This Iraq Veteran Thread Explaining Why Nobody Is Joining The Military Is A Must-Read – Social Media Giants Censored The War Veteran
I came of age in Ronald Reagan’s neon-tinted 1980s, complete with big hair and big action heroes. My role models were people like Arnold Schwarzenegger in Commando, Sylvester Stallone in Rambo, and Carl Weathers in Predator.
Even James Cameron’s Colonial Marines from 1986’s Aliens made militarism cool well before the word “tacticool” (a portmanteau of tactical and cool) was invented in 2004.
These over-the-top action heroes glorified the unstoppable might of the American military. Even Oliver Stone’s Platoon, arguably an anti-war movie, taught me about self-sacrifice.
Things have changed now and woke culture is taking its toll on the U.S. army!
Now you are about to read a lot of common sense packed into a few short paragraphs. It’s a rare thing to see.
The thread was censored and removed from Facebook and Twitter after one Iraq war veteran decided to explain why our military is in trouble.
Luckily he sent us a copy of his thread.
Buckle in for some of the best analysis of our military collapse from a veteran.
1. No faith in the administrative state. Come on…Is this one really so hard to figure out. Most combat arms troops generally come from right-wing or conservative backgrounds. You’ve been spending the last 4-6 years dragging police and military through the mud, most conservative.
You’ve got a weaponized DOJ, ATF, FBI, CIA, and God knows what else. It’s no mystery that they are being specifically used to target Conservatives. Do you really expect a rural Conservative to join a combat arms MOS when you’re telling them they are terrorists and extremists?
2. A woke military. I can’t believe this one even needs to be mentioned, but isn’t it obvious? Like it or not, the military is an environment of alphas who are being trained to kill human beings. The political token of the woke culture has no place in military ranks.
War is a deadly environment, and soldiers need to be focused on their job, not on your made up Marxist bullcrap. Don’t even mention soldiers being kicked out over the coof poke. Get out of here with that cowardly BS.
3. 20 years of lies will make you wise. Some of us have been there and bought the T-shirt. You know that the Government is willing to lie to get their way. They don’t care who they hurt, or who dies. As long as those military industrial complex checks are wet, they are good.
To make it even worse, we know Dick Cheney lied about WMDs. He lives a comfortable life outside of a prison cell while our troops live on the streets. Experience is the greatest teacher, so obviously why would a young person with half a brain sign up for that?
4. The people who are currently serving are treated like 2nd rate citizens. I mean…would you join the military if you knew the answer to inflation was to “go get on food stamps”. That’s not a very comforting prospect, is it?
Also, knowing your going to be subjected to woke critical race theory, inclusiveness, and no telling what leftist politically driven “training” is enough to make anyone run the other way.
5. You’re not worth dying for. Think about it. Society has spent the last 4-6 years telling us how bad America is, how bad military and law enforcement members are, and how unfair life is in our Country. We’ve been told our masculinity is toxic and that we are racists.
Society is sitting on their butts and have zero work ethic, and there’s a lot of great jobs out there that pay better than the military and don’t subject you to loss of life and limb over half of society wanting you dead because of who you are and your political identity.
6. They don’t want to fight Americans. Yep…I said it. The writing is on the wall. Many areas are already starting to peacefully Balkanize, if only in the logistical sense of banking, goods, and services. It’s happening Geographically, too. Look at the mass exodus from CA.
Depression in our youth is at an all time high. They feel defeated and downtrodden. They feel like society doesn’t support them. All they have is their family and friends for support. They aren’t dumb, either. Gen Zs are very well educated. They see the turmoil our Gov is causing.
The God honest truth is that Gen Z is more afraid of our own Government than anyone else in the World. Why should they wear your uniform when you support disarming us? Why in the world would they risk their lives for you?
7. Troops from the last 20 years of war are parents now. What do think we are telling our kids? LOL. You’re INSANE if you think we are recommending our kids sign up for your endless wars.
8. We are tired of endless wars. I don’t think Gen Z is comprised of cowards. I think they are smart enough to realize what they are signing up for. They would rather take their chances with the thousands of GWOT veterans in the streets of America if we are invaded.
Invasion is the only way you’ll get a lot of them to be willing to take up arms. In which case, they will have 1,000s of capable GWOT vets to help them survive. Don’t worry, we will find equipment. While y’all are playing drag, we will defend the Country.
Many American will understand what this brave man is talking about!
