[A.W.]

What do people think about men and women who serve in the military? I am interested in perceptions about the people who serve, not the pros and cons of armed conflict. Are servicemen and women generally respected, or held in low esteem? Are perceptions different for officers than for enlisted people?

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Name : A.W., Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Christian, Age : 31, City : Seattle, State : WA Country : United States, Occupation : Attorney, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[ACC24070]

Whether people in the military are respected I suspect mostly depends on whether the community or family has a tradition of having its members in it. Speaking for my own backgrounds, Latino and American Indian people highly respect, even revere, the military. Every male member of my family has served, going back to at least WWI. The small town and rural whites I grew up around in the South, especially working class ones, also think well of the military. I have heard the usual stereotypes about servicemen being 'young, dumb, and full of crap' or being unable to get a job anywhere else, but that always seems to come from more well-off people who never had to worry about money.

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Name : ACC24070, Race : Mexican and American Indian, City : W. Lafayette, State : IN Country : United States, Occupation : Grad student, ex-Army, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, 

[Linda22938]

I do not have a particular respect for those in the military. It strikes me as very blue-collar: If they could do something better, they would. Further, I would not date a military man (or police officer), as I perceive them to have a tendency toward alcoholism and spousal abuse. The military and paramilitary groups do not seem to force people to grow up or work well with others. On the other hand, I know that a military career can carry with it a lot of power and money, with an excellent retirement. It can be an excellent source of training and education if the system is played right.

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Name : Linda22938, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, Age : 30, City : East Haddam, State : CT Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Bill23237]

As a former serviceman, I certainly respect all in the military because I've been there, done that. These people have volunteered to lay their lives on the line for you and me. It can't be the money that motivates them, as we hear about military families on food stamps and living in substandard housing. My two sons (21 and 17) have a negative opinion of the military because of the discipline and physical requirements. Maybe the change in attitude is a generational issue. Our young men and women do not know what service to country is.

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Name : Bill23237, Gender : M, Age : 41, City : Burlington, State : VT Country : United States, Social class : Middle class, 

[ACC24000]

Do you realize that the majority of people trained in medical fields, aerospace and nuclear power come from the military? People in the military are better-educated overall than the general public by the time we leave. We may often come into the service with no skills or money, but we aren't dummies, as you seem to think. Most of us 'can't do anything better' as you say because we come from very poor backgrounds, inner cities, the rural South, Indian reservations, etc. But we do go on to much better things after we leave, thanks to the lift the service gave us. I wouldn't be in grad school now if my father hadn't brought his family out of poverty using the US Air Force. Most of the Latino and American Indian middle class was created by the GI Bill.

In any case, what's wrong with being blue-collar? There is no shame in honest work using your hands. I say with pride that my family and friends include farmers and construction workers, who earn every penny they make. There's some open snobbery in your commments.

As far as being able to work together, believe me, the service forces you to get along with all types of people. It can also make a lot of young boys grow up in a hurry. Over-aged juvenile types don't last long. I find far more people who haven't grown up yet in college. The strangest misconception you make is about money. The military is ridiculously underpaid. As far as 'power', many veterans do go on to political careers, but it's only because their communities respect them.

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Name : ACC24000, Race : Mexican and American Indian, City : W Lafayette, State : IN Country : United States, Occupation : Grad student, ex-Army, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, 

[April]

When I see someone in uniform my first thought is why did they do that? (It wouldn't be my choice.) Then I remember that they usually choose that. If they're old, I remember that it was patriotic when they joined.

When I personally meet a person who has served in the military, I think of all the things that that person has done. They've endured discomfort (or worse) and learned a lot (technical stuff and about people) and I am impressed by that. I don't think people are motivated by love of country as much. I think some people join to "get straightened out" (which probably doesn't work) or for the money to go to school.

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Name : April, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 39, City : Spokane, State : WA Country : United States, Occupation : at home, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Lucy-H22634]

I have respect for people in general, and military personel are no exception. I think one reason people of my generation don't have a special respect for military personnel is that we grew up right after the Vietnam War. At that time, many people were still ashamed and angry about the U.S. involvement there, and nobody liked to talk about it. A lot of this shame and anger was directed toward the soldiers. Many of our parents came of age during that time and were very distrustful of the military in general. These feeling were passed down to us. Since the Vietnam war, the United States has been involved in several armed conflicts where our involvement has been questionable, further suporting distrust of the military. Also, as a Chicana, I grew up hearing stories about sailors during World War II who would tear up towns when they got off ship, looking for people of Mexican descent (who they felt weren't 'real Americans') to beat up. This all creates a bad feeling toward the military in general.

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Name : Lucy-H22634, Gender : F, Race : Hispanic/Latino (may be any race), Age : 24, City : San Jose, State : CA Country : United States, Occupation : Engineer, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Floyd]

If they both want to serve (men and women) they should both be treated 100% the same. With the obvious small differences. But other than that, the same training, clothes, hairstyles, meals and other military training issues should be used. No exceptions.

