Should veterans be treated better than other people? -

[OhGoy]

This has been a passing thought in my mind for a while. I finally decided to get everyone's input after all the comments on the "McCain is dead" thread. There were a lot of people that looked over his recent political activity because he served in 'Nam . To be frank, it wasn't that big of deal, but I might as well ask the question since it reminded me and this sorta' thing has been on the brain anyways.

So, should we give veterans special treatment? This isn't about their financial advantages or better medical care, rather how we personally treat them in public. I'm talking about things like holding their views and experiences above those of civilians, giving them priority over other people, letting them have more leniency when it comes to doing immoral things, etc.

I don't have much of a stake in this. I'm related to an ex-marine who acts like a stuck up asshole and I've met a few Vietnam vets who were actually pretty cool dudes. If it means anything, I tried to join the marines, and then the army... but neither worked out. So, yeah.

Thoughts?

 

[Rand /pol/]

Depends on if they saw combat or were emotionally scarred. If they were disfigured or maimed during service then yeah, they should.

 

[NOT Sword Fighter Super]

Around people with (real) PTSD, never relax.

For real though, I think it depends. Some asshole that was peeling potatoes and cleaning out latrines probably doesn't deserve as much respect as somebody who was doing something life-threatening.

 

[REGENDarySumanai]

I've always given them my utmost respect and I thank them for their service.

 

[This+]

I asked this to my military friends before, who were mostly non-combatant MOS/rates (JAG, paralegal, admin, and the like). They said they shouldn't, and that it makes them feel uncomfortable when people thank them for their service. Most of them went military because it was a steady career choice and good opportunity, not really out of patriotic sentiments.

That being said, I think it's nice to appreciate them mucking it out where a lot of BS happens. Despite their reasons for doing so, they are serving for their country and its citizens. I don't think we should idolize them or hold their opinion in higher regard, though. Military discounts and stuff are nice, but giving them first place in line for example is a little too much.

 

[White bubblegum]

People should be sensitive to their time in the military and any ramifications of it, but besides that they should be treated like anyone else.
I could bully you like it's middle school again but I'm not gonna make fun of you for getting your leg blown off or killing middle eastern children in crossfire.

 

[ForgottenAcct]

Define "other people" and "veteran". There are people that gave up some degree of able-bodiedness in service and others that dicked around until retirement and everything in between. Does the simple act of joining the military to go do be a pawn for the military-industrial complex warrant better treatment? I guess in the sense that people throwing themselves into the meat grinder means there's no draft for it. I don't disparage vets either, though. Most people join the military for the same reason anyone gets a job and it should really be treated the same as any other employed person ordinarily. I can still respect someone for their actions beyond simple enlistment and be sensitive to their trauma, though.

 

[Pablo Birmingham]

"treated better than other people"? No. They have earned a certain level of respect that most others have not and should be treated accordingly, but that doesn't make them untouchable.

 

[ColtWalker1847]

I used to give deference to veterans without question. Then, as I got older, I realized how many of them just used it as an excuse to act like a shithead. Most are just normal people who want the same things normal people do. But every now and again you run into that guy who thinks everyone has to kiss his ass and do what he says because "I served this country". Fuck off dude, seriously.

Now, I let them have the floor but if they act like a dick I have a bunch of practiced arguments to make them look like the entitled prick bullying their way around society that they are. Mostly about how many civilian jobs face higher risks with lower pay for a longer time than serving does. If a soldier dies in training we all mourn and there are many programs that look after his family. If a farmer gets wrapped around a PTO nobody cares while the family farm handed down for generations liquidates and his kids live on SS survivors benefits.

Service gets you pretty far with me. It's when they start with the "I am better than you mere peasants... er... civilians" shit that I get peeved.

 

[Zaragoza]

If he's a combat veteran, yes. If a POG, nope.

 

[AF 802]

Being from a family with two military people (my dad did intelligence work in West Germany in the late 1970s, while my oldest brother served two tours in Iraq and is still in the Army to this day), I have the upmost respect for our armed forces. However, I believe that solely being a veteran doesn't give you carte blanche to be a dick to everyone and think you're more important.

A good example of a way that people give back to veterans is discounts that businesses give to active military and veterans. It's the least that they could do, but I think that if one were to demand free service on that sole reason, that would be a little too much.

Even though that veterans do generally get pretty good treatment from the general public, the same can't be said generally for their medical treatments in some ways. I deplore how sad many of our VA hospitals are ran, especially for those who have PTSD. I can't imagine seeing someone suffer because of past trauma, let alone possibly harming themselves in an episode, and seeing how many veterans lack proper therapy for this, it's sad and I think they could be treated better.

It goes in both ways for me.

 

[Bassomatic]

What ever happened to treat everyone well?

Public service in many ways should be shown the utmost respect. But at the same time, many people in public service are shit bags and my own personal feelings we don't need public services as private would provide better.

