Thank You For Your Service: Republican Edition

[Alcoholic Actuary]

Lots of people enter the military because they have a bit of a jarhead mentality. Lots do it because it's employment and they got nothing else. In my case it was a little of both. That time in the service certainly paid off over the years and is still paying off. I don't regret having done it but got out after my enlistment was up because I knew it wasn't for me.

What branch were you?
I've been discussing this with some folks I know either in the military or who know a lot of people in the military, and that discussion lead down a path of how Air Force and Navy feel like a bit of a different animal, since you can join either of those and have a fairly safe bet that you're never going to see any combat.
Which seems rather distinctly different from Army/Marines, where you pretty much definitely are if there's a significant military operation going on.

Army. Air Defense Artillery specifically, Improved Hawk, which was the precursor to Patriot. Never got out of country. It was a peacetime army for me.

So then as someone who was in the service, was I completely off?
I listed two reasons that "a large number" of people join the military for, and was called a bigot for the suggestion.

As someone who's been around military folks, what's your call - unfounded bigotry, or not inaccurate?

Not responding for Moogly, but there are many more facets to this. I would agree that many enlisted soldiers fall into these camps, and unfortunately, recruiters take advantage of this mindset. But is also difficult to advance from enlisted into higher ranks unless you demonstrate leadership, proficiency, dedication, empathy, intellect, creativity, as well as order.

Furthermore, there are several other levels and considerations to this: Non-Commissioned officers, Officers, Warrant Officers - people who mostly want the military to run right and not have to deal with politics at all. There are also several motivations, like pride in family occupation, college tuition (academies and ROTC), and most importantly the motivation that they want to be a part of something that makes the world a better place.

aa

 

[Cheerful Charlie]

And now, for some reason, the U.S. military is having problems recruiting personel. How about that. The U.S. does not adequately support wounded or ill military members who get ill during service. We have the problems of sexual harassment and rape that plagues the military. That just cannot do anything effective about that. And harassment of secular personel by aggressive religious cranks high up in the military command. And low quality living standards for military personel. Bad drinking water at camp Lejuene. Who in their right mind would want to have anything to do with the U.S. military as it is run today?

 

[ZiprHead]

Lots of people enter the military because they have a bit of a jarhead mentality. Lots do it because it's employment and they got nothing else. In my case it was a little of both. That time in the service certainly paid off over the years and is still paying off. I don't regret having done it but got out after my enlistment was up because I knew it wasn't for me.

What branch were you?
I've been discussing this with some folks I know either in the military or who know a lot of people in the military, and that discussion lead down a path of how Air Force and Navy feel like a bit of a different animal, since you can join either of those and have a fairly safe bet that you're never going to see any combat.
Which seems rather distinctly different from Army/Marines, where you pretty much definitely are if there's a significant military operation going on.

Both my older brothers joined the Navy to avoid getting drafted into the Army during the Vietnam war.

One of them ended up being a Medical Corpsman in a Marine unit, got shot and exposed to Agent Orange.

Alrighty then, so maybe not.

He then made the mistake of joining the National Guard for money for schooling and did two tours in the first Iraq war.

Remember the Highway Of Death? He brought back a stack of Polaroids of very crispy Iraqis from there.

 

[Gospel]

And now, for some reason, the U.S. military is having problems recruiting personel. How about that. The U.S. does not adequately support wounded or ill military members who get ill during service. We have the problems of sexual harassment and rape that plagues the military. That just cannot do anything effective about that. And harassment of secular personel by aggressive religious cranks high up in the military command. And low quality living standards for military personel. Bad drinking water at camp Lejuene. Who in their right mind would want to have anything to do with the U.S. military as it is run today?

Another factor is the cattle now have more access to actual American history (VIA the Internet) than propaganda. Maybe some folks just don't like how America has conducted itself abroad and rather not be cannon fodder for some dude with daddy issues.

 

[T.G.G. Moogly]

As someone who's been around military folks, what's your call - unfounded bigotry, or not inaccurate?

I'm going with not inaccurate. Definitely sounds right from my experience.

 

[Cheerful Charlie]

Lots of people have had bad experiences in the U.S. military. If some young woman asks a female veteran who raped by a fellow soldier if joining the military was a good idea, you can easily guess the results. Tonight, the Senate is going to try again on a burn pits bill. Maybe the bad publicity of the last few days will cause a few GOP clowns to do their job.

