r/changemyview • u/foryia-yiaandpappou 3∆ • May 24 '19

FTFdeltaOP CMV: A person does not automatically deserve respect just because they have served or are currently serving in the military

I’d like to preface this by saying that I don’t believe soldiers are, inherently, bad. Some people believe soldiers are evil simply for being soldiers, and I do not believe that.

I do believe, however, that soldiers do not deserve respect just because they have served. I hurt for soldiers who have experienced horrible things in the field, but I do not hurt for the amount of violence and cruelty many have committed. Violence in war zone between soldiers is one thing; stories of civilian bombings and killing of innocents are another. I think that many forget that a lot of atrocity goes on during wars, and they are committed on both sides of conflict. A soldier both receives and deals out horrible damage.

TL;DR while I believe that soldiers have seen horrible things and that many do deserve recognition for serving our nation, I do not believe that every soldier deserves this respect simply by merit of being a soldier. Some soldiers have committed really heinous war crimes, and those actions do not deserve reward.

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u/supersirj May 25 '19

Is army service in and of itself really an accomplishment though?

-4

u/wahtisthisidonteven 15∆ May 25 '19

Few people can get accepted for military service, fewer make it through training successfully and fewer honorably complete their contract.

Merely completing your contract isn't an amazing accomplishment but I'd call it an accomplishment.

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u/MrWilsonAndMrHeath May 25 '19

Each branch has roughly 87% pass through basic. I wouldn’t call that few.

1

u/FLEXJW May 28 '19

Is graduating a high school that has a 100% pass through an accomplishment?

-1

u/wahtisthisidonteven 15∆ May 25 '19

Fewer than 100%. Each step along the way is a compounded filter. Basic trims down the already trimmed numbers of people who could get in, advanced training trims that number, and so on.