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Please tell me that nobody finds this to be an acceptable way to joke around. I am one of the most humor filled people around, but some things are sacred to me and should not be messed with. This is one of them.
Honor Guard
Respect
Disrespect
Posted 11 y ago
Responses: 32
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It is getting so bad, I think we as SR NCOs, JR NCOs, Officers and future Leaders need to take a close look at the stupidity that we are seeing herebrothers and sisters in arms . Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen all are taking pictures of things like this and giving us all a black eye. THese things will NEVER, in todays society, be only a joke among friends. (even though this a a joke in very poor taste). With the technology today a pic you took 5 minutes ago will be all over the world in minutes. maybe even seconds. It amazes me that these knuckleheads still take distasteful pictures and post to a social media network.... Didn't we learn from Abu Graib? The Marines urinating on the dead insurgent? The ignorant young woman at the tomb of the unknowns, and most recently the SRA with the POW flag? Yes some things are sacred, like the United States Military! Everything we do while in uniform reflects our branch and the Military as a whole.
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CPT(P) (Join to see)
Thank you, CSM, for saying this. You are absolutely right.
I had an NCO that I deployed with back in 09 write me and tell me that one of his Soldiers was in that class photo, he didn't know it got posted on instagram, and he is very upset with the actions of his former classmate. His Soldier is also the only one standing at attention, like for a real professional class photo.
I told my friend to use this as a learning point for his Soldier. I hope that mentoring is taking place so these younger joes think about things before they post them. Social media IS real life!!
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SSG Daniel Rosploch
Its not just the Soldiers, though. Somewhere in that group of "kids" is an NCO, an NCO that cares more about being likeable than being the standard. If there's one thing I've learned through losing my E-5 and getting it back is that being liked by your Soldiers will only screw every one. I have more respect and more love for those NCOs that were hard on me, that lived and breathed "the standard" (even if I didn't understand the purpose of said standard) than I ever will for an NCO that tries to be friends with his/her Soldiers. Part of that mindset starts with junior NCOs being pushed hard by the next level up.
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Yet these same Soldiers are the first to complain that their COC is toxic or that their leadership is the root of the problems in the military these days. Unbelievable.<br>
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A1C Michael David Severson
Well, blame those above who are toxic, and use that as a springboard to justify bad behavior when they do wrong, and are called on it.
For us older folks that remember the famous line by Flip Wilson, "The devil made me do it!," we all laughed, knowing the truth back then. Such an excuse was funny, but we still kept our bearing in real life that we are responsible for ourselves.
Now we have descended into professional victimhood, nobody will take blame for anything, and living up to a substandard rule of morals and ethics rots the core of not only the military ranks, but civilization as a whole.
History is replete with anecdotal evidence of empires falling apart from within, rather than without. You can see this in both sacred and secular writings.
The Greek and Roman armies were among the most advanced in terms of strategic and tactical warfare in their time. In the end, both empires fell not from failure of their militias per se, but from a national corruption that bled across all fabric and strata of their societies.
The Dark Ages after the fall of Rome demonstrates recent history very well. I shudder at the thought that our society would be repeating history that these other great empires and peoples experienced.
However, if we do not stand for anything, we will fall for everything our hungry eyes desire. If the military, which has been the most maligned segment of society in the eyes of many over time, becomes the last bastion of morals, decency, honor, respect, courtesy, etc., then let us bear the brunt of any reproach with our heads up, unflinching and unapologetic for our standards.
We just might end up being the last great example of all things virtuous to our nation, if our nation's soul continues its downward spiral.
Each of us can make a difference, and collectively, a great impact on the soul of our nation. But it must start with us. We can gripe here, and express our dismay.
However, if we do not make our words productive in creating good fruit with the influence of our daily living, we are just breaking a lot of wind, instead of giving birth to something substantial...
Let's roll people!
MD AKA Doc... :-)
For us older folks that remember the famous line by Flip Wilson, "The devil made me do it!," we all laughed, knowing the truth back then. Such an excuse was funny, but we still kept our bearing in real life that we are responsible for ourselves.
Now we have descended into professional victimhood, nobody will take blame for anything, and living up to a substandard rule of morals and ethics rots the core of not only the military ranks, but civilization as a whole.
History is replete with anecdotal evidence of empires falling apart from within, rather than without. You can see this in both sacred and secular writings.
The Greek and Roman armies were among the most advanced in terms of strategic and tactical warfare in their time. In the end, both empires fell not from failure of their militias per se, but from a national corruption that bled across all fabric and strata of their societies.
The Dark Ages after the fall of Rome demonstrates recent history very well. I shudder at the thought that our society would be repeating history that these other great empires and peoples experienced.
However, if we do not stand for anything, we will fall for everything our hungry eyes desire. If the military, which has been the most maligned segment of society in the eyes of many over time, becomes the last bastion of morals, decency, honor, respect, courtesy, etc., then let us bear the brunt of any reproach with our heads up, unflinching and unapologetic for our standards.
We just might end up being the last great example of all things virtuous to our nation, if our nation's soul continues its downward spiral.
Each of us can make a difference, and collectively, a great impact on the soul of our nation. But it must start with us. We can gripe here, and express our dismay.
However, if we do not make our words productive in creating good fruit with the influence of our daily living, we are just breaking a lot of wind, instead of giving birth to something substantial...
Let's roll people!
MD AKA Doc... :-)
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SSG (Join to see)
A1C Michael David Severson You said "The Greek and Roman armies were among the most advanced in terms of strategic and tactical warfare in their time. In the end, both empires fell not from failure of their militias per se, but from a national corruption that bled across all fabric and strata of their societies."
I've heard this before but I always wondered why people thought this way. When do you perceive the Roman empire as having fallen. The Eastern Roman Empire didn't actually fall until 1453, you could be referring to the split between Eastern and Western Empires that took place around 285 or the Western Empire which eventually became the Holy Roman Empire.
I've heard this before but I always wondered why people thought this way. When do you perceive the Roman empire as having fallen. The Eastern Roman Empire didn't actually fall until 1453, you could be referring to the split between Eastern and Western Empires that took place around 285 or the Western Empire which eventually became the Holy Roman Empire.
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On a side note, for those of you referring to funeral honors as 'funeral detail', I ask you to think about the meaning of what you are saying. I can tell you believe they are honors, so refer to them as such. A detail is something boring, menial (and yes, sometimes necessary), but not something you necessarily feel honored to do. Anything involving the fallen, and the flag, should always be referred to as 'honors', because they are an absolute honor to be a part of. <div><br></div><div>Just my opinion, but I learned this a decade ago at AIT, when I was the student 1SG and giving the report to 1SG-actual. He stopped me when I said 'X amount of Soldiers on flag detail' and asked me if I thought that working with the flag was an honor. I said, yes of course, 1SG! He told me to always refer to it as such, because others pay attention, and it shows how we feel about it. That has always stuck with me. </div>
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A1C Michael David Severson
Honor is an inexorable element as a member of the Armed Services, regardless of branch. Every effort should reflect that, you brought that to light quite well!!
Back in my day, we had the credo, "Death before Dishonor!" Better to be the honored dead, than a disgraced malefactor.
Back in my day, we had the credo, "Death before Dishonor!" Better to be the honored dead, than a disgraced malefactor.
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