 

[Politesse]

The bill has passed the Senate:

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/02/us/politics/senate-burn-pits-veterans.html

The bill had drawn broad support on Capitol Hill, but just as it was expected to clear the Senate last week, Republicans in the chamber abruptly withdrew their backing, insisting that Democrats allow them a chance to limit the funding available to treat veterans.

The bill would provide guaranteed funding for treating veterans exposed to toxins by setting up a dedicated fund that would not be subject to the annual congressional spending process. Senator Patrick J. Toomey, Republican of Pennsylvania, warned that the measure was written in a way that could allow for immense new spending unrelated to veterans’ care.

Mr. Toomey tried and failed to cap the amount of money that could be put into the fund every year, a move that Denis McDonough, the secretary of veterans affairs, had warned could lead to “rationing of care for vets.”

Mr. Toomey also proposed shifting the fund for treating veterans into so-called discretionary spending after a decade, meaning that the Department of Veterans Affairs would have to request funding each year. That would subject the funding to Congress’s approval and the annual partisan spending battles on Capitol Hill, rather than having it guaranteed.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

Mostly for me too, although we did go to Bosnia for peacekeeping. Certain MOS' get an almost automatic VA disability for hearing loss and tinnitus - Artillery, ADA, and Armor/Cavalry qualify for 10% disability. I was Cav and get a modest monthly stipend, but the back pay was generous. And benefits with at least a 10% disability are tremendous. My kids can go to any state school in CA tuition free (UCLA, UCSD, UCSB, Cal Berkley) - they just have to get in. If you haven't already, look into it.

And for the Judge Judys out there, I actually do have tinnitus. I can't sit in silence; I have to turn on the TV or listen to music or have a sound machine on to sleep. Among other surgeries I've had I'm 40% disabled.

aa

I would have thought the tank gun noise would be mostly outside. I'm not surprised at anyone around big guns having hearing loss, though.

 

[Patooka]

To add a bit of context, here's the wiki article on who John Feal is.

 

[TV and credit cards]

.

Mostly for me too, although we did go to Bosnia for peacekeeping. Certain MOS' get an almost automatic VA disability for hearing loss and tinnitus - Artillery, ADA, and Armor/Cavalry qualify for 10% disability. I was Cav and get a modest monthly stipend, but the back pay was generous. And benefits with at least a 10% disability are tremendous. My kids can go to any state school in CA tuition free (UCLA, UCSD, UCSB, Cal Berkley) - they just have to get in. If you haven't already, look into it.

And for the Judge Judys out there, I actually do have tinnitus. I can't sit in silence; I have to turn on the TV or listen to music or have a sound machine on to sleep. Among other surgeries I've had I'm 40% disabled.

aa

I would have thought the tank gun noise would be mostly outside. I'm not surprised at anyone around big guns having hearing loss, though.

I would guess it’s still fairly loud.
On my first ship, my berthing compartment was directly under the forward 5”54 gun mount. On my first WestPac cruise, we picked up a new captain on the way home. Well he just loved to shoot his guns. It’s frickin’ loud. Every day for about two weeks. Thing was, we in that berthing compartment were all on a six on/six off bridge watch rotation. So when you’re not on watch, you’re mostly trying to sleep. There is no work day. Just sleeping and watchstanding.
It’s amazing what you’ll sleep through when you have to. Boom! Awake for three seconds. Back asleep. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

Presumptive coverage:
https://www.va.gov/resources/the-pact-act-and-your-va-benefits/

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

The bill has passed the Senate:

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/02/us/politics/senate-burn-pits-veterans.html

The bill had drawn broad support on Capitol Hill, but just as it was expected to clear the Senate last week, Republicans in the chamber abruptly withdrew their backing, insisting that Democrats allow them a chance to limit the funding available to treat veterans.

The bill would provide guaranteed funding for treating veterans exposed to toxins by setting up a dedicated fund that would not be subject to the annual congressional spending process. Senator Patrick J. Toomey, Republican of Pennsylvania, warned that the measure was written in a way that could allow for immense new spending unrelated to veterans’ care.

