You’ve stood with your hand to your heart during the National Anthem, cheered as NFL games thanked military members for their service and have probably even walked past too many men and women in uniform to count. In 2014, the U.S. Census Bureau counted 19.3 million veterans living in America, and that number has surely kept growing since. Yet, despite the huge sacrifices millions of men and women are making, the divide between veterans and civilians seems more prominent than ever.
To celebrate this year’s Veterans Day, ENTITY talked to Michael, a Marine Corps veteran with 26 years of service, about the nine things veterans want every civilian to know. Do you know everything you should? Keep reading to find out!
Unlike other countries – like Israel, Bolivia and North Korea – where conscription, or required military service, exists, the U.S. military effectively consists of “volunteers.” In fact, the U.S. has only practiced conscription for 23 out of its 25 during its 228 years as a country, according to a book by Dr. Bernard D. Rostker.
The oath that military members take isn’t a light one, either. The oath varies between those enlisting (who will gain special skills for specific aspects of the military units) and those becoming officers (managers who will oversee those who enlist). However, both involve swearing to “support and defend the constitution of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign or domestic” and officers must also agree to “take this obligation freely without any mental reservations or purposes of evasion.” Perhaps the most important point for civilians to know about this oath? Politics isn’t as great a factor in the military as many often believe; military members swear to defend the Constitution, not a particular person.
When you see men or women in uniform, it is polite to thank them for their service. You may, however, want to try to rethink how you offer thanks. For instance, Army veteran Lindsey at Gina Left the Mail urges civilians to also thank her family. Research consistently shows that stresses like deployments, frequent moves and injured or killed-in-duty parents can negatively impact the 1.76 million American children of service members. As a result, saying, “Thank you” to military families can be just as important as expressing thanks to military members themselves.
When it comes to the military, inter-service rivalry is neither new nor rare. As Business Insider explains, rivalries can take many forms, including that between Navy pilots and Air Force pilots, for whom arguments are made even more complicated by the Air Force’s greater number of drones. Typically, pilots thousands of feet in the air look down on those “piloting” a plane with their feet still on the ground.
In addition, rivalry exists between Marine Corps grunts and Army joes, who, in recent years, have been assigned similar presence missions in Afghanistan. Instead of comparing skill specialities, they often compare how aggressively they respond to a threat. Wearing the flashiest uniform doesn’t hurt either. Finally, Army football and Navy football teams are incredibly competitive. Even if you know very little about the military, you’ve probably seen how riled up football fans get when these rivals compete. Navy boasts a 14-year winning streak, but that doesn’t make cheering men and women any less passionate.
Despite these rivalries, however, Michael says, “It does not matter if you serve in the Army, Marine Corps, Navy or Air Force, or are active duty or reserve: All military members contribute to the safety of our country. Our ‘rivalry’ is really about pushing each other to perform at our best.”
… They both represent freedom, liberty, democracy and, most importantly, the sacrifice of thousands of lives lost defending our country and way of life.”
In case you’ve been too busy kicking butt as a businesswoman to watch the news or or a football game, standing for the national anthem is no longer automatic for some Americans. On August 14 and 20, Colin Kaepernick stunned the nation by sitting when the national anthem played before an NFL game. Since then, he’s been joined by San Fransisco 49ers safety Eric Reid, Seattle Seahawks cornerback Jeremy Lane, Denver Broncos linebacker and Brandon Marshall and various other athletes.
When deciding whether to sit or stand, however, perhaps men and women should consider the service members who can no longer make that choice.
The myth of the “poor soldier” is a common one, but more research is showing that this belief is just that: a myth. According to Mic:
These findings imply that people aren’t joining as a last option; instead, they want to do something more with their lives.
As Michael explains, “[The military] is not a ‘job’s program’ for the underprivileged or less fortunate, or a choice of last resort. You must earn the right to serve your country.”
… I have dreams and ambitions beyond military service, and I understand that it is equally important to be a contributing citizen after military service.”
Just like you aren’t only a businesswoman, an artist, a fashion designer or a famous YouTube blogger, service members’ identities don’t solely revolve around their time in the military. As another Marine Corps veteran named Moses, jokes, “We’re human, not robots. I still yell at the TV during the game. My [NY] Giants are killing me.”
The “poor soldier” myth also applies to soldiers retiring from military life. As ENTITY has explored in previous articles, some service members struggle with returning “to a society of ‘What’s in it for me?’ when a Marine has been taught the opposite for so long.” Veterans can also be “out of practice” in filling out resumes or going to job interviews and struggle with a “language barrier” since civilian companies often don’t know the value of military ribbons or certification classes.
Just like college graduates experiences different rates and types of employment, though, veterans do as well. While transitioning is hard for some veterans, most, as Michael says, “quietly transition to a regular life in your community.”
Why should the United States have a military in the first place? Although this seems like a simple question, it can stir quite a bit of controversy. As The Washington Post explains, many Americans are in favor of using diplomatic and other “soft power” to maintain influence over world affairs. However, as Robert Kagan, author of “The World America Made,” argues, U.S. military power greatly aided the building and maintaining international order, as well as making America attractive to other nations. Maybe America could survive with less “hard” military power, but it can’t survive without it.
As a result, according to Michael, “active or reserve military service is an obligation to sustain a democracy. If you cannot serve, your support is still needed and very much appreciated.” Not sure how you can support the troops besides saying, “Thank you”? Possibilities range from volunteering to driving veterans to donating frequent flier miles to helping build a home for severely injured vets.
Perhaps the most important fact every civilian should know? Simply this:
“We are certainly not perfect, but we our country’s ideals and democratic standards are truly beacons of hope for a lot of the world. It is an honor to be a Veteran.”
