A Question For DU Military Veterans

[DemocratSinceBirth]

Were you fighting for the flag or the person beside you and the ideals our nation is supposed to represent?


Thank you for your service.

[StrictlyRockers]

1. I like this question

#Salute

[DemocratSinceBirth]

2. Here's my story.

I had a buddy who recently passed away. He had Bronze Stars from Korea and Vietnam. He was a black guy that joined the military in 1950 at the age of seventeen. I asked him how he could fight for a nation that treated him as a second class citizen, He said he fought for the ideals America represents.

[Wounded Bear]

3. Ultimately, the oath taken is to defend the constitution...

I didn't serve in combat, so my experience is second hand. But as I understand what the truth is, when the bullets start flying soldiers of all types tend to fight for their buddies next to them more so than for any grand ideals.

These many years later, my oath to protect and defend the Constitution still applies, though. I certainly support those players who choose to protest the injustices of our systems by refusing to stand for the anthem. In the end, a piece of cloth or a song don't really mean shit. It's about the people you stand with and who stand with you.

[Siwsan]

4. I was asked an interesting question, during my 'honor recruit' interview

At the time I was going through basic training, individuals were named 'company honor recruit' and then all of those individuals went on to compete for the "top" honor recruit for that training period. I was our company honor recruit, and headed out for my interview.

I was asked by a VERY 'old school' Naval Officer if I would take "every single measure" to protect the flag, if I saw someone trying to steal or destroy it. My response was if I was being asked if I would KILL someone to protect the flag, or risk dying, myself, the answer is no. In the grand scheme of things, it is a piece of representational cloth, intended to be a rallying point, and while the protection of the country was worth dying for, the protection of a piece of cloth was not.

He also asked me what I thought about gays in the military (this was in the late 70's) and my answer was that I already had NO problem serving with people who happened to be gay. and if they tossed out everyone who is gay, they'd have a massive recruitment job, ahead of them, to fill the void.

Needless to say, I didn't get the top honor, but the officer interviewing me said he was surprised by my candor, and thanked me for my honesty. I had no reason to not be honest. It was just a fleeting honor.

[suston96]

5. I was fighting.....

....for the flag because to me it has always represented my brothers in arms and the ideals we all upheld, that we bled and died for.

When we gathered and marched that flag was always in front of us to remind us of why we were there doing what we did.

[kairos12]

6. For my buddies and the Constitution.

I was an infantryman but never deployed to a combat situation. It makes me sick to hear 5 Deferment Drumpt talk about "our" flag. He had his chance. He passed on it. Now he wraps himself in it. Make me retch.

[haele]

7. I served to.protect and defend the Constitution.

Which includes the right to address grievences against the Government when those in power start to abuse the authority granted by the Constitution.

On edit - a flag and anthems are just tools for a group to rally around. Certainly not as important as the members of the group and the cause they are gathering for. Symbols are always changed or replaced as the situation evolves.

Haele

[Aristus]

8. I served in order to earn money for college, and for the thrill of crewing a tank.

But since I nearly got taken out by a Scud missile in the Gulf in 1991, I can state, proudly, that I took hostile fire so people could watch Duck Dynasty and The Apprentice without fear of government censorship.