Mr. Toomey tried and failed to cap the amount of money that could be put into the fund every year, a move that Denis McDonough, the secretary of veterans affairs, had warned could lead to “rationing of care for vets.”

Mr. Toomey also proposed shifting the fund for treating veterans into so-called discretionary spending after a decade, meaning that the Department of Veterans Affairs would have to request funding each year. That would subject the funding to Congress’s approval and the annual partisan spending battles on Capitol Hill, rather than having it guaranteed.

Sen. McConnell and the GOP didn't like that Sen. Schumer and Sen. Manchin fucked them over. He wants to be the only one able to screw over his opponents. With time passing, the rage died off, and they passed the bill when the public and Vets made it certain they didn't give a fuck how the GOP felt about their trust being fucked over.

 

[Alcoholic Actuary]

Mostly for me too, although we did go to Bosnia for peacekeeping. Certain MOS' get an almost automatic VA disability for hearing loss and tinnitus - Artillery, ADA, and Armor/Cavalry qualify for 10% disability. I was Cav and get a modest monthly stipend, but the back pay was generous. And benefits with at least a 10% disability are tremendous. My kids can go to any state school in CA tuition free (UCLA, UCSD, UCSB, Cal Berkley) - they just have to get in. If you haven't already, look into it.

And for the Judge Judys out there, I actually do have tinnitus. I can't sit in silence; I have to turn on the TV or listen to music or have a sound machine on to sleep. Among other surgeries I've had I'm 40% disabled.

aa

I would have thought the tank gun noise would be mostly outside. I'm not surprised at anyone around big guns having hearing loss, though.

The breach is inside the turret, that's where the explosion happens. It's louder outside but the noise is everywhere. And I was usually up out of the turret during gunnery.

aa

 

[Loren Pechtel]

Mostly for me too, although we did go to Bosnia for peacekeeping. Certain MOS' get an almost automatic VA disability for hearing loss and tinnitus - Artillery, ADA, and Armor/Cavalry qualify for 10% disability. I was Cav and get a modest monthly stipend, but the back pay was generous. And benefits with at least a 10% disability are tremendous. My kids can go to any state school in CA tuition free (UCLA, UCSD, UCSB, Cal Berkley) - they just have to get in. If you haven't already, look into it.

And for the Judge Judys out there, I actually do have tinnitus. I can't sit in silence; I have to turn on the TV or listen to music or have a sound machine on to sleep. Among other surgeries I've had I'm 40% disabled.

aa

I would have thought the tank gun noise would be mostly outside. I'm not surprised at anyone around big guns having hearing loss, though.

The breach is inside the turret, that's where the explosion happens. It's louder outside but the noise is everywhere. And I was usually up out of the turret during gunnery.

aa

I would have thought most of the sound came through the air, not through the metal.

 

[Jarhyn]

Mostly for me too, although we did go to Bosnia for peacekeeping. Certain MOS' get an almost automatic VA disability for hearing loss and tinnitus - Artillery, ADA, and Armor/Cavalry qualify for 10% disability. I was Cav and get a modest monthly stipend, but the back pay was generous. And benefits with at least a 10% disability are tremendous. My kids can go to any state school in CA tuition free (UCLA, UCSD, UCSB, Cal Berkley) - they just have to get in. If you haven't already, look into it.

And for the Judge Judys out there, I actually do have tinnitus. I can't sit in silence; I have to turn on the TV or listen to music or have a sound machine on to sleep. Among other surgeries I've had I'm 40% disabled.

aa

I would have thought the tank gun noise would be mostly outside. I'm not surprised at anyone around big guns having hearing loss, though.

The breach is inside the turret, that's where the explosion happens. It's louder outside but the noise is everywhere. And I was usually up out of the turret during gunnery.

aa

I would have thought most of the sound came through the air, not through the metal.

Lolno, rigid bodies transmit sound so much more readily. You can hear a train miles off through the steel of the tracks, even if you don't hear shit in the air.

 

[Alcoholic Actuary]

Mostly for me too, although we did go to Bosnia for peacekeeping. Certain MOS' get an almost automatic VA disability for hearing loss and tinnitus - Artillery, ADA, and Armor/Cavalry qualify for 10% disability. I was Cav and get a modest monthly stipend, but the back pay was generous. And benefits with at least a 10% disability are tremendous. My kids can go to any state school in CA tuition free (UCLA, UCSD, UCSB, Cal Berkley) - they just have to get in. If you haven't already, look into it.

