ran in to any of them because the people I meet are greatful for the service we give our country.

Response by LCpl Mark Lefler made Aug 27 at 2015 10:05 PM

LCpl Mark Lefler — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 22:05:30 -0400

I will also make the argument that many civilians do not receive any respect back. There is a high prevalence among vets that civilians are beneath us.

Response by SGT Lou Meza made Aug 27 at 2015 10:25 PM

SGT Lou Meza — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 22:25:45 -0400

I think many people see that we have been fighting these wars for a long time and see no light at the end of the tunnel ! Our men and women are getting killed and still no victory for us ! Many feel that maybe it's time to get out and let the Middle East sort it out by themselves ! People are tired of this war and see the military as not doing enough ! People understand that we of the United States want to protect Israel and we do ! In my opinion most people respect the military it's just that after being at war for so long they just want an end to it whether we win or just come home !

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Aug 27 at 2015 10:27 PM

SSgt Alex Robinson — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 22:27:49 -0400

They have not served and don't know the price of freedom

Response by PFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 27 at 2015 10:34 PM

PFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 22:34:26 -0400

Two reasons.

1) The majority of Americans have never served.

2) Service members feel overly entitled for their service. Just do a quick search of "stolen valor" on Youtube to see how service members transform themselves into jackassess. Stolen valor is nothing new, but the previous generations of veterans handled it better than the current generation. You'd be hard pressed to find WWII vets putting up signs before the 4th of July asking entire neighborhoods to be respectful of their "PTSD" despite no modern incident in Iraq or Afghanistan that involved days, if not weeks, of constant shelling.

Old veterans are more respected because they bore their sacrifice with quiet dignity. Many modern veterans demand recognition from an exceedingly distant civilian populace and wonder why they get so upset.

Response by LCDR Rabbah Rona Matlow made Aug 27 at 2015 10:47 PM

LCDR Rabbah Rona Matlow — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 22:47:57 -0400

We don't have national service in this country. So most Americans don't have a clue. These same people complain about Firefighters sitting around the firehouse, and cops hanging out instead of "stopping crime". They just don't have a clue.

Also, the whole 9/11 thing has become kind of passe, and the entire country is burned out by 15 years of war in the ME. So a confluence of issues have contributed to this...

Response by LCpl Mark Lefler made Aug 27 at 2015 10:59 PM

LCpl Mark Lefler — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 22:59:34 -0400

OMG it has nothing to do with being liberal... nothing... if anything its more of a conservative view since conservatives across party lines have voted down every single bill in congress to help vets in the last two years.

Response by Sgt Kelli Mays made Aug 27 at 2015 11:13 PM

Sgt Kelli Mays — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 23:13:46 -0400

Because they are ignorant...especially the younger generation

Response by GySgt John O'Donnell made Aug 27 at 2015 11:18 PM

GySgt John O'Donnell — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 23:18:14 -0400

I have lived and served all across the United States and the World, and I have never been disrespected (even by an enemy). To get respect you must give respect. When approached by our citizenry I am typically thanked for my service, but I don't just thank them and move on, I ask them what they do because it takes all of us to keep US great. Beyond that, I ask them to thank our Nation's teachers and nurses because they are the unsung heroes that ensure the well-being of our Homefront and have touched the lives of each of us. We all have our role to play for freedom and democracy to be maintained, and humility fosters gratitude.

Response by SGT Roberto Mendoza-Diaz made Aug 27 at 2015 11:50 PM

SGT Roberto Mendoza-Diaz — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 23:50:06 -0400

This country needs to bring the draft again.

Response by A1C Charles D Wilson made Aug 28 at 2015 12:21 AM

A1C Charles D Wilson — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 00:21:51 -0400

I served from 1984-1987 and have seen the changes all to well. Before I had to retire in March of 2014 due to health issues I worked for Advance Auto Parts and tried (Most of the time) to wear my Air Force hat and a lot of people thanked me for my service and I would converse with them and tell them what a great time I had. As for the ones who could care less I won them over with the way I was brought up. That being "Brought up!" and showing respect being humble and even eating crow to make them happy to win them over. I stressed myself at times but my military training and discipline made a world of difference in most of the issues. People would say " I would not have taken that and we would have been fighting" but I told them after BMTS nothing but God puts fear in me.
Moral being. How where they raised plays a lot into how they treat others.

