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About LinkBacksjust wanted to remind all of us Americans, especially us outside the US, to give a moment to thank our soldiers!
great pics on this link
» Barstool Memorial Day Tribute Barstool Sports: Boston
just wanted to remind all of us Americans, especially us outside the US, to give a moment to thank our soldiers!
great pics on this link
» Barstool Memorial Day Tribute Barstool Sports: Boston
Yes indeed Paul. Yes indeed.
Read this yesterday. Some interesting stats regarding budgets and number of overall deployments etc. Some very interesting suggestions regarding a new draft (conscription) too.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/27/op...er=rss&emc=rss
Last edited by PadMC; 28th May 2013 at 18:04.
Memorial Day Special: U.S. Veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan Return War Medals at NATO Summit | Democracy Now!
Democracy Now! returns to Chicago, site of the largest NATO summit in the organization’s six-decade history, where nearly 50 veterans discarded their war medals by hurling them down the street in the direction of the NATO summit. We hear the soldiers’ voices as they return their medals one by one from the stage. "I’m here to return my Global War on Terror Service Medal in solidarity with the people of Iraq and the people of Afghanistan," said Jason Hurd, a former combat medic who spent 10 years in the U.S. Army. "I am deeply sorry for the destruction that we have caused in those countries and around the globe." Scott Kimball, an Iraq war veteran, adds: "For all the service members and veterans who are against these wars, you are not alone!"
MATT: My name is Matt [inaudible]. I served in the U.S. Army in 2004 in Iraq. I’m returning my medals today because, under the guise of freedom and democracy, I stole the humanity of the Iraqi people and lost mine. We are on the right side of history!
^^ Matt failed to note, his medals were for sucking c0ck.
Well I knew you could get Merit Badges http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...0925094878.htmOriginally Posted by slampay
But Medals ...
'If it floats, flies or fcuks , it's cheaper to rent"
Part of the "don't ask, don't tell" brigade?
Seems that conflict is an inevitable part of human nature. So with that in mind, I too will raise a drink to soldiers who have given their lives for their beliefs.
Soldiers on ALL sides! Lest I be a labeled a hypocrite.
ןooʇsɹɐq ʎɯ uo ʞɔɐq eɯ ʇnd esɐeןd sıɥʇ pɐeɹ uɐɔ noʎ ɟı
I think beliefs is the wrong word.
I'd rather say, "in the service of their country" and as we Australian's say "Lest we forget".
I'll also say I've never hated a soldier, they dont have a choice in where they fight... Leaders on the other hand, lots of hate there.
Viet Nam War Stats Vietnam War Statistics
I was surpised to see that 75% enlisted for the VNW. I'm speculating that was in the beginning before cilvilians knew what was going on over there. And the glory of WWII was still in our psyche. I have a hunch that during the last 5 years of the war there weren't too many believers.Draftees vs. volunteers: 25% (648,500) of total forces in country were draftees. (66% of U.S. armed forces members were drafted during WWII)
Draftees accounted for 30.4% (17,725) of combat deaths in Vietnam.
I know a few people who enlisted so that they could choose the branch they served in and the job they would have. Navy and Air Force were probably safer than Army or Marine Corps and being an air traffic controller was safer than being an infantry soldier.
Then of course you had guys like Elvis Presley who manned up and enlisted as a regular soldier.