And for the Judge Judys out there, I actually do have tinnitus. I can't sit in silence; I have to turn on the TV or listen to music or have a sound machine on to sleep. Among other surgeries I've had I'm 40% disabled.

aa

I would have thought the tank gun noise would be mostly outside. I'm not surprised at anyone around big guns having hearing loss, though.

The breach is inside the turret, that's where the explosion happens. It's louder outside but the noise is everywhere. And I was usually up out of the turret during gunnery.

aa

I would have thought most of the sound came through the air, not through the metal.

Lolno, rigid bodies transmit sound so much more readily. You can hear a train miles off through the steel of the tracks, even if you don't hear shit in the air.

And that's the other thing. M1A2 uses a jet engine at a high pitch volume. Makes it difficult to detect from distance (usually hear the tracks creaking before the engine), but if you're in one - it sounds like I'm in a tank all the time now, high pitch whine.

Finally, tank armor is not 'metal' per se. I once threw track on an outside support wheel and the track pad connectors ate into a front armor skirt bad enough to expose the 'metal'. My entire crew and I had to sign NDAs from the regimental R2 (intelligence) that we wouldn't disclose what we saw. Although, I agree that 'whatever material', it would carry sound better than air.

aa

 

[Jarhyn]

Mostly for me too, although we did go to Bosnia for peacekeeping. Certain MOS' get an almost automatic VA disability for hearing loss and tinnitus - Artillery, ADA, and Armor/Cavalry qualify for 10% disability. I was Cav and get a modest monthly stipend, but the back pay was generous. And benefits with at least a 10% disability are tremendous. My kids can go to any state school in CA tuition free (UCLA, UCSD, UCSB, Cal Berkley) - they just have to get in. If you haven't already, look into it.

And for the Judge Judys out there, I actually do have tinnitus. I can't sit in silence; I have to turn on the TV or listen to music or have a sound machine on to sleep. Among other surgeries I've had I'm 40% disabled.

aa

I would have thought the tank gun noise would be mostly outside. I'm not surprised at anyone around big guns having hearing loss, though.

The breach is inside the turret, that's where the explosion happens. It's louder outside but the noise is everywhere. And I was usually up out of the turret during gunnery.

aa

I would have thought most of the sound came through the air, not through the metal.

Lolno, rigid bodies transmit sound so much more readily. You can hear a train miles off through the steel of the tracks, even if you don't hear shit in the air.

And that's the other thing. M1A2 uses a jet engine at a high pitch volume. Makes it difficult to detect from distance (usually hear the tracks creaking before the engine), but if you're in one - it sounds like I'm in a tank all the time now, high pitch whine.

Finally, tank armor is not 'metal' per se. I once threw track on an outside support wheel and the track pad connectors ate into a front armor skirt bad enough to expose the 'metal'. My entire crew and I had to sign NDAs from the regimental R2 (intelligence) that we wouldn't disclose what we saw. Although, I agree that 'whatever material', it would carry sound better than air.

aa

Ugh...

Fixing thrown track and replacing tracks has to be the absolute most onerous bullshit I ever ended up doing.

*Hugs* *supplies alcohol*

 

[Loren Pechtel]

I would have thought most of the sound came through the air, not through the metal.

Lolno, rigid bodies transmit sound so much more readily. You can hear a train miles off through the steel of the tracks, even if you don't hear shit in the air.

But doesn't most of the sound reflect back off the metal-air interface?

 

[Jarhyn]

I would have thought most of the sound came through the air, not through the metal.

Lolno, rigid bodies transmit sound so much more readily. You can hear a train miles off through the steel of the tracks, even if you don't hear shit in the air.

But doesn't most of the sound reflect back off the metal-air interface?

When you're inside the can, and there's only other fluid interface, my expectation is that the superstructure would ring like a bell echoing it into the cabins across most of the ship.

There's probably something done for mitigation, but you can only do so much with that much force.

 

[ZiprHead]

JFC, Lindsey.

Yes, I confirmed. He did say it.

The pro-life party for you.