Quote: (08-28-2018 01:26 AM)Donfitz007 Wrote:
Some men aren't built for war.
Some vets live worse off as civilians than as vets (atleast in the ranks they're respected for their actions instead of judged and villainized for them here)
I have ALOT of resepct for the military but let's face it. A VAST VAST VAST majority joins for the benefits, To get a sports car (popular meme) the "free" schooling, and the almost guaranteed job. Many have no Interest in serving the country, seeing violence, or fighting. The military is filled with SJW's, liberals, feminist, weaklings. Now when you go up in tiers that's when you get people who actually want to fight and stuff.
Now am i calling the warriors who commit suicide losers and weaklings? NO NOT AT ALL. However im not going to lie and say every guy in the military is a strong spartan.
Roughly a century ago they discovered something: that only about 30% of soldier would shoot-to-kill, the remaining 70% would deliberately miss their targets. In response to this, the militaries of the world replaced the bullseye with a silhouette of an enemy soldier. Doing so trained the recruits to reflexively fire and any advancing enemy.
These days, 70-90% of soldiers shoot-to-kill... and PTSD is through the roof.
My personal belief, from my earliest time in the military, is that dehumanizing the enemy is non-soldierly. I myself did what I could to recognize that - any potential enemy I would shoot at - would be one of the best members of his society, and that I likely had more in common with him than with my own country people. Nonetheless, I would put every effort into making sure he went home in a casket, to a weepy girlfriend and grieving parents.
Most men cannot handle this. Most men are emotional thinkers. "Wait, the enemy is like me? Then how can I fire upon him?" They lack the thinking to reason through the ethics of their profession. Yes, the enemy is like you, and yes, it is morally good and seemly for you to kill him. So instead, the propaganda is instilled to dehumanize the enemy combatants, which works for the duration of the war, but afterwards the horrific memories - the implicit realization that they killed a bunch of human beings - will haunt them for the rest of their lives.
I remember during Basic Training, prior to our introduction to the Padre, one of the Master Jacks lectured the unit that: "There's another word for soldier: murderer. Have fun with your religion." An overly cynical view, and technically incorrect (killing in battle is not murder) - but nonetheless and open eyed understanding of what it means to be part of the Infantry.
You're there to kill people and save lives.
I'm pretty sure that guy didn't have to worry about PTSD in his future.