I just watched the HBO special about a recruiting Sgt named clay usie. i have to say if i met this man i would punch him in the face.  of course this is "non reality TV"  what i mean is that it is hard to distinguish what is real and what is for the camera.   this self proclaimed "hero" is filmed telling recruits "your parents don't matter"  "i am sick of your father"  "this is your choice keep your family out of it"  . he also has a god complex where he keeps a group of teens around him and he plays commanding officer with them.  he even allows them to salute him.  excuse me but the president of the united states commissioned me and he alone allows me to accept a salute. no ncm, NCO or anyone else.  if this soldier were under my command we would be having a "come to jesus" meeting.   he tries to divide kids from their families, uses "god" to hit home with his BS.   he admits that he is "filling foxholes in Iraq and Afghanistan".  which is true but why be proud of it.  he is a f%$king ass.  he is alienating his family for the army. he is influencing these young people to be like him...a robot, that spits out the same bile that the bushies and Cheney's of the world love.  to see young people, poor, from broken families taken away from what little they do have and put into the meat grinder.  yes it has to be done but it can be done with honor and honesty.  which is NOT what i saw in this movie.  i really wish i could speak to this dumb-ass Clay Usie and set him straight.  but that will never happen.  what i can say to my fellow Americans and to all you young people who may be considering serving.  there is no greater sacrifice you may make in life than to your country.  your country wants and needs you.  we are at war and we need soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines.  BUT if you decide to answer the call it should be because it is YOUR decision, your gut tells you that you need to go.   listen to your family, listen to your friends but most importantly listen to yourself.  let the recruiter GUIDE you but do not let the recruiter push,  shame or harass you into doing something that you may regret.  i spent 20 years 6 months and 22 days serving my countries, yes plural. i am Canadian and American and i served both.  there are times i would not have traded it for anything in the world.  there were times i wanted to be anywhere other than where i was, but that is over now.  omg how come every time remembrance day grows near i go all phyco....to much, to close and too young.

anyhow that is my rant.  only salute officer, only do what you feel is right, only serve if you want.   it will be the hardest thing you have ever done in your life.  nothing at all compares to it.  absolutely nothing.  ask the veterans on this board such as terry.  they know.  i wish we were not at war.  but i am hopeful because we have an election coming and no matter who wins i suspect we will not see any increase in the war.  there is so much i want to say.  i just don't want to loose any more friends. i don't want anyone on this board, your family, your friends, your loved ones to go through this. 

rant over.

honestly frankie, i disagree with you, near the end of your rant. ( well deserved btw), anyhoo i see no end ot this war anytime soo. although i dont jump on the liberal blame the bushies and such bandwagon, i jump on the blame teh nme bandwagon, or blame all pres' bandwagon. but i agree wiht your rant. you served inRCN right?, in your term of service, ( btw much respect m8) have you ever run into an officer who did not "deserve" a salute?, granted, by being an officer, they were entitled to one, by those junior to them.~S~

yes there were those that did not deserve the salute.  however you were saluting the commission, thus the president or queen, and not the person.  that is what was taught.   i tried to live up to the standard that was expected of a senior officer.  i also tried to protect my guys to the best of my ability.   i served with the army and usn.  my total service from both would be 25 years.

Quote from: frankieG on November 02, 2008, 06:06:15 AM
yes there were those that did not deserve the salute.  however you were saluting the commission, thus the president or queen, and not the person.  that is what was taught.   i tried to live up to the standard that was expected of a senior officer.  i also tried to protect my guys to the best of my ability.   i served with the army and usn.  my total service from both would be 25 years.

2 armies, err armed forces 2 dif countries. that is a legacy. i salute, ( even tho im not nor could i be, although i wish i could , be serving) a retired major. who served at IWO during ww2. that man deserved MUCHO respect. and he got it, from me, and from others. i was a clerk in a cstore. and a punk ass was giving him a hard time. i about lsot my job defending him. although shortly thereafter that "old man" proceeded to do what terry only wishes. ) jk terry btw) it was f%$king hilarious. and surprising ly nobody could be found as a witness to the assbeating. i "forgot to turn on the camera"[/threadjack] man thanks for teh memory. that was a day ill never forget

i was a lieutenant-commander or major in general terms.  there were times i hated every second and times i loved every moment.  but now i look back and think it was the best decision of my life. why, well it made a man of me, i became a leader and served my country in battle.   i got a great education, BSc, BBA, LLB thanks to the Navy.  now i am retired with a good pension, medical, dental all indexed at the rate of inflation.  something many people only dream of having.  if you told me when i was 18 that at 42 i would be retired with all those benefits and getting 3k a month tax free i would have thought i won the lottery.   i was a recruiter and used my career as an example.   i know of 3 that i recruited that were killed in Afghanistan and Iraq.  it saddens me but there is nothing i can do about it.  one of those young men was the son of a soldier who served with me in Bosnia.  he was shot in the chest but survived. he came to me years later when his oldest son wanted to join.  i signed him up and gave him his oath.  2 and a half years later he was killed by a roadside bomb.

Quote from: frankieG on November 03, 2008, 08:23:59 AMi know of 3 that i recruited that were killed in Afghanistan and Iraq.  it saddens me but there is nothing i can do about it. 

  That is the worst feeling in the world.

i think the only thing worse is having one done in right beside, in front or behind you.