Military servicemembers & veterans DU appreciation thread!

[cecilfirefox]

Thank you!

\O/

[DollarBillHines]

1. Thank you

Dang, that was a long time ago.

[Arctic Dave]

2. I didn't join the military to get my rear end kissed.

How about a sanitation workers appereciation thread, they do a service for all of modern society.

[cecilfirefox]

4. Don't hate people because they defend freedom....

[Arctic Dave]

5. Derp.

Freeeeeeeduuuuuuumb!!!

[cecilfirefox]

43. Freeedom! \O/

[Cali_Democrat]

6. Our current military is defending our freedom?

How so? By dropping bombs on Afghan and Pakistani villagers?

Give me a fucking break.

[Zax2me]

9. Let me introduce you to our Commander-In-Chief

President Barack Obama.
Got a problem with him?

[Cali_Democrat]

17. I'm confused by your post

So you think dropping bombs on Afghans and Pakistanis is helping to keep America free?

[cecilfirefox]

44. See, part my point in making this appreciation thread is that just by thanking veterans

you assume that.

SeewotIdidDar?

[Cali_Democrat]

46. Your words:

"Don't hate people because they defend freedom"

Please be more specific. In what way is the military currently defending our freedom?

[Cali_Democrat]

19. I just want to add that I respect our veterans

I just don't like our policies from our policy makers when it comes to using our military.

[unhappycamper]

21. "defend freedom"???????

Then please tell me how I 'defended freedom' in Vietnam.

And Cambodia.

And then tell me how we are 'defending freedom' by droning people in Africa and around the world.

[pangaia]

30. I will second that... FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEDOM ?

Until 1947 the department of Defense was the Department of War. And that is what it should still be called. Our military is basically a corporate/mob enforcer...

I do not begrudge individual servicemen/women at all. That's a complicated issue. I don't know that I could ever do what many of them have done or sacrificed what they did.. ( I successfully did all I could to avoid going to Vietnam.)
But the politicians and corporate fascists who are so willing to kill people, Americans and others, for there own selfish interests.
Corporations should pay the salaries of the military, not 'citizens.'

[NYC_SKP]

13. Feel free to start one. nt

[Arctic Dave]

31. Will you rec it if I do?

That's all that matters.

[NYC_SKP]

35. Yes I will.

They, too, have a dirty job and deserve respect.

[TwilightGardener]

3. I'm in. Thank you to all on DU (or lurkers) who have served.

[datasuspect]

7. thank you for protecting our burrito coverins and french fries

UHHHHMERICA! FUCK YEAH!

[SQUEE]

8. if sincere, we do appreciate the sentiment

But, for myself, I feel hugely uncomfortable when thanked for my service, as a previous poster said, sanitation workers are out there almost every day, cold or hot, wet doing a dirty and thankless job that our modern society would fall apart if they stopped.
Teachers make sacrifices above and beyond each day, with their time and money to educate inspire and protect our children.
There are heroes that serve, but there are every day people that do tremendous acts of heroism to save others.

[MADem]

11. I always thank people who do a tough job.

IF they do with cheerfulness, verve, or panache, I thank them profusely and make a point to remark upon their enthusiasm and fortitude. I don't care if it's a garbageman or a wait-person, a porter or a handy man, a nursing home janitor or a cashier--people like to be appreciated, they like to be understood, and they never mind being thanked. It's no substitute for money, but it makes a rough day smoother.

When people thank servicemembers for their service, they are trying to say that they appreciate the sacrifices they have made--being deployed, being far from home, duty on holidays, moving every few years, all that not-so-fun stuff. They aren't worshiping anyone, they're expressing appreciation for and understanding of the difficulties and challenges of uniformed service.

I always found the best reply to "Thank you for your service" was "Thank you for your support." Oftentimes, you'll find out, if you chat a bit, that the thanker has a child or other loved one in uniform--by thanking you (or me), they are connecting with their own loved one.

[pinboy3niner]

15. +47%

[oneshooter]

10. It was a job. Nothing more, nothing less.

Eight years USMC, E5, Medical discharge

Have never used my benefits, never will.

[NYC_SKP]

12. Indeed. KR nt

[Coyote_Tan]

14. Fuck the military thread ... 200 + responses

Military support thread... 17

Half of which are mocking...

[Berserker]

33. Welcome to the new DU3

Get down with the sickness. Learn to assimilate with mop rule and hate your fellow Democrat because others say to. Don't go by party platform learn to hate, mock and ridicule anyone with a different opinion on the 2A. As seen on DU-If you are a duck hunter fuck you gunner. You and your family should be hunted down with drones and killed like enabling murderous gun owning scum you are. And if you are a Veteran and support the military with pride and honor then fuck you too.


Get Down with the Sickness
Get up, come on get down with the sickness
Open up your hate, and let it flow into me
Get up, come on get down with the sickness
You mother get up come on get down with the sickness
You fucker get up come on get down with the sickness
Madness is the gift, that has been given to me
by DISTURBED

[quinnox]

36. so what do ya expect from the nutty fringe

Of all these crazy libs and progressives. One wonders how you can stand it.

[OldDem2012]

52. You might want to count those posts again in the so-called "f*** the military thread"....

....quite a few took offense at the OP's comments.

[PragmaticLiberal]

54. Wait a minute....there was actually a "Fuck the military thread"?

DU can be a trip.....and not in a good way.

[Oasis_]

16. I always try...

and greet any former member of our military with a handshake and "thanks for your service". I greet a VFW with the same but also add "welcome home".

You'd be amazed how just a bit of gratitude and respect goes such a long way. They genuinely appreciate and are grateful for the support we give them.

That's the very least we can do, imo.

[sarisataka]

18. You're Welcome

I thought about adding more, but as someone puts it...

