Poll: Is military service/being a vet under appreciated or over appreciated?

[Return of the Jedi]

I do realize that I get a leg up in jobs because of my TS clearance. Still, we should get free healthcare. I've probably some kind of cancer from all the radars I've been around while they were radiating.

Those radars don't have high enough power to be the cancer causing kind man.

 

[1thouwow]

I’ve never felt under appreciated and I been in since 2010

 

[Return of the Jedi]

Did any of you coli nikkas serve? Do any of you coli nikkas pay taxes? Who the fukk cares what you nikka incels think?

If you go through these comments, there's clearly several vets in the thread (which surprises me, because I always thought Coli hated anything mil-related). I'm an active duty AF Officer (I'll take the negs from the other vets on here now), and here's my take on it after watching my airmen join and leave the military:

Like some people in this thread have said, the answer is both "yes" and "no". The constant waves of "TYFYS" in uniform, the 10% military discounts, the misdirected Kaep protests, etc...those are surface-value only and they've misconstrued my airmen's views of the civilian life. It's breeded a sense of entitlement. They think when they get out they've already got a golden ticket to a 6-figure job at Google or an admission to Georgetown. That's just not the case. And I don't blame the companies/schools for that: being a veteran is awesome. But so is getting a 4-year computer science degree. Even in jobs like Intelligence where you can have a Top Secret clearance, you'll compete for TS jobs against retired Chiefs, Sergeant Majors and Colonels..that's some fierce competition. Then they get bitter cause they didn't plan well and land a the front desk of an LA Fitness. That's the outcome of isolating the military it's own community, than providing a ton of empty praise to veterans..the "warrior class" experiences a culture shock when they transition out of the military back into the civilian community. Better integration must happen between the two. That stuff could all go away and while it'd seem tough on the service I'd argue it'd be BETTER for us.

While you're in the military, the benefits are well-compensating, and yes, well-earned. I'll admit as an officer I get paid quite a bit, but not without a price tag..I work late quite a bit. I take my work home with me. I move a lot (double-edged sword. Moving to Hawaii? Awesome. Minot North Dakota? DAMN, TYFYS). Makes relationships harder. There's some sacrifice going on the benefits help balance it out. It also make incentives to stay in, which makes a stronger, more lethal force. I'll take 12 year Non-commissioned officer over 10 fresh-outta-high-school lil dudes. Good benefits help make our military strong at a time where it's hard as fukk to keep people in.

For veterans who REALLY go through some shyt and end up needed VA benefits, those guys get the shaft. Every fukking time. Their peers that fake their way into VA benefits certainly don't make it easier, either.

The 20 year-service pension is a pretty incredible in 2019 but it all super expensive..basic mathematics says that basically HAS to change in the future, whether we like it or not.

EDIT: And with this ya'll, there's always the potential of being one of the guys in a war against Russia or China (before the conscription kicks in, and yes, it will)..and that's REAL war shyt. Not the shyt we're doing in the Middle East.

 

[EndDomination]

It depends on what your perception of the necessity of war is.

I’d say over appreciated because of the abundance of benefits one gets if they enlist.
There are far more dangerous jobs (unless you’re a wartime combatant) that pay less, provide less exit options, and don’t do as much for the individual afterward. Those are absolutely thankless, and are integral to our society.

Under appreciated because medical care and mental healthcare are absolutely horrid, both while in the military and afterward.

It’s a wash.

 

[EndDomination]

Never understood this fascination with the army, I'm not even sure they are worshipped as much in Russia, Turkey, China and them.

It's even stranger coming from a country that seemingly is by nature skeptical of the government...it's almost as if the Army isn't the armed extension of that same government

Closer to home, the vast majority of the United States has had someone in their immediate family in the military, or been in the military themselves.

That familiarity builds trust. Even when you know how fukked up the DoD is.
My father and grandfather were both in the military (Gulf War/War in Afghanistan and WW2, respectively); and I understand even w/ my opposition to the military occupancy of a variety of countries.

 

[TaxCollector13459]

Both and each at the same time.

People are desinitzed. We been fighting so long, that its really background noise.
People arent brought up to really care about one another, so when they watch the news they really just keeping score.

We support an agenda. Most of my comrades will sell you out to whatever politician offers a b.s. 1% pay increase.


Im 26 with heavy tinnitus, failed relationships, i dont sleep well, movie theaters with surround sound explosions fuk with me, took me 4 months to relearn to eat BBQ. I been homeless, unemployed before. All in the name of country, duty, and "honor. Fobbits dont step, but take credit from others. Commanders write themselves and their lackeys combat awards for nothing, and you got yung brehs on back to back missions, struggling to get these cacs to give em they CIBs



I dont give a fuk about no thanks, i dont give a fuk about these medals. Either you gonna let my peoples do they jobs with no yellow tape or bring em home.

 

[TaxCollector13459]

Closer to home, the vast majority of the United States has had someone in their immediate family in the military, or been in the military themselves.

That familiarity builds trust. Even when you know how fukked up the DoD is.
My father and grandfather were both in the military (Gulf War/War in Afghanistan and WW2, respectively); and I understand even w/ my opposition to the military occupancy of a variety of countries.

Nah, not true. Thats a lie cacs tell to wash the stench of how citizens treated our OGs after nam. Thats why they on that hyper patriot shyt.

Civilians treat brehs like a criminal outside in normal clothes, but pump fake in uniform

Same way command treated once you trade that maroon beret in for tan, or green.

 

[O.T.I.S.]

I don’t understand what the poll is asking but ill answer from my perspective

It’s definitely under appreciated. Only cacs seem to care and usually it’s towards other cacs.