Response by SSgt David Swart made Aug 28 at 2015 8:48 AM

SSgt David Swart — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 08:48:09 -0400

I can truly say that our service men and women and veterans are treated so much better today than they were 40 years ago! I believe that after being at war for the last 14 years now as during Vietnam people seem to start blaming the members of our military and veterans for the war!

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Aug 28 at 2015 12:43 PM

SFC Michael Hasbun — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 12:43:13 -0400

Or, an alternate question could be, "why are so many veterans convinced that they are special and deserving of adulation and special treatment?".

Response by SGT Bryon Sergent made Aug 28 at 2015 1:33 PM

SGT Bryon Sergent — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 13:33:02 -0400

SGT Toryn Green- Both are the cause! Also I agree with a lot of the comments here that their are a lot of the people that have served nowadays that think they are entitled.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Aug 29 at 2015 7:20 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Sat, 29 Aug 2015 19:20:52 -0400

Some folks to include veterans diminish a military persons career and accomplishments to make them feel more important.

Response by PFC Robert Falk made Aug 30 at 2015 2:41 PM

PFC Robert Falk — Sun, 30 Aug 2015 14:41:35 -0400

I have seen people NOT STAND as Old Glory goes past and some of these same people try to down grade a veteran but the one CLASS of veteran that gets by passed all together is the WOMEN veterans. It comes down to noone cares for a veteran but another veteran I won't keep going on about this and will call it enough on my end.

Response by MAJ Michael Bressler made Aug 30 at 2015 6:19 PM

MAJ Michael Bressler — Sun, 30 Aug 2015 18:19:39 -0400

Because they have never served their country in combat or anywhere else for that matter; this why doing away with the draft was one of the worst decisions our beloved, spineless Congress ever made. - Thank you members of Congress, we are still paying for your stupidity...

Response by PFC Robert Falk made Sep 3 at 2015 12:07 PM

PFC Robert Falk — Thu, 03 Sep 2015 12:07:28 -0400

Everyone age 18 and up should have at least spent 1 tour in the military.

Response by MSG Alfred Aguilar made Oct 20 at 2015 7:17 PM

MSG Alfred Aguilar — Tue, 20 Oct 2015 19:17:43 -0400

In 1973 I felt disrespected walking through LAX in uniform. I would say the American public has come a long way from that point.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Oct 22 at 2015 8:30 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Thu, 22 Oct 2015 20:30:53 -0400

You got examples?

Response by SFC Marcus Belt made May 21 at 2016 3:24 PM

SFC Marcus Belt — Sat, 21 May 2016 15:24:01 -0400

Answer a question with a question: why does it bother you what someone else thinks?

Response by SGT C Mendez made May 23 at 2016 9:48 PM

SGT C Mendez — Mon, 23 May 2016 21:48:23 -0400

I believe others on this post stated that there are more and more people that have not or ever served. You can never know about the steps someone takes until you have walked a mile in their shoes. I have seen and heard some companies refusing to hire veterans due to PTSD. Whenever a manager would see that they served, they would joke and say "If I hire this guy, he will probably go nuts and start shooting people from the roof." I quickly corrected him and said that's not true. Before I could file a complaint, another employee that was in the room immediately did. The stigma of PTSD and Veteran's is something that will never go away. We fought in the military and now we have to continue to fight as Veterans. But it is a fight that I will gladly take on.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 26 at 2016 10:30 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 10:30:43 -0400

It's how people are and will be. Education, ignorance, the lack of a desire to be educated, environment, up bringing and just straight out an individuals opinion and " because I don't ". Also you have to keep in mind that America is a melting pot now. We have someone from just about every country, nationality, race here in America. You have to apply critical thinking to those people. Where are they originally from, culture, environment, society back home, economic structure, government, up bringing, family history and so much more. Everybody in America won't be Baseball and Apple pie.