To those who have served ... you're not all heroes, page 3


Pages: <<  1    2    3    4    5    6  >>
ATS Members have flagged this thread 96 times


reply posted on 11-11-2009 @ 05:59 PM by mrmonsoon
reply to post by Subjective Truth


For what little it matters..........

I respect your clarifying your position.

Cheers mate.


reply posted on 11-11-2009 @ 06:02 PM by thesaint
Dont think i have ever read an opening post that has enraged me as much as this in 5 year on ATS.

As an ex soldier i can assure you as a veteran of many theatres of operation soldiers, airman, etc are there in their roles only. They are not leaders, Politicians etc. Their allegiance is to each other firstly and to do a job they "Believe" is right and serving their country and each other.

A soldier is not employed to be political. He trusts the judgement of those set in power above him and obeys the orders given to him by his superiors.

I have lost a lost a number of friends in Afghan and Iraq. I challenge you to declare to their families and children that they were "not" heroes. 5 of my former comrades were killed in separate incidents whilst trying to rescue a fallen comrade. Again this shows their allegiance to each other and definitely shows true bravery and heroism.

I stood proudly on sunday at a remembrance parade in my city. I had my medals on, My beret and blazer. I was one of approx 2000 ex forces personell there for the service aswell as 1000s of civillians. I watched as older WW2 veterans applauded the young 19 year old soldier in a wheel chair with no legs. I watched them also later come buy a drink for other disabled young soldiers. I sank back and realised i was looking at heroes from all generations right in front of me. Regardless of age, sex, race, religion etc. All within their own right were heroes. A gap between generations bridged by heroic acts for which they all understood each other for their allegiance to comrades and discipline of following orders.

I left the service early as i had to fly to Paris with work. I took a shuttle coach to the airport. Me and some guy were the only 2 people on board. he was a WW2 veteran from the Navy and he was sat facing me. He asked about my medals and i asked about his and we started conversation. He told me "The heroes are the young men we see today. They are the heroes now fighting for each other and their country just like we did" I asked "Do you think we should be there, I mean its not like we are fighting for our country like you did" The guy looked at me like i should know better and simply said. "They are just doing what they are told, Like we did. We just have to make sure we remember the ones who dont come back and help the ones like we saw today" I almost choked with emotion. here was a guy who had seen action in a world war yet now had complete admiration for the services of today. For a second he was another of my comrades, another brother in arms just serving different shifts.

ok so i have waffled im annoyed. We all know on this here board that if it was a soldiers decision then we wouldnt even be in Afghan. The point is its not their decision. its the decision the politicians


reply posted on 11-11-2009 @ 06:08 PM by argentus
reply to post by Ulala


I agree with you Ulala. I'm no hero. I killed people that were enemies of my country, and I was s***-scared most of the time. I remember once -- and this still haunts me sometimes -- trying to hold pieces of my friend's brains in his ruined head. It was a foolish thing to do. It was the only thing to do.

You go ahead, speak your piece. I and many of us will listen. I don't compare myself to heroes past nor present. There were soldiers whose epics are larger-than-life and individuals whose lives made a true and historic difference -- people that we remember and books are written about; these are the titans of history and they share things in common that few that haven't been in combat understand: There is a gift that is given by each and every enlisted person, and it is the gift of sacrifice. They are willing to die for the benefit of the many of their countrymen.

You have the hallowed priviledge to rant about whatever you wish, unlike many countries. You can freely challenge your government, you can characterize me as a delusioned killer, if that makes you happy. There were those whose memories you besmirch by choosing this, of all days, to rant about it. Whereever in "Northern Europe" you are, guess what...... there are men and women who have died for your priviledges, your country's ideals.

Perhaps it would do you a personal benefit to contemplate what you have given up or sacrificed for your country. Who knows? Perhaps you'll discover something heroic within yourself, something honorable, something worthy of common courtesy and respect that you seem to want to deny others who have earned it.

I am not one of them. I am no hero.


reply to post by OzWeatherman


Yes. It was Rememberance Day as well in the Cayman Islands. We have a doubleday, as many were both Seamen and Veterans. During WW II, the Cayman Islands had one of the most -- per capita -- enlisted... many of them Merchant Marines.

It was a celebration here, not a somber event. A celebration of respect and thanks for a selfless job done well.


reply posted on 11-11-2009 @ 06:20 PM by Unit541
reply to post by Ulala


Grow up and learn to separate the war from the soldier. The soldier didn't start the war, and nobody signed up because they wanted to go fight in an unjust and oppressive conflict.

They signed up because they felt a sense of pride and patriotism, and decided they'd like to participate in securing your freedom to disgust us all in the future.

Most soldiers could earn more money cleaning gutters, and a large percentage are just as adamantly opposed to Iraq and Afghanistan as you are. Unfortunately, it's not the soldier that gets to pick and choose their fights.

One of these lame threads comes up every Veterans day, but yours wins top honors for the biggest fail ever.


reply posted on 11-11-2009 @ 06:29 PM by OzWeatherman
reply to post by kommunist


Fine, they might be illegal, but does that give you the right to go out and target them with demeaning and disrespectfulcomments? Most these guys have families for crying out loud

Blame the government...not the bloody soldiers
Pages: <<  1    2    3    4    5    6  >>    ^^TOP^^



A Really Sad Picture That I Saw Today, Left Me Speechless
  Posted 12 days ago with 148 member flags
Fact Check: First Lady\'s False Fairy Tale of Struggle
  Posted 6 days ago with 81 member flags
Coal miners say they were forced to attend Romney event and donate
  Posted 14 days ago with 71 member flags
Stephen King\'s Message
  Posted 10 days ago with 71 member flags
Paul Ryan Exposes Elite Agenda, "Shut Up" Says Banker
  Posted 10 days ago with 40 member flags