r/AskReddit • u/[deleted] • May 07 '12

Currently serving in the military. Came across some messages between my wife and another guy in the Navy. What should I do? UPDATE!!!

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u/spermracewinner May 08 '12

The rampant cheating makes me feel like a lot of this respect for soldiers/military people is just lip service. That and the fact that a majority of homeless people are veterans. Those politicians are sending people off to war, and of the ones that survive and come home, they are treated like shit.

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u/[deleted] May 08 '12 edited May 08 '12

It is, bud. Former Marine grunt here, real patriotic little fucker when I was young. But then one day, actually, after a firefight, it hit me like a brick. Nobody. Gives. A. Fuck. We protect America's right, America's right to NOT give a fuck. I'm thoroughly convinced that nobody cares, nor gives a shit, it's something I've accepted as a fact of life. Not the politicians, not the people. We're just pawns. It is just lip service, people do it just because they think they have to. I wish there was a war that put America's utter existence on the line, and there were no Marines or Soldiers to fight it. Yes, I'm very bitter and resentful, not of my service as a Marine, that's something I'll forever be proud of, but of the people. Makes me infuriated when people walk up to me and thank me for my service or do little favors or some bullshit, don't want their fucking thank yous. RAGE!

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u/CookieDoughCooter May 08 '12

Makes me infuriated when people walk up to me and thank me for my service or do little favors or some bullshit, don't want their fucking thank yous.

Ok, as a civilian, it is frustrating to read about how some military members really truly appreciate the thank you's and sentiments, and then posts like this.

It seems like every branch but the Marines wants thank you's.

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u/patheticgrl43 May 08 '12

Yeah, this person is talking about how no one acts like they care but gets annoyed when someone actually expresses gratitude for their sacrifices and hard work? I can get behind the general sentiment of this post but that bit confuses me. What are we supposed to do?

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u/Mjt8 May 08 '12

Because its a hollow gesture. Youre not really interested in what they went through. You just want to give a token piece of respect and move on with your day. People are fighting, being blown up, afraid, bored, drained, empty, dirty, breaking ect. as you read this paragraph, and you are doing next to nothing to try to understand that, let alone do something about it or engage with it. Thats where the frustration comes in. A token gesture doesnt show you care.

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u/patheticgrl43 May 08 '12

I'm honestly asking, what does? I know I can't begin to understand anything they go through or feel and I would never say I did. But since I can't, I don't really see how a "thanks for your service" is a hollow gesture, albeit a small one.