Do members of the military get too much respect? What profession do you respect the most?

[Denariax]

To quote the original poster in my own bias:


Person A: What do you do?
Person B: I'm actually a Vet. Marine Corps.
Person A: Oh wow. Thank you for murdering other countries in the name of a dictatorship under another name so we can blindly go about our days never once questioning what some guy with some cash in a big office telling us what is and isn't right.

Then again I am a sociopath and a cynic, who believes that the only real freedom comes with the inevitable downfall of society where social norms are eradicated in favor of the strongest.

 

[surg3n]

Right on Zachary.

 

[Thaluikhain]

To quote the original poster in my own bias:


Person A: What do you do?
Person B: I'm actually a Vet. Marine Corps.
Person A: Oh wow. Thank you for murdering other countries in the name of a dictatorship under another name so we can blindly go about our days never once questioning what some guy with some cash in a big office telling us what is and isn't right.

Then again I am a sociopath and a cynic, who believes that the only real freedom comes with the inevitable downfall of society where social norms are eradicated in favor of the strongest.

Wouldn't that make you more in favour of someone you claimed was good at murder, rather than less?

 

[Denariax]

To quote the original poster in my own bias:


Person A: What do you do?
Person B: I'm actually a Vet. Marine Corps.
Person A: Oh wow. Thank you for murdering other countries in the name of a dictatorship under another name so we can blindly go about our days never once questioning what some guy with some cash in a big office telling us what is and isn't right.

Then again I am a sociopath and a cynic, who believes that the only real freedom comes with the inevitable downfall of society where social norms are eradicated in favor of the strongest.

Wouldn't that make you more in favour of someone you claimed was good at murder, rather than less?

Murder thats done in survival is better than murder thats done in a belief.

 

[DSK-]

This sort of thing is the reason they should have at least some respect.

Spoiler

In case people have forgotten, I posted this video in regards to all of the soldiers that are featured in that video. US and German. In the other D-Day beaches of Utah, Gold, Juno and Sword US, British and Canadian troops landed on other beaches where the Germans were defending.

I don't know if anyone has noticed this either, but soldiers are getting maimed and killed by IED's in Afghanistan.

Going into the Forces and knowing that at some point you may be called into action, regardless of your own thoughts and opinions on the matter takes serious balls, and is worthy of respect.

Regardless of what everyone else thinks, they have MY respect.

 

[oktalist]

Person A: What do you do?
Person B: I'm actually a Vet. Marine Corps.
Person A: Oh wow. Thank you for your service.

A Marine Corps veterinarian, interesting.

What?

Oh.

[small]I can't have been the first person to point this out. But this was the way I read it, because we don't usually abbreviate the word "veteran" here in not-America.[/small]

OT: If they were actually performing a useful purpose in society, they might deserve respect. Whatever "respect" means. And whatever "deserve" means.

Teachers and medics ftw.

EDIT: "But they put their lives on the line!" Yeah, so do rodeo bull fighters and people who run with scissors.

 

[Killertje]

I have respect for anyone who does something better than I would if I had been doing that job for 5 years. So basically experts of any kind, even garbage disposal, as long as they are REALLY good at it.

Personally I don't think I could be a very good farmer or janitor, so if I meet one who's good at their job I respect that. If they just go through the motions and cash in their paycheck I don't care.

Same goes for soldiers, only I dont think the amount of headshots is a measure of expertise for that job, its how they operate under dangerous circumstances.

 

[Michael Hirst]

Profession I respect the most? It's the obvious one, doctors especially in countries that have a social healthcare system, I live in England and I think NHS doctors are paid very well for their work and it really is good work they do. Meanwhile a lot of private doctors epsecially in the field of plastics can rub me the wrong way, they can make more money than a proper doctor who saves lives by giving some silly woman bigger breasts and fake lips that look awful.