I know I'm hypocritical when I look down on a public school teacher but thank an army vet. but I accept I'm not perfect there's social pressure and family history in the mil.

Also as I mentioned before being a vet doesn't mean you were a good person, some vets let you know to rub it in, others never mention it. Honestly I guess the easiest way to say it, case by case. But in a sense since we have systems in place for those whom served and they are much more in harms way and swore a creed unlike say, a postal worker (my postal dude is chill as fuck but he never promised to take a rifle to defend me or my land, hell even my mail ) they should be first in line for benefits.

Frankly it drives me nuts they are left out in the streets and shaquda never gets a late welfare check.

 

[ThePurpleProse]

...I believe that solely being a veteran doesn't give you carte blanche to be a dick to everyone and think you're more important.
...
Even though that veterans do generally get pretty good treatment from the general public, the same can't be said generally for their medical treatments in some ways. I deplore how sad many of our VA hospitals are ran, especially for those who have PTSD. I can't imagine seeing someone suffer because of past trauma, let alone possibly harming themselves in an episode, and seeing how many veterans lack proper therapy for this, it's sad and I think they could be treated better.

This is exactly what's on my mind, you nail it man.

 

[The Shadow]

I give a certain measure of respect for giving up a few years of your life as a service member, but I reserve my admiration for only a few of them. I recognize that just about everyone has their purpose in the military machine, but come on. The guy that does IT in the Army isn't any more worthy of my admiration than the Best Buy geek squad.

Both of my grandfathers were both with the Army in WWII (and one was in until Korea) and they rarely if ever talked about it even when I asked. They didn't view it as something they particularly wanted to relive. I think -granted I'm not them so I can't say for sure- they would find the "thank you for your service" and "veteran owned" stuff to be weird and off-putting. I recognize that a considerable portion did see some bad shit. But a lot don't and ride on the coattails of those that do.

My hypothesis on the deference to veterans thing is that it comes from Boomer generational guilt; specifically, many members of that generation feeling guilty about how their some members generation treated returning Vietnam veterans (and others of that generation either fought or knew someone that was involved or killed in the war). And as a result they're massively overcompensating for their perceived past wrong. It's pretty similar to John Wayne's last wife's opinion on why he became so superpatriotic: He allegedly felt guilty about not enlisting during WWII (despite the fact that he had valid reasons: being too old, having a family, and having an old football injury).

For all the deference, though, we do a piss-poor job of helping veterans transition back into civilian life.

ut in a sense since we have systems in place for those whom served and they are much more in harms way and swore a creed unlike say, a postal worker (my postal dude is chill as fuck but he never promised to take a rifle to defend me or my land, hell even my mail ) they should be first in line for benefits.

Fun fact: The first agency to make widespread use of Thompson submachine guns was the USPS inspectors.
https://about.usps.com/publications/pub162/pub162_007.htm

 

[The Manglement]

If you served in the military, congratulations, you risked your life to pad the wallets of the richest .1% while working for a pittance. Military people deserve respect, if only because they're the most exploited by a system that exploits almost everyone, and they in theory are doing it because they want to help people and their country.

 

[Sperglord Dante]

The basic premise of respecting someone who does an extraordinarily hazardous public service is easy to understand and hard to refute.

That being said, the quasi-religious reverence you Americans have for veterans is a bit off-putting when seen from the outside. I guess it'd easier to swallow for people of similarly highly militarized countries, like Russia.

 

[ColtWalker1847]

Even though that veterans do generally get pretty good treatment from the general public, the same can't be said generally for their medical treatments in some ways. I deplore how sad many of our VA hospitals are ran, especially for those who have PTSD. I can't imagine seeing someone suffer because of past trauma, let alone possibly harming themselves in an episode, and seeing how many veterans lack proper therapy for this, it's sad and I think they could be treated better.

That's a tough one because main the ones resisting the needed reforms are the veterans groups themselves. There's this weird love/hate thing with the VA. You can't just ask congress to modify Tricare for vets and give the finger to the VA completely. No no. There must be special hospitals just for veterans ran by the VA. Because that's what soldiers had before and losing that would be losing their special thing.

So now we are stuck being asked to fix some shitty government-provided single payer system for veterans that blows and nobody wants care from but they created it before modern medical care was a thing so it was probably decent care a long time ago. Any attempt to change the way the VA works so it is less shitty without veterans tacit approval will likely change the fundamental structure of it and they will go all Bonus Army on our asses.

It's a catch 22 and exactly why it will likely stay broken.

 

[Imposter]

Special treatment is unnecessary but it's welcomed. If you're paying your taxes that enough to support.

 

[JustStopDude]

The reason why the VA sucks is because vets are spread wide apart and the VA is forced to give preferential hiring to vets.

Anyone that thinks this is good never went to sick call on a military base.

Also, most people bitching about VA care are loud, small minority.

 

[IV 445]

most people bitching...are loud, small minority.

ftfy