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Name : Floyd, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Age : 24, City : Sterling Heights, State : MI Country : United States, Occupation : Sys Admin, Social class : Middle class, 

[Michael20728]

I served in the Army for five years. I have noticed in the years since I got out that a smaller and smaller percentage of Americans have either served in the military or know somebody who has. As a result, most people know almost nothing about the military or the people in it. It has become its own little world in many ways. I don't believe this is good at all. People won't support that which they know nothing about.

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Name : Michael20728, Gender : M, City : Stone Mountain, State : GA Country : United States, 

[Catharine]

I come from an area that is heavily military. We civilians in such a situation see only the bad part of the military. Every week there is a drunk-driving accident featuring a soldier. Every month some military guy kills a prostitute. For those of us who work in social services, it seems as though familial abuse is endemic among the military, especially in U.S. Marine families. Bars, tattoo joints and pawn shops spring up around military bases. It's probably just the effect of having such a high proportion of young, juiced-up males in one particular place, but I'm not fond of the military. In fact, when I was in high school, my dad (Korea vet) told me that he would skin me alive if I dated a military guy. In later life, I have worked with a lot of retired military non-coms and officers, and while there are some nice guys, I have found them to be more bigoted and small-minded than other people. I hope that other people have had different experiences, though.

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Name : Catharine, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Disability : Stage IV breast cancer, Race : Pacific Islander, Religion : Atheist, Age : 37, City : Seattle, State : WA Country : United States, Occupation : Writer, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[FEMALE-VETERAN]

AS A VETERAN I, FOR ONE, APPRECIATE THE BENEFITS. I BELIEVE THOSE WHO VOLUNTEERED FOR SERVICE CAN HOLD THEIR HEADS HIGH. SOMETIMES PEOPLE ENTER THE SERVICE FOR OPPORTUNITY--EDUCATION, WORK/LIFE EXPERIENCES, EXPOSURE TO OTHER CULTURES, CREEDS, RACES...MEDICAL BENEFITS...PRIDE AND DISCIPLINE....FOR THOSE WHO WERE DRAFTED AND DIED IN THE LINE OF SERVICE, OR ARE LIVING TODAY... IT MUST HAVE BEEN TOUGH. I AM PLEASED ENOUGH FEMALES AND MALES ENLIST SO AS TO AVOID THE NECESSITY OF A DRAFT. OFFICERS ARE HIGHLY RESPECTED AND RIGHTLY SO. (IN MOST CASES) IF ONLY COLIN POWELL COULD BE PRESIDENT! bye~~

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Name : FEMALE-VETERAN, City : BRADENTON, State : FL Country : United States, 

[Dave-O32481]

I retired nine years ago after 24 years as a Navy enlisted man. I have a good job with colleagues who are about 25 percent retired military, and work in a community where veteran status is the norm and several significant military installations are within a few hours drive. Here there is great respect for all things military, including, for instance, the current level of military spending. In my home town of Boston there is a large, proud and powereful veteran constituency, but a lesser percentage of military retirees and very little military investment. I believe the respect given the veteran in my hometown is of a more reserved but no less sincere kind and is in no way artificially inflated with the need for self-validation or economic stability. In my years on active duty I saw great variations in people's views of the military and its members, some of it in response to local folkways, some more personal.

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Name : Dave-O32481, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Humanist, Age : 54, City : Palm Coast, State : FL Country : United States, Occupation : Management Trainer, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Sean M.]

As a U.S. Air Force member for eight years stationed in California and Washington state, I have seen various supporters and non-supporters of the armed forces. It seems the people who support the armed forces more than likely come from a military background. Those who have only seen movies, TV shows and the like tend to have a somewhat warped perception of the military. I believe that since Sept. 11 the military is more respected than in the past - officers and enlisted alike. People seem to hold officers to a higher standard because they are perceived as well-educated and as higher wage earners, and because they have (supposedly) more important decisions to make. In my opinion, no one person, regardless of rank, is more important to the military than another.

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Name : Sean M., Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 31, City : Pine Bush, State : NY Country : United States, Occupation : Physical Therapy Technician, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[tara-p]

I am quite shocked with some of the reponses that i have read thus far. The young men and women who volunteer to serve in our military come from various backgrounds,cultures, and countries but they are only an extension of the 'civilian' society. Those who believe that by joining the military you become a drunkard with tattoos and a 'bully' fail to realize that those few had those qualities before entering the military. Furthermore, drunk driving is a tragedy that occurs in both societies, civilian and military, on a daily basis. I am proudly serving in the Army with ten years experience. I have achieved my BA in Accounting (cost free), lived in 2 different countries, met alot of wonderful people,and traveled extensively (cost free) in America. I am physically fit, and professionally trained in leadership (cost free). I have love n respect for the men and women serving in todays military(priceless).

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Name : tara-p, City : brooklyn, State : NY Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, 

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