I respect soldiers for who they are but not what they do if that makes sense. Sometimes I think they've been treat unfairly, sent into stupid wars our country has no stake in, I won't beat around the bush I'm talking about Iraq here which had no WMD's and wasn't a direct threat to England, it just happened to be George Bush's shit list and Tony Blair was so far up Bush's arse that he made England tag along as well.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Person A: What do you do?
Person B: I'm actually a Vet. Marine Corps.
Person A: Oh wow. Thank you for your service.

A Marine Corps veterinarian, interesting.

What?

Oh.

[small]I can't have been the first person to point this out. But this was the way I read it, because we don't usually abbreviate the word "veteran" here in not-America.[/small]

The other thing is, "veteran" or "retired" marine generally refers to someone who is no longer actively serving...IIRC, they are still considered to be marines, though, the only wya you stop being one is to get kicked out, which is why you don't say "former marine" lightly.

I think, I'm not an expert.

 

[Liberaliter]

I don't see why soldiers, nurses, firemen etc should all be vying for respect. Can't they all get it in equal amounts?

 

[UnderCoverGuest]

There should be no limit to the respect given to others. It is wrong to declare any member of military service earns too much respect--

Pause here and note an important fact: your topic title is "Do members of the military get too much respect", when it should be "Do members of the military earn too much respect". Respect is not some unconditional boon given to others--otherwise it would just be a kind word or a simple compliment. Respect is something much deeper. Perhaps it is one of those words that has begun to lose meaning in this youthful generation, but respect is something heartfelt for another, whether based on their actions or their ideas.

To continue; it is wrong to declare any member of military service earns too much respect, because of the effort and sacrifices made during terms of duty. Now to reference the point I made before in a different light: it is also somewhat wrong to unconditionally respect someone entirely based on their past actions. This covers the military man or woman who has since left active duty and parades around attempting to use their status as some kind of socialite accolade that grants them privileges above and beyond their fellow countrymen whom they served and protected. Should they be respected? For their past actions, yes. Should they be respected for the actions they might now perform, now that they are no longer active duty? Perhaps not, but it would depend very much on your own point of view, and be up to you to determine whether or not to respect them for their decisions (note that I'm talking about extreme cases here; soldiers who come back and talk about how "all ragheads or towel-heads must die", and make other politically and culturally incorrect and insensitive statements).

To conclude the above, no. Military men and women who serve in the military will never earn "too much" respect, though in the most extreme cases, respect may be improperly given at certain times.

As for professionals and first-responders in the medical field (EMTs, Surgeons, Nurses, Doctors, etcetera) following your example, I will say that America's particular interest in observing members of the military as warriors and heroes has shifted the focus somewhat away from home--particularly after the events of 9/11, when patriotism was high and the desire for "justice" (I know there are people out there who have different words for this) great, the military was looked to as the hammer of the United States, to strike down upon the evil forces that so wronged us; at the same time being heralded as a shield, to protect us and others from further acts of terrorism.
Medical personnel, firefighters, policemen and others who so valiantly risked their lives that day and years after earned respect unconditionally. But lately that respect has begun to fade, as time goes by and newer issues appear. One does have a tendency to forget about the old, and look towards the new; as the saying goes, "Look towards the future", but many forget to add a suffix to this statement, "Remember the past".

We should always look towards the future, but at the same time we ought remember the deeds and actions of those honorable men and women of our race who performed a duty or rendered an action that set them apart from the common citizen; whether by joining the military, or selflessly helping others after a terrible and disastrous occurrence. And we mustn't forget about those who perform services of less renown, but of no less value, such as doctors and firefighters, nurses and police officers. Respect should be given to all of them in recognition of their service, and their sacrifice.

There is such a thing as "improper respect". However, there's no such thing as "too much respect".

[small]The other thing is, "veteran" or "retired" marine generally refers to someone who is no longer actively serving...IIRC, they are still considered to be marines, though, the only wya you stop being one is to get kicked out, which is why you don't say "former marine" lightly.

I think, I'm not an expert.[/small]

You're right: "Once a Marine, Always a Marine". There's no such thing as an ex-Marine--pending, perhaps, dishonorable discharge.

