Are soldiers heroes?

[Spidey Revivey]

Any person, employed or not, who risks their lives to protect others is a hero. What else could you possibly call them? Doesn't matter if they're getting paid a lot or not; those that mention such a material object is petty. In the end, a soldier faces death everyday in many shapes and forms. It really doesn't matter what the government promises you in return for your services because they can only promise objects.

Bravery is something you cannot buy or sell. This goes for police officers that make sure criminals are locked away, and firemen that make sure your ass doesn't burn too. These men aren't heroes? Really? I cannot believe some of you don't think so. But it is your opinion.

As for me, I am headed to the US Coast Guard. I am not doing it for the money either. That's a sad reason really. I want to do it because all my life I have lived around junkies and dealers almost all of my life and I want it out of America. That's right; I'm going into Search and Seizure. I'm not doing it to be a hero either but I am willing to die if it means I save a life. Wouldn't you?

 

[Fire Marshall Bill]

OMFG are some of you people on fucking crack? I seriously can't believe some of the shit I'm hearing from people who've never served and think they know all this shit about us. The saddest thing is even reading this it won't change the narrow-minded bullshit they think they know. I'm not even a political individual but I now know why so many ex-military are Conservatives and hate Liberals.

Overcompensated? Do you realize that enlisted Marines, Airmen, Seamen and Soldiers make pretty ordinary money? In fact, as lower rank they don't make much of shit. The only reason it's livable is because of the free health care and living arrangements provided during service. Oh, I guess they get the extra pay benefits when they're in a WARZONE. The free health care I'll cover in a minute but the living...? Yeah, I know you civilians wanna live in dorms and barracks...right.

Free health care. Yes it's free, but it's also very bad service. Ever heard the term Vitamin M? It's the 800mg Motrin that they prescribe for everything from a sprained ankle to a broken neck. And for you people who think it's free for life: it's not. Retired members still have to pay a monthly fee. Get your damn facts straight. And you have to serve for 20 years at least to get it for life. I served for 6 years so I get jack shit. Not to mention the health care after retirement is even worse. I work with a bunch of retired service members and they got other health care they have to pay for ON TOP OF the military care they receive because it's so bad.

College tuition. Don't you think that's a fair trade? A lot of people who join up join for that specific reason. They can't afford college and need help paying for it. Isn't it fair they serve their country for 4-20+ years and get college money out of it? Really?

I could go on and on about some of the stupid shit that was said on here. The funny part is I got out of the military for personal reasons, but part of it was I just didn't like it. But that doesn't mean I'm gonna sit here and listen to people who know nothing about it bash it blindly.

People do this and still fail to realize that the people who join the armed forces are doing it knowing they're protecting these idiots with these opinions and stereotypes that are negative towards them. Congratulations! You're insulting the people who are trying to protect our way of life. Be proud.

 

[Aeon Mathix]

Just thought I would give my take. Im a United States Army SGT, just got promoted to E-5 2 months ago, I am currently stationed in Balad, Iraq. I was in Baghram, Afghanistan for 15 months 2 years ago, the fact of the matter is nobody on here or anywhere except for NorCal and if we got some other service members on this site know what a soldier/airman/marine/sailor do on a daily basis except for US. You can say you have a good idea but you have got no clue wtf we go through to protect the freedom that you all have. Ive got scars all over my body, i was blown up by an IED on convoys in Afghan twice, ive been shot as well. I have the most respect for anyone who wears a military uniform. Are we heroes? A lot of you have argued and some may disagree that service members are not, but you don't shit wtf we go through. We sacrifice ourselves on a daily basis and protect our loved ones and the rest of the people in our country. you all may be forgetting something, but if it wasnt for the military you wouldnt be able to do what you want to do. I don't like labeling myself a hero, but I call every man and woman who wears the flag on their shoulder more then a hero, they are guardians of freedom and protect the very ground that you all walk on everyday. This nation owes everything we have to those young men and women who come either straight out of high school or up to their 60's even. I pray everyday that these young men and women's actions will bring us to a better world and I pray to god that he will bring these young men and women home safely. We go to war because our country orders us to, we signed up to die for the flag, we know of the sacrifices and the risks yet we went ahead anyway. We dont really give a shit what anyone thinks about us, the only thing we care about out here is making sure our units, our brothers and sisters in arms all make it home. We end up not fighting not for our country or our flag, we fight for each other. The greatest feeling in the world is coming back from a deployment looking at your buddy whom you have bled beside, but when looking at them through their eyes, you dont see a hero at all. You see so much more

