WOW - both at reading about what these soldiers did and at the anti-soldier comments.
First off - where *I* am coming from....I was born into and grew up in - a military family. My dad served in WWII and in Korea. He retired after 27 years. My only sibling served for 25 years. I married into military, too. Hubby served in Vietnam and the Persian Gulf, then retired after 26 years. We have been civilians for ten years now. Of my three now grown children, one went through ROTC in highschool and through college on scholarship (now civilian) Our one daughter is married to military and her hubby served in Iraq. We still live in a military town near an AF base. So, I tend to be patriotic, supportive of the military, yet I am also a civilian who is concerned about the war.
What I wanted to comment on was the perception and observations of "military folks & soldiers".....
I have always felt that the military soldiers and families we have met and lived with throughout the years were intelligent, honorable, dependable and disciplined. I believe the ratio of scum among the military population is way less than average.
I am disgusted to read about this rape and murder - but do not feel the soldier will get off lightly. Probably worse. This is based on individuals that I have known about who committed any sort of crime and had to be tried in our military system. I have NEVER heard of any crime being minimized - we don't want low-life in our military! The military I know does not tolerate bad behavior.
As a whole, we are among the most committed, law-abiding and respectful people I have ever come in contact with. If new neighbors move to our area - I am happy to learn if they are military. Knowing that someone has served in the military is a plus to me. When I see young men and women while I am out shopping or whatever - they are most likely polite, clean and helpful. If my car breaks down, it is quite likely that it will be someone military who stops to help me. Hubby now teaches at the local highschool and his military dependent students tend to be the most educated and behaved of the bunch. Their parents respond if they are called!
Any scum to the civilian world is scum to those within the military as well.
What sort of experiences have you all had that make you see military as scum???
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