OPINION: This article contains commentary which reflects the author’s opinion
Mark Van der Veen offers some of the most analytical and insightful writings on politics. He regularly opines on the motives and political calculations of politicians and candidates, and whether or not their strategy will work. Van der Veen offers a contrast to many on this list by sticking mainly to a fact-based style of writing that is generally combative with opposing ideologies.
You forgot to mention the real reason: Your enemy today is a real army, not some cavedwellers and goat herders huddled in mud huts who you can turkey shoot, carpet bomb and murder piece meal so that Halliburton and the rest of the cabal can bring you $2 gas and a McDonalds on every street corner. Of course, the yankees and their NATOstan vassals dont have the guts to face a near peer enemy. Your cowardice is clear to all. Stop trying to hide behind the poofter mantra. You tower over them.
Great article
The good old standard , muh wmds…… uuuuh uuuuh, muh wmds… Idiots.
Well, despite the excellent reasons for shunning the USA military We, the People need a trained cadre to battle the vile, evil forces of the New World Order so all patriots need to serve at least one tour in the military to hone skills that will assist the upcoming Revolutionary War Two that will be the only way to defeat the immense wealth, power and well-paid lackey army of the elite-class forces.
To understand what solders face it would be well to read E.B. Sledge’s book “WITH THE OLD BREED” . Sledge kept a dairy of battle experience in the Pacific in 1944 and 1945.
On the morning of D Day, September 15, 1944, Sledge prepares to enter his first battle. He decides to follow Snafu around, a Gloucester veteran whose knowledge and experience make Sledge feel more secure. When Sledge enters the amtrac, an amphibious tank, he experiences utter panic, becoming so nervous that he feels his heart pound in his chest and his knees buckle. As they advance toward the beach, Sledge is overwhelmed by the sight, sound, and commotion of Japanese shells falling all around them, attempting to destroy the American amtracs. The shells create a hellish atmosphere that Sledge describes as like being in the heart of an exploding volcano.
Sledge and his companions then exit the amtrac, running on the beach as fast as they can to avoid the shells and bullets. Sledge survives this ordeal but suffers from a feeling of helplessness when he sees amtracs explode and fellow Marines fall dead on the beach. He is overwhelmed by the injustice and absurdity of war, which destroys so many young lives. However, he is also proud to capture this enemy territory and to help his country win the war. Sledge then sees his first enemy corpse and is horrified by this sight, although when he notices his veteran comrades’ nonchalant attitude, he realizes that he will probably soon become desensitized to such visions himself.
Although Sledge and his companions were initially told that the battle on Peleliu would last barely three or four days, Peleliu proves to be infinitely more vicious and protracted than anyone had expected because of a change in Japanese strategy. Before Peleliu, the Japanese usually launched banzai suicide attacks against the enemy. On Peleliu, however, the Japanese begin using a network of mutually supporting positions, a much more effective defensive technique that forces the Americans to destroy each individual Japanese hide-out in a prolonged war of attrition, in order to win the battle.
In addition to these new techniques, Sledge notes that the Japanese are known as fanatics. They regularly launch suicide infiltrations at nighttime to surprise Marines in their foxholes. On Peleliu, Sledge also decries Japanese soldiers’ seemingly gratuitous cruelty. He sees three American corpses that some Japanese soldiers have mutilated horribly, cutting off various body parts—and, in one case, stuffing a man’s penis in his mouth. Sledge is shocked by such displays of brutality, which he does not believe his fellow Marines would be capable of. At the same time, Sledge also describes a typical behavior among the Marines: collecting souvenirs from Japanese corpses. This includes removing the Japanese’s gold teeth with a knife. Although Sledge is initially repulsed by this practice, over time he becomes inured to such brutality himself. It is only thanks to his friend, the corpsman Ken “Doc” Caswell, that he does not take part in this practice as well and thus keeps himself from turning into a callous, unfeeling fighter.
In general, Peleliu proves to be a horribly vicious environment, marked by ferocious battles in which Marines are exposed to close-range shell fire, an experience Sledge considers capable of driving even the toughest combat veteran to utter panic. As Sledge becomes accustomed to living in an environment marked by constant stress, exhaustion, and filth, he realizes that this is a world that non-combatants could never imagine—a universe of constant brutality, fear, and death, completely severed from the standards of the civilized world.