A lot of times I have to ask if we even get veterans discounts. I did it recently but haven’t done it in awhile because I completely forget, because most places don’t give a fukk.

VA is shyt, VA workers often try to treat you like shyt (had to cuss this one bytch out the other day and she was black and not a vet), and it’s notorious for being so. And they’re always trying to find a way to fukk you out of something.

There are rare times at the airport where it comes in handy but not much. It did work on the plane when I ordered seats and they gave me the wrong one so I asked if I could move to some specialized seating or some shyt (I have a fear of tight spaces and flying).

Most times, people don’t even know I’m a vet. So when Im at a locally owned white store or something, they actually thank you for service and treat you decent (one dude paid for my order and another just gave me my order for free).

Other than that it’s really nothing to most people. Even for jobs they don’t seem to give a fukk

 

[K.O.N.Y]

Should ADOS be a status akin to veteran's status? Should it be something called out along with consolations immigrants and natives receive?
@xoxodede @AggieLean. @Tony_Bromo @HarlemHottie @K.O.N.Y @Citi Trends @ultraflexed @JussieSmollett
@Lionel Jospeh

Just listen to this guy talk about the benefits and discounts he receives (timestamped )

as a veteran myself. I would say yes, why not

 

[O.T.I.S.]

Oh and when i say the VA is shyt, i mean it’s shyt often. I’ve often had to pop off or cuss someone out for doing dumb shyt.

I remember when I had to do bloodwork in ATL va and dude doing it was an a$$hole to everyone. I come in and he’s trying to stick the needle in my arm and kept missing the vein.

I just sat there looking at dude like while he was sweatingbecause not only was he originally being an a$$hole, he wasn’t competent in his position.

And thats just one story

 

[42 Monks]

Oh and when i say the VA is shyt, i mean it’s shyt often. I’ve often had to pop off or cuss someone out for doing dumb shyt.

I remember when I had to do bloodwork in ATL va and dude doing it was an a$$hole to everyone. I come in and he’s trying to stick the needle in my arm and kept missing the vein.

I just sat there looking at dude like while he was sweatingbecause not only was he originally being an a$$hole, he wasn’t competent in his position.

And thats just one story

The VA makes me hate socialized healthcare by default. There's just so many ways that shyt fails the patient... people don't even know. I'm 100% comfortable admitting that its an unfair bias but the VA being the biggest representative of the US's attempt at it? No. fukk it.

Whenever I hear about a vet setting themselves on fire or killing themselves in a parking lot - I get it. I absolutely do. And its not even on the workers. They're underpaid, they worker harder than they ever should. Its the higher ups.

 

[MF budz]

I have quite a few members of my family who are serving or served. My little brother is in right now, been in for 5 years right out of high school. Do I appreciate what they do? yeah for sure. Do I bow down to mfers in the armed forces? No. But my brother has had to make sacrifices(moving away from family, leaving his wife for 8 months of deployment and so on) also made gains though(free lasik eye surgery, became an overall better person,got to see alot of the world for free and get paid decent nd all the benefits) he's about to buy a house in Colorado and go to school if they don't let him switch his mos when he gets back from deployment. He said since he's a sarg they probably wont.

I'm glad we have ppl that do it cause I don't really want to and most ppl don't or couldn't. shyt most of America is to fat and couldn't even pass a PT test.

to all the coli brehs who serve or served.

 

[MF budz]

The VA makes me hate socialized healthcare by default. There's just so many ways that shyt fails the patient... people don't even know. I'm 100% comfortable admitting that its an unfair bias but the VA being the biggest representative of the US's attempt at it? No. fukk it.

Whenever I hear about a vet setting themselves on fire or killing themselves in a parking lot - I get it. I absolutely do. And its not even on the workers. They're underpaid, they worker harder than they ever should. Its the higher ups.

Ive heard this often. Its sad shyt How many vets commit suicide.

 

[tater]

The VA is trash, I know they try but...

Just some examples...

1) Made an appointment for birth control in January. Didn't end up getting said birth control until May/June. For all you men wondering, you can get a BC prescription over the phone in most cases. While this is not a major problem I was suffering from, let's look at the big picture. Something so simple that someone could have handled within (being generous) a week, took months. At that point I could have been almost halfway through a pregnancy. What if this was something dire? They've let it progress for so long.

2) My hand/arm has been numb for over a year now. I was supposed to have MRI's scheduled, testing, etc. and I receive no followup. I have had to call and harass these people repeatedly. Just an FYI the continuing inflammation could eventually lead to atrophy of my nerve fibers and I will forever lose sensation coupled with the muscular atrophy I am already beginning to experience. Same issues as above.

The care is abysmal IMO. 15 minute appointments...wtf are we going to do in 15 minutes when I sit in the waiting room for at least 5-10 and then you rush me out? I know it's due to the patient load, but they need more providers then. It's unacceptable.

They do have better mental health services I will say that. I have private health insurance as well so these issues won't be as pertinent for me but for those that need them, it's not okay.
I did initially say that I think there is an over-appreciation and for the most part that point still stands, but the healthcare situation needs to be remedied for sure.

 

[mbewane]

Closer to home, the vast majority of the United States has had someone in their immediate family in the military, or been in the military themselves.

That familiarity builds trust. Even when you know how fukked up the DoD is.
My father and grandfather were both in the military (Gulf War/War in Afghanistan and WW2, respectively); and I understand even w/ my opposition to the military occupancy of a variety of countries.

So I guess the point is : why do all these people go into the Army in the first place? I hope it's not to "protect democracy" or all those speaking points, because killing hundreds of thousands of civilians ain't nothing to want to be part of.