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

Any person, employed or not, who risks their lives to protect others is a hero. What else could you possibly call them? Doesn't matter if they're getting paid a lot or not; those that mention such a material object is petty. In the end, a soldier faces death everyday in many shapes and forms. It really doesn't matter what the government promises you in return for your services because they can only promise objects.

Bravery is something you cannot buy or sell. This goes for police officers that make sure criminals are locked away, and firemen that make sure your ass doesn't burn too. These men aren't heroes? Really? I cannot believe some of you don't think so. But it is your opinion.

As for me, I am headed to the US Coast Guard. I am not doing it for the money either. That's a sad reason really. I want to do it because all my life I have lived around junkies and dealers almost all of my life and I want it out of America. That's right; I'm going into Search and Seizure. I'm not doing it to be a hero either but I am willing to die if it means I save a life. Wouldn't you?

Well said bro, I will rep you for it but gotta spread some round first.

Soldiers are heroes, and people need to respect that. Any man who willingly puts his own safety on the line to fight for his country and protect other people is 100% a hero in my eyes. The soldiers do not pick the war, they do their job which is to save lives and protect our way of life, whether they believe the war is valid or not.

If there were not people willing to potentially sacrifice their own lives to protect us then the world would be a completely different place. Perhaps we would all be under the control of the Nazi's or The Taliban, who knows?

The fact of the matter is that it makes me sick when I read in the paers or see in the news that soldiers have returned home from fighting wherever and are booed, mocked and abused in the streets by people who have no idea what they have been through to protect our country and way of life. These men deserve our respect and admiration. As I have mentioned before, they do not pick the war or which country to invade so they cannot be blamed for any of that but they will fight for their nation which is incredibly noble.

Without these brave men we would not have won the 2nd world war, and our democracy and way of life would have been totally changed, and for that I am forever grateful. My Grandad fought in WWII and right up until the end of his life remained extremely proud of his contribution to serving his country, and in my eyes was a true hero.

The contribution that these men make should never ben forgotton, and today 11/11 they should be remembered as true patriots, heroes of our time. Forget the sports stars and musicians who are regarded as heroes, today we remember the REAL HEROES, and should be thankful for their bravery.

Wear your poppy with pride today, I know I will

WE WILL REMEMBER THEM

 

[Davi323]

For those that think they are just doing their job, that the fact they get compensated takes away from them being considered heroes, I ask a simple question...Are you willing to risk your life on a daily basis to protect people you will never see? Are you willing to die for something that you believed in? They are. I have the utmost respect for soldiers, police officers, fire fighters, and people like that, because they are willing to put it all on the line to protect strangers. Most of us simply lack the courage to do what they do. We like to talk a big talk, but when it comes time to walk the walk, we chicken out. They don't. Who gives a flying fuck if they get paid to do it? What amount of money is worth risking your life on a daily basis for? They deliberately put themselves in harm's way so that others don't have to. They don't do it for personal glory, they do it because they have a strong sense of duty.

 

[SalvIsWin]

Being a soldier doesn't automatically qualify you for the status of hero. The cause of which you're fighting for, and the actions you take within that cause are what determine that. I don't think anyone would disagree that a Nazi holocaust guard would be called a soldier, but you wouldn't call that individual a hero.

If you're talking about American soldiers, then I couldn't say one way or another. Invading Afghanistan to wage war against the persons who attacked the United States would require heroic individuals, but waging war in Iraq to implement democracy is tricky because actions have to be admirable or distinguished for them to be considered heroic, and there are legitimate differing views on that subject.

I'm not even a political individual but I now know why so many ex-military are Conservatives and hate Liberals.

...

But that doesn't mean I'm gonna sit here and listen to people who know nothing about it bash it blindly.

Kind of a double standard here, yes?