Embarrassing (5 Viewers)

[CCFCSteve]

As BSB said, it's nationalism.

They're like us at the height of empire - "we're the big dogs so we're just gonna act like dicks to everybody else". We've been there, come out the other side and grown up.

As for their reverence for servicemen it's literally lip service. Their VA is an absolute mess and they provide very little support, both financial and healthwise (especially mental health) because it's the country of the individual and everyone should be responsible for themselves. But hey "thanks for your service". Fuck off with the fake gratitude and give them a decent pension and the aftercare they severely need for risking their life for the country. It's got the biggest military budget in the world and is bigger than something like the next 9 combined, so they can fucking afford it if they want to.

If the idea of being proud of ourselves is to be more like America, I'd rather not.

That doesn’t reflect my experience over there over the years, where I have met people who genuinely seem to love their country. There’s also the lot who chant ‘USA, USA’ at everything but I’m not talking about them. If you’ve seen or experienced different then so be it but can only take it as I’ve found it

I cant really comment in detail on US military pensions etc as ive never looked into but did just googled and saw comments from ex military that were mainly positive (in terms of free college fees, health benefits, support etc). I was talking more as the public in general rather than government anyway.

 

---

[shmmeee]

That doesn’t reflect my experience over there over the years, where I have met people who genuinely seem to love their country. There’s also the lot who chant ‘USA, USA’ at everything but I’m not talking about them. If you’ve seen or experienced different then so be it but can only take it as I’ve found it

I cant really comment in detail on US military pensions etc as ive never looked into but did just googled and saw comments from ex military that were mainly positive (in terms of free college fees, health benefits, support etc). I was talking more as the public in general rather than government anyway.

I did see a lot of stereotypical homeless vets (no legs cardboard sign) when I was over in vegas a while ago.

I think we just don’t do well with men with mental health issues in the round. The military produces a lot of them but my experience trying to get someone houses with BPD an other issues is that the entire homeless system right now is fucked if you don’t have someone who can dedicate their days to forcing people in offices to do their jobs in a timely manner

 

[CCFCSteve]

As an ex infantryman, I find all the "thanks for your service" shit, and bit cringe tbf. I tell people I was in the army because I am proud to of served and I, like most soldiers/veterans, LOVE a good story. I dont tell them for likes or sympathy or recognition. Mostly, because it was a huge part of my life and I can draw experiences from it and I want to share those experiences and stories with others.

What i do feel, however, that we have got completely wrong is this country, is the recognition from the government's we served under. I dont want recognition and tha king from the average guy I speak to on the street, but we get little to no recognition from the government. No help for lads that are homeless. That are addicted to drink and/or drugs because of the things they seen and done on behalf of a government that has long since washed their hands off them.

And the same governments that asked men to go and do a job in N.Ireland, only to drag them through the court system 30 years later! That is what this country has got so terribly, terribly, wrong!


*and to add to that, its not just the government that have got it wrong. In the 19 years I've been out, do you know how many times me being in the army has been used in an argument as a negative against me? More than I can remember. When I was dragged through family courts to get contact with my kids, because I was in the army, I was seen as highly trained and dangerous. My PTSD was also used against me as I was seen as unstable. That is also the same for a LOT of jobs I've applied for and not got.
Sent from my SM-S711B using Tapatalk

They might be OTT with it over there but you’ve just highlighted how that underlying positivity/support isn’t reflected here, in fact it’s the opposite.

A very small example is I know my local boozer like a lot of other places does money off food for nhs,,teachers etc but no mention of military personel/ex military which you see everywhere in US. Just bizarre in my view. It’s not being treated like a king so much as a small acknowledgment. The historical lack of support for ex military in terms of housing etc has been frankly disgusting. Hopefully as shmmeee highlighted it’s improving

Sure I’m not alone when I say your service was appreciated and sorry to hear it’s had negative connotations in your life as that should never be the case.

Ill leave it there as it’s gone way off topic