'nuff said

[Scuba]

20. Hate the war, and the politicians whose failures at diplomacy led to war. But love the warriors ...

... who serve at the pleasure of the politicians.

[quinnox]

24. did you find my opinion shocking?

Because you seemed to take it very personally.

[tradecenter]

27. You really think I and most other vets care what you think?

News flash, I don't.

[pinboy3niner]

25. I hold my head high

Even though I served in one of those fucked up wars in which we never should have been involved.

I knew many dozens who died for that mistake, and far more who were wounded and maimed.

But I'm proud to have served with honorable men, who were willing to lay down their lives for one another.

When a friend of mine--an officer--was down with a sucking chest wound and the medevac chopper couldn't get in because of intense ground fire, my platoon sergeant came to tell me that my platoon of 36 men had voted--unanimously--to rappel into the firefight to take the pressure off so my friend could be extracted. It would have been a suicidal mission, and our higher HQ nixed the proposal.

My friend didn't make it. But I'll never forget those good, good men with whom I was privileged to serve.

R.I.P. Joe Rufty, Panel 14W, Line 80.

[quinnox]

26. thanks for that story

My post was not meant to disrespect anyone's memory or sacrifice, and was meant on a philosophical level, not on a personal level.

I went ahead and deleted my post, because it was being taken in a manner that was not intended.

[tradecenter]

28. Moving story.

Thanks for that, I too lost friends over in that fucked up war.
Welcome Home.

[pinboy3niner]

32. Thanks, tradecenter, and welcome to DU

I know that your grief, like mine, is unending. We've lost far too many good people to war, and the sudden introduction of anti-military/anti-veteran threads to DU is a shock.

But in my mailbox this morning I got a small gift from an old friend. She lost her husband in VN and never remarried. It was a silly gift, like when she sent me the sweatshirt and socks with my name on them. One sock said " This is ___'s sock." The other sock said, " This is ___'s other sock."

Our loss and grief from that war binds us. My friend's gift this morning is just another reminder to hold onto each other and to take joy in those incredibly small things that mean so incredibly much.

Love & Peace,
pinboy3niner

[oneshooter]

38. As a platoon sergent it wasn't my duty.

But I wrote to the families of all 14 men that were KIA in my platoon. This was 30+ years ago. I still have copies of those letters.
I still hear from some of the families, sons, daughters, wives. It hurts me to know that their loved one was taken from them, and I survived. They have been a great help to me, the support they, and my family, have given me allow me to continue.

God Bless them all, for they gave the last measure.

[tradecenter]

41. Thank you for the welcome.

You're right, we still carry the grief with us for the buddies we lost, it never goes away, it just dims and rears it's ugly head from time to time.

"pinboy3niner"? Call sign in VN?
My nickname was "swivelhead" because my head was constantly swiveling looking for danger.

[pinboy3niner]

47. Yes, my username is my last radio callsign in VN

My earlier callsign, "Itchy Click One-Six," just didn't have that je ne sais quoi...

[tradecenter]

53. I can see where pinboy3niner

has more of a ring to it.
I can just see the VC asking, "what the hell is a pinboy3niner".

Have a Happy New Year and a peace filled 2013.

[Siwsan]

29. As a non-combat, "Cold War" veteran, I have overwhelming respect for the Combat Veteran

Whether voluntary or draftee, I cannot imagine what it was like to serve during any war. My uncles served during WWII, one in the Army, in Europe, one in the Navy Pacific Theater. Both survived the war, but died far too you from the psychological damage.

Like me, my Father was a cold war veteran - a Marine who served in President Truman's honor guard. I was in the Navy, which amused my Father, to no end. Currently my nephew is in the Air Force.

People don't have to agree with military action, but I see no good in disparaging or disrespecting those who have made the decision to serve their country and to be on call to defend it.

I will start to ramble, if I'm not careful, but I I just had to say something.

[pinboy3niner]

37. Thankyou for your service

What protects our freedoms is not usually the wars we're fighting, but ordinary people like you who stand up to serve and provide a deterrent to attacks on the U.S.

[tradecenter]

40. Thank you for your service

It doesn't matter if you served in combat or not, the fact is that you served and have earned the respect of this great nation despite all her faults.

[cecilfirefox]

45. O7

[sabrina 1]

49. Love the soldiers, despise the civilians like Cheney and AWOL Bush

who abuse their honor and integrity by lying them into war.

Imo, when a leader decides to send soldiers to war, that leader should be on the front lines fighting alongside those whose lives s/he so cavalierly put in danger. That rule should be a Global Rule, agreed upon by all nations. I have a feeling there are a whole lot of wars we would never have fought and would not be any worse off for not doing so, if the chicken hawks had to put their lives on the line and/or those of their families along with the troops.

Thank you reminding us of how honorable many of our troops are, I know some of them, in my family and among friends and would put my life in their hands any day. Not so much those who send them into danger.

[pinboy3niner]

50. (((sabrina)))

Whether for reasons right or wrong, at least those who served were willing to risk all to honor their ideals.

Unlike the chickenhawks who support war while ensuring that they will never risk having to sacrifice anything for the positions they take.

American Vietnam veterans often feel we have more in common with our former enemies, the VC and the NVA, than with many of our own countrymen who support war without ever putting any skin in the game.

I'm with you, sabrina. Those who cheer for war should be pulling point in combat before we ever have our sons and daughters, mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters on the line.

[Odin2005]

39. K&R

[jwirr]

42. You are very much appreciated and I would like to say that goes especially for those who have

served in our unpopular wars. In the 70s we were well aware that soldiers did not start wars - bureaucrats do.

[Skip Intro]

48. I'll Gladly K&R That! nt

[XRubicon]

51. Thank you for this!

I have hope for our party and this web site...

[Scurrilous]

55. K & R