Thoughts on the Civillian Military Divide

2013-12-15T06:21:22-05:00

The United States is a very unique nation in many regards. We are mostly a
nation of immigrants, women receive most of the new bachelor degrees, and there
is diversity beyond compare. One fascinating aspect of our nation is that it is
one of the only democracies to have never been ruled by its military in its
history. The civilian control of the military is iorntight and ingrained in the
constitution. The founding fathers were extraordinarily careful to ensure that
keeping a large standing army would be a difficult proposition for the American
government without its need for war. Yet, here we are. 

We are all the products of an extraordinary time in American history, a new
normal, if you will, in which the United States keeps over 10 divisions of
active duty combat arms troops training and on its payroll. The "sleeping
giant" of American military might is now an active world policeman, staged
to respond quickly to her interests. The sun never sets on this
"empire".

So that brings me to my first question: Should this be the new normal?
Should we maintain the infrastructure and numbers of personnel under arms?
Should we reduce it, remove OCONUS bases and return to isolationist policies?
Should we welcome other rising stars on the world stage to solve problems in their
own spheres of influence? 

Domestically, there is a different divide. We live, shop, play, pray, and
work on federal reservations. The military provides healthcare, education and
housing in parallel to their civilian equivalents, and while they may not be
perfect providers of those services, the price tag for them to the
servicememeber is hard to beat. Our incomes are guaranteed, our leadership is
clear, our next job is told to us, and the camaraderie experienced is the
metaphor others use to indicate amazing relationships. Many families have
traditions of service, my stepfather retired after 20 years, both of my
grandfathers were in the navy and my ancestry has been traced back to
participants in the battle of Bunker Hill, and while these traditions are
commendable and honorable, it separates us into an "us" and
"them" with the rest of the American people. 

We have trials and tribulations that they revere but have a hard time
relating to. Sacrifices of the highest degree, wounds seen and unseen, these
are burdens carried by stoic figures with biting humor and torturous nightmares.
Our generation has fought our nation’s longest war, and yet only a few have
actually participated. I myself on am the tail end, participating, getting my
patch, earning a stripe, but I awe at the stories told to me by my NCO mentors,
fighting for their lives hand to hand, divorcing cheating wives, reverently
collecting the remains of their fallen friends out of the dust. 

Still, we are lucky. For while our road may be hard, it is certain relative
to the turmoil the great recession has handed our countrymen. Unemployment has
stifled people’s lives, leaving them in the economic purgatory of a service
industry job. The American dream seems ever fleeting, accessible to a
decreasing few. Hard work and perseverance are no longer the only requirements
for success. 

Fundamentally, we have different problems and it can, I believe it has, lead
to a divide between the protectors and the protected. So how do we close this
gap? Should we accept it as reality, living in military towns, sending our sons
and daughters to fill our shoes when we leave? Should we outreach more than
simple recruiting? What role do veterans play in this? 

I know that this is a long post for the internet, and that I have more than
spoke my piece, but I want to know what you think. This topic means a lot to me
and I think the future of the nation as well.

Response by TSgt Phillip L. made Dec 15 at 2013 6:31 AM

2013-12-15T06:31:47-05:00

Can we operate as we have in the past? No. Can we continue to operate as we are now? No. I don't have all the answers, but the worst thing I can think of is downsizing the Garrison forces stateside. We've all seen tired equipment, tired airplanes, etc. We're experiencing tired people also. Something has to change.

Response by CSM Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 15 at 2013 9:40 AM

2013-12-15T09:40:58-05:00

Lt, Great post. The size of our military has fluctuated through out our nations existence. It will grow in times of need and decease when the threat has been reduced to a more manageable level. The divide you are discussing is something that has appeared since the end of the draft. The divide that you have witnessed is of concern but our senior military leaders are attempting to fix it. At Ft Drum, our previous CG, now LTG Milley, tasked our units to participate in any military recognition ceremony held in the North Eastern US. His thought process was to "tell our story" whenever we could. There have been many articles written about this divide from our military generation. This is a great article from Time Magazine.

http://nation.time.com/2011/11/10/an-army-apart-the-widening-military-civilian-gap/

I have been deployed a few times and when I return to see old friends or family who have never served, I feel very out of place. When I speak of selfless service to our nation, the oaths I have taken, discipline within the ranks, etc... I get the blank stares of people who do not comprehend the value of such thinks. This is exactly why we must "tell our story", join organizations that lobby for us in our nations capital (NCOA, AUSA, IAVA, VFW, etc...), write books and articles on our experiences, welcome opportunities to be guest speakers, and over all set a positive example of what true "selfless service" is. This, when executed without "over embellishment" will begin to close that gap and bring us better together as a nation. Or maybe that is my optimistic hope and desire.

An Army Apart: The Widening Military-Civilian Gap | TIME.com

The U.S. military and American society are drifting apart. It's tough inside the civilian world to discern the drift. But troops in all the military services sense it, smell it -- and talk about it. S...

Response by SGT Allison Churchill made Dec 15 at 2013 5:08 PM

2013-12-15T17:08:56-05:00

I don't think downsizing is so much a problem in and of itself as much as our government--either side--doesn't understand that creating a budget to support millions of service members and their families shouldn't be a political issue. <div> </div><div>The outpouring of support Americans had for the military after 9/11 didn't translate to paying higher taxes that would have supported the essential equipment and medical care. Creating the ACU pattern was a colossal waste of money. </div><div> </div><div>There comes a time after every spending spree when you have to pay for what you bought. Unfortunately, there just wasn't enough put aside to support the aftermath of 10+ years of war. </div>