How many servicemen and women???

[DebbieS]

Just wanted to see how many of us have served or are currently serving in the armed forces.... just curious.

I was active duty army for 3 years, inactive duty for 5 years. Never went to war, but I was willing to go if needed. I believe anyone who joins the military knows that they could be called at anytime.

[Abejita]

your poll is pretty black and white..I never served but sure wouldnt have put .."No Way NEVER!!!"It makes it sound like If you didnt serve it was because you are against the service...

[Ginger]

That seems to be the general tone of things lately- if you don't want to serve in the military, you should be drawn and quartered. Opinions are fine to share- so long as they go with the norm.

[DebbieS]

I thought about that after it was up but I can't figure out how to edit the poll? When I edit, it only lets me edit the post.

Anyway, the 3rd could just mean 'never' as in, never have served in military. Sorry it sounds so negative.... didn't mean for it so come out that way.

The reason I joined: my friend and I wanted something different to do after high school - lived in a small town, etc. It was a great experience, though, and I would do it again.

[PASOFAN]

I personally have not and prabably wouldnt either.. I think the schooling is a great thing and being able to travel and serve your country I am just too timid may I say to join.. Boot camp would crush me..lol

However I have lots in the faimily:
-Brother in law is currently in the Navy-neuclear enginear Nimitz was his ship now stationed here in MN, leaving for san
diego again next summer ..
-Dad was in coast guard
-Both grandpa's were in the army and both were in WWII
-Cousin is currently in the AirForce

I think that is it.. :D

[Fuego]

I served 5 years during peacetime ( coldwar on the West German border), as have several of my cousins.
My father , several uncles, and both grandfathers served during wartime ( even have 1 grandfather's WW2 helmet with a bullet richochet dent in it.) And a great uncle that was stationed at Pearl Harbor whenit was attcked.
My niece is currently serving.

Neither of my siblings served, many cousins and uncles did not, nor does ( or will) my other, of age, niece.

None of my family members that have served are held in higher esteem over the ones that did not. But no one that did serve would ever be critcized or disrespected for doing so ( especially by those that did not ).

I don't support the current war in Iraq and would have prefered my neice not to be serving at this time, but I support and respect the decision she has made. Regardless of my own personal polotical veiws.

Other then to become a soldier, soldiers do not make decisions. They do their duty and follow orders, with full knowledge that they could forfeit their lives at any moment, for all of us.

I didn't miss the irony when I served, that I basically gave up the majority of my " Constitutional Rights" while I served, to protect everyone elses.

Regardless of polotical, personal or religeous beliefs, our men and women in uniform deserve nothing less then respect for the decision they have made. Especially when they make the ultimate sacrifice.

[Mellifluous]

I am a marine corps brat...being a veteran's daughter helped put me through school.

I personally would not serve in the military...I have a hard enough time with the conformity of being a wildland firefighter. Plus, I am a total lump of lard and boot camp would kill me!

[SandyMM]

I _tried_, but unfortunately was 2 pounds over the 5 pounds under rule for the Air Force OCS. The Navy recruiters begged me to sign up after they scored my entrance exam, but I get seasick... :roll: LOL!

Many members of my family, all the way back to the American Revolution, have served proudly in the military when needed. In the Civil War, like many families, we had soldiers on both sides. I don't know much about WWI, but in WWII, I had 3 aunts and uncles and both my mom and dad who all served active duty. My brother was in the Marines and served in Okinawa. My closest cousin was a Marine and served in Nam. My son is seriously considering going career military - he would be the first in the family for that...

Point being that the military in this country has a long, long history and the current war is just one of many that Americans have been involved in... and like any institution - it's had its ups and downs, but generally speaking - I'd rather have them than not....

I wouldn't consider my family 'career military', but I'm proud of their miltary service and of belonging to the D.A.R.

Right now we have an all-volunteer military.... that speaks volumes...

[Trail Rider]

Army, 67-69.

[reuben T]

Tis an absolute necessity for a nation to have a strong military force, even the angel that visited the UN and gave a speech recognized that. (Bet ya never heard that story, it was a closed door meeting during the cold war, a young "man" walked in and delivered a speech, then walked out, the guards never saw him come or go, and he spoke in old english, everything he said was a bible verse. When the russian ambasador contradicted him, he silenced him with Luke 19: 43-44 [and that hasn't happened yet, but just wait, I'm sure it will eventually])
But I chose not to participate, I can provide much greater service being a farmer/inventor right here.
My dad did serve though, he finished boot camp just as WW2 ended, so didn't actually get involved in action, served minimum time and then went to collage.

[CarolU]

I was accepted in the AF Acadamy (father a retired COL), but they would not let me take my horse and I turned down the appointment. I never joined, but have worked for the Army for 29 years. My second husband was career Army, an NCO and an EOD technician (bomb disposal). He died last summer.

[Ginger]

Even right now, as in "currently", the recruiters here act as though there is NOTHING going on that could possibly get these children killed. One actually told Josh "Oh, there's no danger or anything... you just sign up, go through all your training and stuff, do a little bit of work here and there, and that's it, really." As vague as that. When he asked the recruiter about Iraq, he brushed it off as if it were a tonsil surgery "Oh, pfft- nooo, no- that's not- well, no- I wouldn't even worry about it. That's for the other guys to take care of." Other guys?

They throw the Army (or whatever branch) "gear" (caps, t-shirts, stickers, pencils, etc.) at them, get their name and address on the harassment (oops, contact) lists, and then poke brochures at them full of pictures of men and women in clean uniforms handing out apple juice to little dirty brown kids in BFE, or shaking hands with Bush. They throw around words like "career advancement" and "sign-up bonus" and even "fun".. FUN? They just don't impress upon them what they are becoming when they become soldiers, and what can actually happen. The reality doesn't sink in until they see their friend's name on the news, and hear that they're coming home in pieces.

