Are we going to war?

[*Nately120*]

(07-18-2023, 10:44 AM)GMDino Wrote: And to add to this I have to laugh at the "this generation is lazy, weak, blah blah blah".  

In general every generation thinks the one before was stupid and the one after it isn't as good as they are.

These kids are weak or lazy...they are different.  They have a different life experience than we did or our parents did.  They had had the benefit of the internet their entire lives and can see what happens outside the bubble of their neighborhood/family.

I know kids who have signed up for the military, joined the police, protested guns, became involved with politics at an earlier age that we did...they are all over the map.  Just like we were.

And maybe, just maybe, if WE could break the pattern of "these kids don't know how hard I had it" and just let them fix the problems that made it hard, then maybe we'd have a better country and a better world.

Being an older American requires that you talk about how everything was awesome back in the good old days when you grew up but you simultaneously had it harder than young people who are growing up now in times that suck but they also somehow have it too good and their lives are too easy. 

Every generation graduates into adopting this mindset. I call it the wisdumb of the aged. 

[Dill]

(07-18-2023, 10:49 AM)Nately120 Wrote: Being an older American requires that you talk about how everything was awesome back in the good old days when you grew up but you simultaneously had it harder than young people who are growing up now in times that suck but they also somehow have it too good and their lives are too easy. 

Every generation graduates into adopting this mindset. I call it the wisdumb of the aged. 

I dunno. My parents grew up in the depression, and wwii, when the existence of the U.S. was at stake.  

They did have it harder than I. Plus they never had tv.

School standards were tougher when I was in public schools, easier for generations after me. 
Farm work is a lot easier now than it was for my generation. So is boot camp for Army and Marines.

But future prospects have dimmed for every generation since, I think. 

[basballguy]

(07-18-2023, 08:08 AM)pally Wrote: 8) multi generational non military families-the elimination of the draft and no major conflicts means today’s kids often don’t have a parent or even a grandparent who served. Following in a parent’s footsteps is common in military families

I wonder if it's actually common in military families anymore.  

"I served so you don't have to"

Can't tell you how many times me and my friends heard that from our parents when growing up.  We were trained to NOT follow in our parents footsteps lol.  

[HarleyDog]

(07-18-2023, 03:45 PM)Dill Wrote: I dunno. My parents grew up in the depression, and wwii, when the existence of the U.S. was at stake.  

They did have it harder than I. Plus they never had tv.

School standards were tougher when I was in public schools, easier for generations after me. 
Farm work is a lot easier now than it was for my generation. So is boot camp for Army and Marines.

But future prospects have dimmed for every generation since, I think. 

It's no doubt every generation has it harder than the one after. Technology and inventions guarantee this trend continues. I would say attitude and discipline is a driving factor as to why people also find issues with the younger generations. Well, that and the fact many people don't like change.

[Dill]

(07-18-2023, 09:43 AM)Nately120 Wrote: Additionally, the military is trying to recruit younger people, but politicians treat it as a literal facet of the republican party which markets itself towards mostly older white people.

Younger generations are more diverse and liberal, yet the political party associated with the army is speaking to and marketing itself towards retired white people. The Bush Kerry election was where I noticed the military become a Republican thing.  A democrat with 4 purple hearts was seen as being anti military or weak because the R was more important than the resume. 

Perception isn't everything, but I can see why the job path Trump and his supporters want you to take doesn't instantly appeal to gen z any more than going to a woke liberal arts college appeals to  conservative youth. Lines have been drawn yet again.

10 years ago or so Army commercials seemed oriented towards mechanically inclined and outdoorsy types. "Be an Army of one" and jumping out of helicopters before breakfast. Marines still have "we run towards danger" commercials. (Pretty sure Kyle Rittenhouse watched some of those.)

I think they are addressing the kind of person most likely to succeed in those branches. Military service, ground pounding at least, is seriously not meant for everyone.  

We have a relatively small military for the size of our population. 18 year olds today have rather different stance towards authority and country than they did in 1941 or 1950. Probably a lot of that can be explained by the effects of depression and world war on values and opportunities, as opposed to effects of television, the I-phone and social media and no serious existential threat to the nation. I think it better to compare generations in terms of the social forces conditioning their values and choices rather than treating them as an aggregate of unique individuals who just made a personal choice to be "tough and hard working" or "soft and lazy." Give my parents 18 years of television and no farm chores and they'd have been just as soft as I. 

[Dill]

(07-18-2023, 04:03 PM)HarleyDog Wrote: It's no doubt every generation has it harder than the one after. Technology and inventions guarantee this trend continues. I would say attitude and discipline is a driving factor as to why people also find issues with the younger generations. Well, that and the fact many people don't like change.

Not easier?

[HarleyDog]

(07-18-2023, 04:21 PM)Dill Wrote: Not easier?