 

[StarCecil]

Person A: What do you do?
Person B: I'm actually a Vet. Marine Corps.
Person A: Oh wow. Thank you for your service.

A Marine Corps veterinarian, interesting.

What?

Oh.

[small]I can't have been the first person to point this out. But this was the way I read it, because we don't usually abbreviate the word "veteran" here in not-America.[/small]

The other thing is, "veteran" or "retired" marine generally refers to someone who is no longer actively serving...IIRC, they are still considered to be marines, though, the only wya you stop being one is to get kicked out, which is why you don't say "former marine" lightly.

I think, I'm not an expert.

Generally, veteran Marine refers to one who is not in the Corps anymore, and retired Marine refers to someone who did their 20 and retired. You can also just call them Marine. The only ex-Marines or former Marines are the ones who got out on a BCD.

 

[StarCecil]

snip

I've always looked at it like this: anyone against the military fighting overseas believes that the military should function as a shield - taking the blows to defend the body, able to strike back when needed to protect from harm. I, and most other servicemen, see the military as a sword - a weapon to strike at the enemy, to disable his ability to fight and to eliminate his opportunity to damage to the body.

 

[StarCecil]

I think you are both right and wrong. I feel that the military should be used as a shield to protect the country but also to protect other counties. When I dislike is when the military is used as a sword not to protect another country but instead for corporate greed.

Loaded statement there.

One, I don't know exactly how I feel about the idea that US Marines could be deployed to protect the interests of foreign nations. After all, I signed up to defend the US, not, say, Germany. Now, in the case of mutual defense treaties than I understand, but I wouldn't want to get sent on a UN peacekeeping mission in a part of the world that has incredibly little to do with any American interests.

Two, this "corporate greed" stuff is, well, nonsense. I mean, it's the classic catch-all for any anti-war sentiment. "Corporate greed" is so... intangible a concept that I don't even know what to say. I mean, do you have proof that a corporation, any corporation, can exert significant control of the deployment of US forces? Are Marines stationed in Japan being used to defend corporate interests? Are the Airmen in Germany? The soldiers in Italy?

I understand that you don't agree with Iraq or Afghanistan, but to say "corporate greed", well... citation needed.

 

[Kuroneko97]

It's a hard comparison to make. Both doctors and soldiers risk and save lives, but one does it through medicine and medical procedures, while one does it with detailed strategies and a few guns in their hands.

Both are equally important to a country, and both should get an equal amount of respect. As for teachers...I know more ill-mannered teachers and substitutes that don't give a shit for their students than doctors who couldn't care less if a patient died. I think it is because one is more likely to get a lawsuit on their ass if they don't care.

I feel both are well recognized, but perhaps we've all been convinced that the ones with the guns do more than the ones with the scalpel. The only reason I could possibly say doctors deserve more respect is because I've always felt more reassured by the guy telling me I don't have appendicitis and it's just cramps than the guy shooting some Afghan guy in the face.

But in general, I feel both deserve an equal amount of respect and honor.

 

[sanguis3k]

while i think that we could use more respect all around i find that in my experience at least military personnel along with other government employees in risky jobs including police, fire brigade and ambulance officers just to name the main ones i notice really seem to get very little respect in general.

i am not saying that i necessarily give preferential treatment or think differently of people due to their jobs because i have worked some of the better and worse jobs and i have noticed that in general people have little respect for people who are just doing their job whether it is upholding laws, saving lives or packing a shelf.

i guess my point is people need to stop being as absorbed in their own self importance and take the time to give a little more respect to people overall and a bit more to people who do jobs which make their lives easier, safer or just nicer

 

[Technomage333]

As a member of the military currently I would say it's actually quite awkward when people say "Thank you for your service". I mean I know they mean well but it's still awkward. However on the flip side lets not go back to the Vietnam era attitude of spitting on soldiers as they return from deployment. Middle ground is good.