The U.S. military embarrasses me

My brain | 05/01/08 | Me

[Pylon]

I have really tried to accept things, but I have finally reached my point. Disclaimer, Mods, please move this wherever necessary.

I have been watching "Carrier" on PBS plus a few other documentaries lately on our military and I am embarrassed. When did our military people turn into baby machines looking for a reason out because of a child they should not have had? They teach new parent classes on a ship, how about a class on how not to be a parent when you can't be one?

And don't whine when you get deployed because you miss your kids. You signed up for it, you knew the possibilities, don't play the victim. If you wanted to be a stay at home mom, the NAVY was a bad choice, don't play the sympathy card.

Next time you want to complain about nine moths on a ship with hot meals and a nice warm bunk, talk to guys like my dad who spent 3 years in Europe in WWII and a tent was a luxury.

Don't get me started on reservists who only signed up for college money.

[hosepipe]

When?... After Patsy Shroeder(D-Co) emasculated the military..

[TheZMan]

Ya may want to focus your displeasure at the people in question instead of the whole military. That can get you flamed hard on this forum.

[doc1019]

What is on film and what is reality are two different things. ;-)

[WesternPacific]

Consider the source, its on PBS.

[Uriah_lost]

It looks like PBS has accomplished exactly what they set out to do....sigh.

[Pylon]

Ya may want to focus your displeasure at the people in question instead of the whole military. That can get you flamed hard on this forum.

But it is our whole military as a whole who are letting things like this happen. Not our real soldiers, but the higher ups who will let things happen. If what is applied now was applied in WWII, would we have won?

[writer33]

Flame on!

[bobby.223]

agreed. sigh is right.

[the invisib1e hand]

What is on film and what is reality are two different things. ;-)

Man, if there were a Captain Understatement, his footprint would look like this, for sure!

Whaddaya expect PBS to make you feel, warm fuzzies for the US Military?

Try this on: A few years ago, a friend's son had just returned from his compulsory IDF stint. He reported that, in exercises with US soldiers, the US soldiers were tough, strong, and well trained. Trained, that is, by the US Military.

If an Israeli soldier says your well-trained, then you're probably well trained.

The moral of your story is, as always, the leftist media is a liar.

[Pylon]

I’m embarrassed our military let this be filmed let alone broadcast. Stuff like this makes us look soft and gives the enemies hope they can take us out. I’m waiting for the day we lose a carrier because the internet was down.

[Crim]

“Consider the source, its on PBS.”

Bingo!

I watched a bit of it...they spent alot of time showing the “not wanna be there’s” sympathetically..and the “wanna be there’s” as nothing but bomb dropping machines or jingoistic killer wannbees....

Were suppossed to think the guy who counldnt refuel and had to divert to bagdad as getting screwed over...

Sorry boy..them’s the rules...

[buccaneer81]

I watched most of it, too. They profiled some great men and women. But I agree with you, they went hunting for some weak sisters, as well.

Tonight's show was cringe-worthy. Was that a naval aviator in that "Dancing With The Stars" type piece with his wife?

And the enlisted coming home to knocked-up "girlfriends" who were now leaving (but the damn check better come every month.)

My late Dad was a Buff driver (flew B-52s from 1961-1973.) He would roll in his grave if he saw some of these guys on TV. Not because of the emotions. Because they allowed themselves to be exploited.

[FrankR]

I've been watching some of that "Carrier" show, and I have to agree with you somewhat...it's not the entire U.S. Military.

I heard one guy whining because someone told him to do something and he didn't think it was necessary, and just because that guy was one rank higher who did he think he was, blah, blah, blah, whine, whine, whine.

What did they think military service was, a day care center?

I was in the Air Force from 1964-1968, and even though the USAF was thought of as the "country club" of the armed forces even then, today's pansies would not make it through the ass chewings and abuse we took during basic training.

I remember about three weeks in, we had a night march and the TI came over to re-arrange the flight, on account of height differences...well, he me to the inside file and me and three other guys who moved forgot to change our flashlights to the appropriate hand. As punishment, we had to pull guard duty from midnight to 3am...we guarded a "clothesline" in full uniform with a wooden gun.

Stupid? Yep, but people have to understand that the entire basis of the military is discipline. Do what you're told when you told. It has to be that way to have an efficient fighting force, as the brass doesn't always have time to expain the whys and wherefores to you when the enemy is charging. Just do it.

I figured that all out at 18 in basic training, and after that realization, most of the training was not only interesting, but even humorous. I broke the code.

I say to those ill-willed seamen on the carrier, did you think you were signing up for a pleasure cruise?

[GATOR NAVY]

for later

[Roklok]

The biggest mistake the Navy ever made was allowing women onboard ship.

[neodad]

Get a grip. I served six years active, all at sea, and seven years in the reserves. I enjoyed Carrier and it brought back a lot of great memories of deployment. We used to say a bitching sailor is a happy sailor. The episode about “Crossing the Line” was pretty good, and the pitching deck operations was amazing. They’re out there doing the job 24/7. Respect that whatever their motivation is.

[neodad]

This should be a fun thread.

[buccaneer81]

I watched a bit of it...they spent alot of time showing the “not wanna be there’s”

I saw a bunch of that as well. Along with, "Iraq had nothing do with September 11" crapola as well.

[bonfire]

I watched most of it too. I thought it was a GREAT lesson for anyone wanting to join the military. That it isn’t easy, it’s hard work, life is tough, etc. It may do more to DISCOURAGE those that are weak and prissy than anything else!
Like you, the dancing aviator gagged me the most.
The rest of the stories were HUMAN stories.
What goes on back at home and how those deployed feel helpless. Course their spouses didn’t help matters either. Complained and whined quite a bit.

Overall I thought it was a good show.

Mel Gibson was one of 3 producers, btw.