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sunnyside wrote:That seems weird though. Making an organization like CEFCOM doesn't seem like a hippie sort of thing to do. Could it be that members of the Conservative party support the troops and you happen to hang around New Democrats?

Oh the PC party does but only recently and they haven't been in power for twelve years or so. I am from BC (a known yuppie haven) but I live in a very conservative area in Ontario now and I'm still getting the looks.

The previous Liberal government practically gutted the military BTW and equipment was pretty much rotting around us.

Cpl Kendall wrote:Exactly, I'm sure you have an idea of what it's like.

Second and third hand, yes. Though I've heard more in respect of constant manpower and equipment cuts than the social status of the average squaddie. I think the past few years (i.e. effectively since I've been old enough to be aware of it) have seen an improvement for exactly the reason you mention - Afghanistan and (over here) Iraq.

The English Army was regarded as a pack of criminals for centuries (and I hear still are to a degree).

The stereotype has improved from the "thieves, murderers and rapists" of past centuries to "squaddies on the p!ss trashing town centres", but it's still there certainly.

It wouldn't be a day off if the troops weren't pissing in the town fountain.

I think I posted this elsewhere on this forum, but it seems appropriate to this conversation. This was an anonymous inscription on a guardhouse on Gibraltar:

"God and soldier, all men adore,
In times of war, and nevermore.

In time of peace, when all is righted,
God is forgotten, and the soldier
slighted. "

That is the one negative stereotype that we do have in America. Getting a Marine drunk is considered dangerous.

Do you at least get respected a couple days of the year? Here you'd be on parade at least on Veterans day, memorial day, and the 4th of July. And usually something goes on during armed forces week/armed forces day and some places do things on Flag day.

Vaguely on that note some brothels here also have "Military Appreciation Nights" with free sex for soldiers.

sunnyside wrote:That is the one negative stereotype that we do have in America. Getting a Marine drunk is considered dangerous.

Do you at least get respected a couple days of the year? Here you'd be on parade at least on Veterans day, memorial day, and the 4th of July. And usually something goes on during armed forces week/armed forces day and some places do things on Flag day.

Vaguely on that note some brothels here also have "Military Appreciation Nights" with free sex for soldiers.

Well on Nov 11, yeah. To be clear, I don't expect slavering devotion. I just want to be treated like everyone else, as I suspect does everyone.

Wouldn't mind that brothel idea though.

sunnyside wrote:That is the one negative stereotype that we do have in America. Getting a Marine drunk is considered dangerous...

Not if your best friend is one. Hanging out with his squad was a lot of fun. They might be killers, but they're some damn good guys.

I'm sure my friend will be rather happy to pass on the brothel info to his buddies.

I might buy myself a soilders uniform then...

Teaos wrote:I might buy myself a soilders uniform then...

I'll send you my old combats, stick some marbles in your mouth and you'll pass as a Canadian soldier on exchange.

I assume that people are assholes until they prove otherwise.

Really? well, that's just a really lousy way to live. Did you have a bad childhood or something?

For reasons that I frankly don't quite understand (I was a fourth generation soldier, so my family doesn't share that), the general populace doesn't seem to care for us or our profession

Well, I can't speak for everyone, but it might have to do with the fact that as a soldier you've volunteered to murder people for a living.

I suggest you get a dictonary and look up the word "murder". Soilders dont murder, unless they are americans who cant tell the difference between allies and enemies.

ChakatBlackstar wrote:
Really? well, that's just a really lousy way to live. Did you have a bad childhood or something?

No.

Well, I can't speak for everyone, but it might have to do with the fact that as a soldier you've volunteered to murder people for a living.

Soldiers don't murder people unless their committing a war crime. There's a difference between killing and murder.

Cpl Kendall wrote:Soldiers don't murder people unless their committing a war crime. There's a difference between killing and murder.

Either way it's still wrong.

ChakatBlackstar wrote:
Either way it's still wrong.

Killing in defense of your country, for your allies or to free someone is not wrong as long as you kill enemy soldiers. That's what the job entails, and it's there so you don't have to do it.

Cpl Kendall wrote:

ChakatBlackstar wrote:
Either way it's still wrong.

Killing in defense of your country, for your allies or to free someone is not wrong as long as you kill enemy soldiers. That's what the job entails, and it's there so you don't have to do it.

Well, I believe in talking things over first. Killing another human being should be an absolute last resort.