Another myth quashed by Wiki..55Draft [edit]
In 1956, Elvis turned twenty-one years old. Like most men of that age, he was now eligible to be drafted. Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis's manager, was well aware of his client's draft status and how it could affect his career.[1] Despite reassuring the star that they could work a way around it, Parker instantly started to take control of the situation. In the summer of 1956 he wrote to the Pentagon requesting that Elvis be considered for Special Services. Special Services would allow Elvis to do only six weeks basic training and then resume life as normal with the exception of performing several times a year for the armed forces.[1] However, Parker had no intentions of allowing his client to ever sign up for Special Services. Special Services would require Elvis to perform for free, with each performance being recorded and filmed for sale to television stations throughout the world. Only the armed forces would profit from these recordings, and Parker was in no way willing to allow anyone, even "Uncle Sam", to enjoy Elvis's talents for free.[1] Over the course of the next twelve months Parker led Elvis to believe that it was still possible to avoid the draft completely.[1] Unbeknown to Elvis, however, Parker had no intentions of avoiding the draft. In his eyes, after a year of some negative publicity about Elvis, this was the perfect opportunity to change the view that older America had of Elvis Presley.[1]
Parker explained to Elvis that this was a great situation, one that neither of them could turn down. When Elvis was told that he would have to serve as a regular soldier he was furious; how could his manager, the man who had claimed to be able to do anything, not be able to find a way out of the draft? Parker promised Elvis that if he worked hard, kept his nose clean, and served as a regular GI for two years, he would return "a bigger star" than when he left.[1]
On January 4, 1957, Elvis attended Kennedy Veterans Hospital in Memphis for a pre-induction army medical. On January 8, Elvis's twenty-second birthday, he was declared 1-A by the Memphis Draft Board; physically fit and likely to be drafted some time in the next eight months. It was on December 16 that it was officially announced that Elvis would be receiving his draft notice. While fans around the country were upset about the news, parents and teachers groups were ecstatic. Elvis had been, in their opinion, a menace to society.[2]
The navy offered to create a special Elvis Presley Company made up of men from Memphis and Elvis's closest friends. They also offered him the chance to perform in Las Vegas, and have his own private quarters.[2] The army offered Elvis the chance to tour the world and visit army bases to boost morale among soldiers and encourage other young men to enlist. Elvis politely told both parties that he would consider their offers.[2] The Pentagon, too, had been in touch to offer Elvis the opportunity to join Special Services, entertaining the troops without having to actually train as a regular soldier; among many soldiers and veterans it is known as "the celebrity wimp-out".[2] After discussing each possibility with his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis decided to join up as a regular soldier. In Parker's words, "Taking any of these deals will make millions of Americans angry".[2]
The navy offered to create a special Elvis Presley Company made up of men from Memphis and Elvis's closest friends. They also offered him the chance to perform in Las Vegas, and have his own private quarters.[2] The army offered Elvis the chance to tour the world and visit army bases to boost morale among soldiers and encourage other young men to enlist. Elvis politely told both parties that he would consider their offers.[2] The Pentagon, too, had been in touch to offer Elvis the opportunity to join Special Services, entertaining the troops without having to actually train as a regular soldier; among many soldiers and veterans it is known as "the celebrity wimp-out".[2] After discussing each possibility with his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis decided to join up as a regular soldier. In Parker's words, "Taking any of these deals will make millions of Americans angry".[2]
What? According to what you posted, he had opportunities to puss out, thought about it, and decided to do the right thing.
It's amazing how people choose not to read the parts that refute their statements.
Somewhere, Iamike is gouging his eyeballs out.55
It's amazing how people bold the parts that support their statements but disregard the rest. Yes he was initially pissed. Then he thought better of it and at the end of the day he did the right thing. Give the guy a little credit. He served the country honorably, and he put peanut butter and banana sandwiches on the map.It's amazing how people choose not to read the parts that refute their statements.
You don't choose where you're born though. So if your heart doesn't happen to agree with the political system under which you arbitrarily manifest into this world, than I guess you'd just have to bite the bullet and still do the right thing.
What if Elvis was born on the Vietcong side and had been drafted by the Vietcong army? We can only hope he would have still done the right thing and served his people honourably if that was the case.
ןooʇsɹɐq ʎɯ uo ʞɔɐq eɯ ʇnd esɐeןd sıɥʇ pɐeɹ uɐɔ noʎ ɟı
IIRC, isn't the marine corps entirely volunteer, twice.
First for the navy, then for the marines?
I could be wrong, this knowledge is based on movies
I think when the draft is in effect, it's just for the Army, so all other branches would be voluntary.IIRC, isn't the marine corps entirely volunteer, twice.
First for the navy, then for the marines?
I could be wrong, this knowledge is based on movies
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