What helps Sledge survive on Peleliu is the atmosphere in Company K, which he grows to love as a family. Some of his officers impress him with their courage, compassion, and intelligence. One evening, Sledge chats with one such officer, Lt. Edward Jones, nicknamed “Hillbilly.” The two of them share stories about being from the South and Sledge confesses to Hillbilly that he is often overwhelmed by a deep, debilitating fear of combat. Hillbilly replies that this is a normal reaction to war, and that everyone, including himself, experiences fear. The most important thing, however, Hillbilly notes, is to keep on performing one’s duty anyway. This conversation makes Sledge feel understood and reassured. Later, on Okinawa, he is able to pay this kindness forward and comfort a terrified companion in the same way Hillbilly once did. Such moments of comradeship convince Sledge that friendship and solidarity are crucial to the experience of war in the Marine Corps, as they are the only things that make war tolerable.
Capt. Andrew “Ack Ack” Haldane, whom Sledge describes as the most beloved, most distinguished officer in the Marine Corps, also plays a crucial role in driving Company K’s strong morale and motivation. Known for his extraordinary leadership capacities, Haldane shows a deep interest in his men and proves dedicated to protecting both their lives and their emotional well-being. Toward the end of the battle of Peleliu, however, Haldane is killed in action. This event devastates the entire company, causing Sledge to experience the most acute grief he ever felt during the war.
After a month and a half of fighting on Peleliu—longer than anyone had expected— the island is finally secured and Company K is able to return to Pavuvu. Sergeant Haney, a respected veteran who has been fighting since World War I, describes Peleliu as the most terrible combat experience he has ever been through, convincing Sledge that his own horror at what he has witnessed is justified. However, Sledge explains that historians have since agreed that, despite its ferocity and intense human toll, the battle of Peleliu was probably unnecessary in the greater historical context of World War II, as it did not bring any clear strategic gains. This idea depresses Sledge and his comrades, who have lost so many friends during the battle.
After months of resting and training on Pavuvu and Guadalcanal, Company K is once again sent to battle, this time on the Japanese island of Okinawa—Japan’s last defense before the Japanese mainland. There, despite the usual fear of dying or being wounded, Sledge discovers that his previous combat experience keeps him from panicking in the same way he did on Peleliu. He still experiences fear, anger, and grief, but knows that he is capable of being a strong fighter and a reliable companion.
Fighting on Okinawa proves long, frustrating, and debilitating. In addition to the usual stress of combat and Japanese night-time infiltrations, the Marines are forced to advance in knee-deep mud and constant rain, which sometimes drives them to states of uncontrollable rage. Sledge describes the horrific living conditions on the island, in which the men must suffer from intense close-range shelling as well as routine horrific circumstances—such as the sight and smell of rotting bodies, maggots, and human excrement. Because of these harrowing conditions, the cases of “combat fatigue” and mental collapse increase exponentially. Sledge soon realizes that his own mind is affected by this harrowing environment. The life of a Marine on Okinawa sometimes proves so unbearable that he convinces himself he is lost in the middle of a nightmare and will soon wake up. To keep from “cracking up,” he makes a pledge to himself to retain his sanity on Okinawa—a promise that gives him the strength necessary to keep on going in the most trying times.
In the meantime, the company’s new mortar section leader, Mac, fresh out of officer training, proves arrogant, incompetent, and cruel. He demonstrates gratuitous brutality toward Japanese corpses, taking part in actions that make his subordinates feel revolted and outraged. By contrast, other officers, such as Cpl. Burgin and Lt. Duke, serve as redeeming forces, men Sledge looks up to and who make him feel more secure in combat. Members of Sledge’s company, such as John Redifer, also play an important role in maintain company morale, as they prove capable of extraordinary acts of courage and self-sacrifice.
While Marines are immersed in harrowing conditions on Okinawa, the international political scene undergoes new developments, influencing the course of the war. On May 8, the Marines learn that Nazi Germany has surrendered—a piece of news they receive with indifference, as the month of May on Okinawa proves deadlier and more horrendous than any other before. After weeks of harrowing battle, the island of Okinawa is finally secured on June 21. Then, a few months later, after atomic bombs are dropped on Japan on August 6 and 9, World War II ends on August 15, 1945.
After being sent to rest on Pavuvu, Sledge spends four months on occupation duty in China before returning home. Despite his relief at going home after so long, Sledge knows that he will probably struggle to reintegrate into civilian life. He is also forced to undergo a process of grieving, as he must leave his Company K family, which has brought so many warm, supportive friendships, and has become home to him.
Sledge concludes his narrative by remarking on the savage, wasteful nature of war. Although he insists on how cruel war is, he also notes that certain redeeming factors, such as his companions’ courage and camaraderie, helped make war tolerable. He also notes that, in a world in which other countries will always try to dominate one another, he believes that defending and sacrificing oneself for one’s country is a sacred responsibility, which h