Member Blogs

I never agreed with recruiters in High Schools and I am glad that I never felt the pressure. Being a petite female I think shielded me from that. I did eventually join the military but on my own accord which is how I think it should be to get the best recruits who really want to serve and serve well. I talk to many teens who think of joining and warn them and help them with their contracts because yes, recruiters are under pressure to make numbers and have lied in cases to get the recruit in the system. Yet, it still doesn't justify taking violent action. As a war vet I can say that I was well trained and have never hurt anyone.

The Army did not make me violent or have less of a value on human life. As a matter of fact, I value it more than ever because I survived being targeted and wanted for dead and we were really careful not to be reactionary in any situation no matter how stressful.

I get upset because I do consider myself liberal and am offended at how conservatives label liberals like they are weak sissys which I have never been. I also feel like some want to paint you as unpatriotic if you don't fully agree with the war and that is wrong. I also hate how a lot of movies are portraying Iraq war vets as disturbed individuals likely to kill. I think some people might react that way to the stress of war but I haven't and plenty of my friends are nothing like that and we've seen things that can make your skin crawl but it's life and should make you value being home and having freedom more than ever. Anyway, I don't mean to offend anyone and hope I make sense. These are tough issues but too many people want to pigeon hole the situation or make generalistic conclusions that don't apply to everyone.