If it didn't sound so absolutely deceitful and glossed-over, perhaps, I don't know. They're selling them MTV Spring Break or Reality TV, and they're actually getting something... completely different. I understand their job is to make it look completely fascinating, exciting, and noble- but they should make it sound more like what it really is than an amusement park adventure.

Two friends of mine have been snapped up by the Marines. One got sent to Texas for an office job, but the other's fresh out of basic, and I don't know what will happen to her. She's the gutsy, energetic, go-getter type, and I just hope that I don't open my paper some day and see her name in the obits.

Anyone wanting to keep their friends, family, and loved ones close to them instead of sacrificing them to a waste (there's a difference between a waste and a cause, mind you) isn't selfish. They're human. Nobody should be kicked in the teeth or be accused of "anti-American sentiment" just for thinking that lots of lives are being wasted for no good reason. What's doing a disservice to these boys and girls about wanthing them here, ALIVE, instead of settling some guy's daddy's grudge? It would be different if the circumstances of this one were different, of course- that goes without saying. There's patriotism, and then there's fanaticism.

These people should be thanked and honored for protecting us and fighting for us- but those who choose NOT to do this are no less people. There are many ways to help or "make a difference", and it all works out eventually.

Nobody should think that joining the army is a vacation or "an adventure".
(this is out of context now. See what I get for waiting four hours to post something- duh...)

[baileyholc]

I wanted to but, backed out. Don't remember why. Tthink it was becouse of a boy. Hey, I was 18. I feel ashamed. :oops:

[Linda Y]

I am an Air Force brat. I was going to enlist in the Navy when I got out of high school, but I just never did. I wish now that I HAD gone into some branch of the military...the retirement would have been lots better than the one I get from the telephone company, and I could have retired earlier. Oh, well.

[motorgypsy]

We're the vietnam generation. Kyle was a stateside army medic and then was in the reserves for six years during the war. He volunteered so he could choose his service rather than waiting to get drafted. All the kids we knew got deferrments and stayed in college. The poor kids and the poor students got drafted and many got killed. The ones who didn't are traumatized to this day.

We really thought the country knew better than to get involved in another country that is really involved in a civil war like the one in Iraq between the moderate sunni's and the radical shiites but obviously some people were mislead or misinformed and others felt that the US has the ability to tell the world how to live it's life. So do we think we should pull out now??? Not unless we want another Iran in the middle East. But if you'll recall John Kerry's strategy was to enlist the help of other nations in peace keeping and in helping finance the operation. This is the way to get our guys home - share the burden. But unfortunately the sunni's are in the minority and the shiites very likely will take control of Iraq eventually regardless of what we do and join forces with Iran to form an additional fundamentalist radical nation of Islam who will indeed have weapons of mass destruction - which Iran very likely has now - and become a powerful and wealthy enemy. Very scary indeed.

A few reminders of the past - how many of you remember that we backed Fidel Castro in Cuba over the existing government and were then repayed for our support by his forming a communist dictatorship and aligning his country with the soviet block and become a supplier or at least a protector of the drug suppliers? How many remember the other factions we supported who ended up as our enemies??? We supported Iraq over Iran by the way in the war between the two countries. We supported Afganistan over the soviet union and got the taliban for our efforts which we then had to go in and overthrow. We don't really have a very good record when we select policitical groups or individuals to support.

Do we support our military personnel?? You'd better believe it. They're doing what they think is the right thing to do and the "walk softly but carry a big stick" is an effective policy. Afganistan made sense. Iraq didn't and still doesn't but if we don't do everything we can to help the Iraquis created a government that empowers the sunni minority so that it provides a balance for the shiitie majority and train them so they can enforce the laws they make we will be very sorry .

[baileyholc]

My Dad is a Vietnam Vet. He inlisted with his best friends. My Moms baby brother and another man. My uncle traveled all over the world. Retired when he was ready. My Dad was hurt and made to retire. I don't know much about it cause he won't talk about it. :-?

[PattiB]

Had a grandfauther in the Korean war, lost two uncles in WWII, my father was in the Army retired after 24 years LTC. Sister joined but didn't make it through boot camp. Brother in law served now works for Civil Defense, he is a trouble shooter for the missiles computers. Don't know of any from my mother's side

[Mellifluous]

My dad was retired early due to injury. He is now 100% disabled (service connected) and my mom has to keep an eye on him 24/7. In some ways my parents are fortunate that it happened as from what I have heard, my dad was a pretty big a-hole before he got brain damage. I missed out on it since I was 3 when it happened.

My dad never went to Vietnam during his time in the Marines I know that he spend a good portion of the war stationed at Paris Island as a D.I. The only time I know of him being overseas is a tour in Okinawa. I am pretty sketchy on my dad's military past. I need to learn more from my mom. It would be nice to know.

Thanks for making me think about it!

[RR]

Army 10yrs active duty
Operation Desert Storm. Would I go back in? Yes

[sherry k t]

Navy 4 years active duty 83-87
Navy active reserves 2 years 87-89

was the best thing I ever did! went in right after HS. I was in and fully aware could be asked to give my life at any time.

My grandfather WWII vet served in Japan - wouldnt talk about what he
he went through
Dad served army during korean conflict
Brother served Navy same time as me - that was pretty cool, we traveled
to each others bases during active duty, really
got to know each other during that time
currently have 2 cousins serving
female cousin just returned from IRAQ
male cousin in Ranger training

this was a good post made me remember some things I havent thought about for awhile, like me and my brother spending time together as adults far away from home. thanks so much. Sherry