Quote:
Originally Posted by Greenhat
I think a turn-around is happening. I saw a report on Fox News about people who are making their time-shares available to returning Vets. While I was visiting the States in October, I was surprised by the number of people who made positive comments when I was wearing my SF ballcap or SFA shirts. I met up with a friend (AD LTC) and we went out for a drink. He was wearing a Ranger polo, and we were asked if we were Soldiers and he was thanked for his service. Respect and appreciation of what service people do seems to be more open today than I can remember since Reagan.
Now, just as long as Clinton doesn't get elected...
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I agree with this, and although I've almost always lived in an Army bubble (except for 7 years while I attended BYU... which isn't the most liberal institution on the planet and is probably akin to an Army bubble) I've felt a shift in attitudes toward the military. Not so much in the public displays, but in the private attitudes toward those who serve and those who should serve.
My husband's parents are children of the 60's in southern California. Both will tell you that they are very conservative Republicans but both have been going to serious struggles with the decision of two of their sons to serve in the Army. Not just serve in the Army, but they've both decided to make careers of it. They love the idea of supporting the troops, but until it hit home, the troops were someone else's kid. I was shocked by this when I met them because I'd never run across this attitude of "aren't those who serve in the Army sort of dumb" before. My father and his brother both have PhDs for crying out loud! But, in the years I've been married into this family the attitude has adjusted and they are now proud of their sons in uniform and understand that it is an honor and that there are amazing people who serve. The beauty of any of the Armed Forces is that there is a place for anyone who is ready, willing and able to serve their country and America needs to understand that - they need to put up their best and brightest stars (and not see it as a shame when those people decide to serve), those who need the opportunity to get out of the dead-end they've lived in and everyone in between. It's for everyone.
I also believe that this tide is turning because anyone who cares to look will see that our military leaders aren't some "dude" with no education:
Gen. Petraeus: Earned a Master of Public Administration (1985) and a Ph.D. (1987) in International Relations from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at
Princeton University. He later served as Assistant Professor of International Relations at the U.S. Military Academy, and also completed a fellowship at
Georgetown University. He has a BS from the
U.S. Military Academy—class of 1974.
Admiral Mullen: In 1985, Mullen graduated from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif., with a Master's of Science degree in Operations Research, and in 1991, he completed the
Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program.
I don't need to preach this to the choir, but I know if I looked up the bios of all our military leaders they'd have similar schools under their belts (those were the only two I looked up). One of the things my dad keeps harping on my husband about his getting his Masters degree and quick. This is a very educated population and a place to get an education and anyone who cares to look at that for half a second will see it and respect it. I'm guessing most major corporations out there would be mightily impressed by the education of the military's workforce. I think the military is "elite" in its own right because again, what is elite? If it's the richest in America... what's the rich cut-off? I think the multi-million dollar population is probably better represented than we are thinking since that's middle class now, but the trust fund babies probaby aren't - and who wants them (Paris Hilton anyone?) Children of influential people? Again, I think they are out there too but what's the measure? Sen. Webb, Sen. McCain both have sons in the service - but they don't talk much about it (rightly so). I think those who have children that serve probably don't spout off about it and in the GWOT they are targets if they are recognizable so I'd want to lay low. ie: Prince Harry.
But the press isn't into giving up the educational bios of the soldiers they are talking to in the field, they just want to second guess them.
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