My roommate says civilians OWE HIM because he's a marine

[guids]

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guids,

Of course the "armed forces overall" do. After all, You need a high school degree and get free college ride. You're choosing the wrong data set to look at; a more appropriate selection would be people who are just enlisting in the military.

I imagine there are plenty of reasons for enlisting in the military, including legacy reasons, benefits, and a love for the military. Most people do something because it's beneficial to themselves, whether or not it helps other people. I'm sure a few enlist just for the good of the country, but I think it's idealistic to think most people in the military join out of a desire to protect the country, especially in times of peace, or in the National Guard.

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The data came from a survery of new enlistees in 2003, sorry I should have made that clear. I really hate the stance that a lot of liberals have ....

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And I stopped reading here.

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Why did you stop reading? Do you think any conservatives take this stance? I dont. Just becuase you people are wrong, doesnt mean you should just stop learning.

[guids]

Counterpoint to what? I dont know what you are talkign about.

[zac7179]

I don't care what I have done sense I have been in but no one owes me anything. It is my job to do it. Done over with. Anyone who says otherwise is a moron and a [censored]. He has no idea what it really means to put on a uniform.

[mrkilla]

you owe him as much as any civil servant , fire fighter or police office. I appreciate what our soliders do (FWIW I have a Sister, Brother in Law in the Army and My best friend is a marine) and for there work I am thankful but no more then any other civil servant.

ALSO My friend who's a jarhead never EVER talks like that, and yes hes served in Iraq (sis and BINL too)

[The Bandit Fish]

Laugh at him and tell him he's just a part of the Navy. That always gets cocky Marines going.

[The Bandit Fish]

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you owe him as much as any civil servant , fire fighter or police office. I appreciate what our soliders do (FWIW I have a Sister, Brother in Law in the Army and My best friend is a marine) and for there work I am thankful but no more then any other civil servant.

ALSO My friend who's a jarhead never EVER talks like that, and yes hes served in Iraq (sis and BINL too)

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Agreed, my father spent 31 years in the Navy, brother was in the Navy for nine years and have been in the national guard for six years now. My father spent time in Vietnam and my brother has been to the Persian Gulf twice (once in the Navy and then with the Army). Neither one of them walks around with that "you owe me" mentality either.

The only people who act like that are the people who wish they were more important than they are so badly that they'll lie about what they've done and make statements like the OP's roommate did. In fact I can only think of one person I've met that tried to pull that BS (he was a Marine also) and I just told him he was just a part of the Navy (which he tried to argue that the Marine Corps weren't). People like that are fun to mess with.

[The Bandit Fish]

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FWIW, he makes about 52k a year from what I've gathered. He's a 2nd Lt.

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I don't know much about the structure of the armed forces which is why I ask this. How many ranks above a sgt is a 2nd lt? is a 2nd lt someone that pretty much rarely goes out into combat?

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There are a number of Sgt ranks, so there is no direct answer to your question. Not to mention you don't just progress from being enlisted to being a commissioned officer.

http://www.princetonreview.com/cte/a.../paygrades.asp
http://www.dod.mil/dfas/militarypay/..._Pay_Table.pdf


2nd Lt. is an O-1, thats the lowest commissioned rank in the Marine Corps.

And the person who called BS on a 2nd Lt. making 52k/year is correct. Unless your friend is saying thats what he will make while he's deployed in Iraq or Afghanistan. With combat pay he just may make that much.

[The Bandit Fish]

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I'd like to chime in(I know its a little late).

I am a US Marine, I take great pride in that statement. But no one owes me anything. OP if you still check the tread remind your roommate about the Oath he took. Remind him quite to the contrary he owes you, as do I, to protect and uphold the Constitution of the United States, and safeguard the live of our fellow Americans.

Also, I would like to thank all the people who had great things to say about all the memebers of the military. It's nice to know that we are so appriciated.

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side note, this is the kind of person i would buy a drink for.

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!!

[Losing all]

This Marine never felt owed in any way. I don't think anyone I knew felt that way either. Maybe your friend is a retard?

OT- Gulf I started half way through boot camp. We're all gathered around our senior DI one day as he butchers a famous FMJ line "You're all going to Iraq, and most of you aren't coming back". Took all I had not to bust out laughing. I looked around the room and every man looked like he was going to cry. WTF? Y'all joined the wrong branch for the GI bill. Not that any of us got anywhere near the [censored].

[Rearden]

Most of the replies in this thread:

"Rawr Im going to counter your blanket statement with my own blanket statement"

I do not think you owe him anything since he has not done anything. If he was a vet I think this arguement would be completely different. Even more of any easy decision if he served with distinction; etc. At present his attitude, without having any experience in truly defending anything, is an insult to people who have put on the uniform. His arrogance no doubt will make him a less effective leader. I would call him on this... then again I am lucky and do not have roomates who are pricks that stand on the legacy of millions who have honorably served and in many many cases died to claim free booze.

I was going to list all of the blanket statements in this thread: That all of the military is dumb/smart, joined for money/joined to keep you and I free, etc. There are simply too many.

FWIW My Gramps was a DI at Paris Island when my dad was born (he stayed in the service for several decades) My other grandfather served with distinction in WW2. Yet I know plenty of ROTC guys here at school that the military should be ashamed to include. Your roomate sounds like one of them.