The older has it harder than the younger.

[*Nately120*]

(07-18-2023, 03:59 PM)basballguy Wrote: I wonder if it's actually common in military families anymore.  

"I served so you don't have to"

Can't tell you how many times me and my friends heard that from our parents when growing up.  We were trained to NOT follow in our parents footsteps lol.  

That's what my ol man would say to me. He was drafted and so was his ol man. 

[basballguy]

(07-18-2023, 04:03 PM)HarleyDog Wrote: Well, that and the fact many people don't like change.

Yep.

[*Nately120*]

(07-18-2023, 04:24 PM)HarleyDog Wrote: The older has it harder than the younger.

So why are old people always talking about the good old days and trying to turn this country back 50+ years?

[HarleyDog]

(07-18-2023, 04:30 PM)Nately120 Wrote: So why are old people always talking about the good old days and trying to turn this country back 50+ years?

Because we understood the rules back then. I hate technology in the sense that I can't keep up with it. I enjoy privacy. People today want to slap everything on FB. I enjoyed a simpler time. I think that's what many miss, but I could be wrong. I had a lot of fun as a kid and as a young adult. 

[*Synric*]

They also brought back retirees to help build more Stinger Missiles.

https://www.newsweek.com/russia-ukraine-raytheon-stinger-missiles-1810291

[*Nately120*]

(07-18-2023, 04:42 PM)HarleyDog Wrote: Because we understood the rules back then. I hate technology in the sense that I can't keep up with it. I enjoy privacy. People today want to slap everything on FB. I enjoyed a simpler time. I think that's what many miss, but I could be wrong. I had a lot of fun as a kid and as a young adult. 

This is what intrigues me. By your perception you had the advantage of being born in better times, so why the animosity towards younger generations who missed out on that?

I think putting stuff on Facebook is new-ish, but it's just a new tech spin on the age old "keeping up with the joneses" cliche.

[Dill]

(07-18-2023, 04:24 PM)HarleyDog Wrote: The older has it harder than the younger.

Yes. Didn't understand the first time I read it. 

[HarleyDog]

(07-19-2023, 08:13 AM)Nately120 Wrote: This is what intrigues me. By your perception you had the advantage of being born in better times, so why the animosity towards younger generations who missed out on that?

I think putting stuff on Facebook is new-ish, but it's just a new tech spin on the age old "keeping up with the joneses" cliche.

If you drop a kid from today into the 60's, he/she would probably think it was the worst thing ever. 

I don't think I said I had animosity towards the younger generation. Only their attitude and discipline were lacking. 

[GMDino]

(07-18-2023, 04:42 PM)HarleyDog Wrote: Because we understood the rules back then. I hate technology in the sense that I can't keep up with it. I enjoy privacy. People today want to slap everything on FB. I enjoyed a simpler time. I think that's what many miss, but I could be wrong. I had a lot of fun as a kid and as a young adult. 

What "rules"?

[*Nately120*]

(07-19-2023, 09:24 AM)HarleyDog Wrote: If you drop a kid from today into the 60's, he/she would probably think it was the worst thing ever. 

I don't think I said I had animosity towards the younger generation. Only their attitude and discipline were lacking. 

So if you could wave a magic wand and have been born in any year, what would you choose?

[*bengalfan74*]

(07-15-2023, 02:58 PM)HarleyDog Wrote: My service was 4active, 4 inactive, during which I was recalled. Service requirements are not the same. I think it is based on MOS and cost of training put towards an individual which determines length of service. Some may only have a 2 year active commitment (that may be requirements for drafted individuals). Also, I think the total commitment active/inactive = 8yrs. I’m not 100% certain, but I think it’s correct if not close.

This recall is most likely due to readiness, since our numbers are down. If you start seeing large deployments or buildup of troops with the recall, then yes, we are likely preparing for war.

I have no idea if it's still true? Everything has changed lately, understatement of the century huh? But it used to be all "regular" enlistments were for 8 years. 4 active 4 inactive reserve. I'm no expert on this but I believe you could also sign up in certain MOS's and such for 6 years, 2 regular active, 2 active reserve (the weekend warriors) and 2 inactive reserve.

But yes I believe a war of some type, somewhere, is on the horizon. Just too much crap going on! The tipping point is probably really close. 

[*bengalfan74*]

(07-19-2023, 09:24 AM)HarleyDog Wrote: If you drop a kid from today into the 60's, he/she would probably think it was the worst thing ever. 

I don't think I said I had animosity towards the younger generation. Only their attitude and discipline were lacking. 

We still had innocence, kids today are robbed of all of that. I feel sorry for them.

[HarleyDog]

(07-19-2023, 09:30 AM)GMDino Wrote: What "rules"?

Knowing what was expected of us.