Posted on Jun 10, 2015
CPT Company Commander
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Angry civilian
I love the Havoc Journal. They are one of the few entities that will call out soldiers and vets. They are soldiers and vets themselves. Sometimes it has to be done.

But I can say that even in Rallypoint I have seen this occur. We have so many internet bad asses they are quick to say how they were so much better. I know I am a LT but just about every time I have been one upped or called out I have been in the military longer than the other person trying to call me out. I am not saying that I not subject to be questioned but the next time a guy tries to say anything when they never deployed or were combat arms about how should an infantry officer perform in combat I just may go nuclear.

Now, I appreciate many vets here. I hold Vietnam Veterans in a category far above my own. In addition I hold members of the Special Operations Community also in high regard. The one time I was in the company of one of the Merrill's Marauders you would have thought I was a pauper in the presence of a King. To me I will never be able to achieve their greatness because I have such great respect for them.

Now in the veteran community we are seeing how everyone is special. Don’t you dare say that a National Guard Truck Driver is anything less than the Rangers at Point De’Hoc. No one is saying that anyone is less but we have some vets that are greater than others. We do it in the military. Some guys get Medals of Honor, Silver Stars, and Service Crosses. I have done some wild stuff but I will be first to say it wasn’t on par with soldiers like SFC Paul Ray Smith. Sorry, but some of us aren't that special. I will tell you that there are many of you that have done more than me and there are some that haven't. That is fine. I am not in competition with any other here. But when a "Vet" judges another vet for a comment it blows my mind. I have seen a soldier with no combat experience that was Combat Service Support tell an Infantryman with multiple deployments that he doesn't know what he is talking about and that he wouldn't be a good leader. The guy calling out him out was a lower enlisted soldier about less years in than fingers on one hand. Or guys that tell a Special Forces soldier that he doesn’t understand what he is talking about when it comes to war in Afghanistan.

If you have to prove that you are better than another Vet or try to one up one then you might be the new "Blue Falcon." The worst are the ones that try to one up another by making something up. The ones that when you tell them you were in Iraq for the invasion they will tell you that the movie "Jar Head" was based on their experience in Desert Storm. But hey, if that is what gets you by then you deserve the Blue Falcon Medal with a “CawCaw” device for badassery.
Posted in these groups: Blue falcon batch1 Blue Falcon
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MAJ Ken Landgren
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There are some members of the Veteran Community who will ridicule other veterans by taking a small bit of information and extrapolate it into a big assumption. An example is my son never got PTSD, so why should you get it?

The others thrive on self importance and I assume this is their only shtick in life. They will bend the truth and make acrimonious statements against other veterans, so they sound like it is appropriate to breath rarified air.

Then we have the inter-war veterans who behave in a manner of an old sage who knows how to compare wars and makes boastful statements their war was more vicious and important.

The one aspect many narcissistic veterans fail to see is, we all bleed red.
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CPT Company Commander
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very well stated.
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LCDR Sales & Proposals Manager Gas Turbine Products
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As usual, excellent post, Major!
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SFC Mark Merino
SFC Mark Merino
9 y
I can't stand comments like "At least he brought back all his people. That's a testament to his leadership." I know they mean well but I can't let that slide.....EVER. I've gotten a lot better at explaining how that sounds to us 'POS' leaders who can't be as awesome a they are. (massive sarcasm implied)
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MAJ Jim Woods
MAJ Jim Woods
9 y
AMEN!
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MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca
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Edited >1 y ago
I think you raise some very valid points Eric. Thanks for posting this article. I think we all at some point have tried to one up or prove we were as good or better than another relevant to our status as SMs and vets. I know there are many NG/Reserve vs. AD discussions where this has relevance. There are also some posts about who should be called a veteran that I have personally participated in and have found my attitude adjusted by. IMHO, A lot has to do with context as well as attitude.

You can't go into a discussion here or anywhere with a closed mind because then everyone thinks you're grinding your agenda axe. You have to be willing to listen to the points of view of others otherwise you'll find your self ostracized, somewhat intentionally, because people don't want to hear "I'm right and you're wrong" for having an opinion.

You have to have a clue about what you're discussing and what it relates to. Yes we've all misfired in a post, gotten facts wrong or not understood exactly how or why the question was asked the way it was. A responsible participant will get clarification and interact with others to get into the context of the discussion and how it relates to them.

RallPoint is a team building exercise, like others we've all been through. No one should think they are better than another person and post content to that affect as it discourages meaningful conversation. Technically it would be considered cyber bullying and I'd venture to say we don't want that here because there is plenty of it elsewhere.
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CPT Company Commander
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I like how you say it is a Team Building exercise. The other day I had a PFC say I was wrong in relation to what I was saying. He was professional about it. I looked it up and I was wrong. I thanked him for it. Sometimes you do that and you unleash hell.
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1LT William Clardy
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CPT (Join to see), you are not just "a LT", you are *THAT* LT. You are indeed special.

I salute you...
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1LT William Clardy
1LT William Clardy
>1 y
Demented minds think alike, SFC William Swartz Jr...
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SFC William Swartz Jr
SFC William Swartz Jr
>1 y
It would appear so!! lol
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SSG Sean Thoman
SSG Sean Thoman
>1 y
Future Cav Scout School Bus...just saying there with brotherly love SFC William Swartz Jr and is the Porky Pig BBQ still in business (best place to eat in PC.)
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SFC William Swartz Jr
SFC William Swartz Jr
>1 y
I haven't seen Porky Pig BBQ, so it may not be...and as a Tanker, lol, I feel the same about Scouts!!!
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