Miltary... Is There A Middle Ground

[CandyQuackenbush]

You, sir, are a BAD influence!!

OOooooooh! Don't call him sir! He works for a living!!

*Army joke*

[DeadBurgerKing (10)]

OOooooooh! Don't call him sir! He works for a living!!

*Army joke*

Oh, I was calling him sir, because that's the only way he'll take my dollar bills in his thong...

[CandyQuackenbush]

Oh, I was calling him sir, because that's the only way he'll take my dollar bills in his thong...

HAHAHA! He does that for you too, huh?

[DeadBurgerKing (10)]

HAHAHA! He does that for you too, huh?

That or "Apple Pie"! Haha!

[Smothered Hope]

I had a bunch of things that I wanted to add, but then thought that it

would sound cynical or pretentious. I have trouble getting my meaning

across sometimes, so instead I will add this........

Tommy atkins was/is the reference for British Soldiers.

Tommy

I went into a public-'ouse to get a pint o' beer,

The publican 'e up an' sez, "We serve no red-coats here."

The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die,

I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:

O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, go away";

But it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play,

The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,

O it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play.

I went into a theatre as sober as could be,

They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me;

They sent me to the gallery or round the music-'alls,

But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls!

For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, wait outside";

But it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide,

The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide,

O it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide.

Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep

Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap;

An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit

Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.

Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, 'ow's yer soul?"

But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll,

The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,

O it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll.

We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,

But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;

An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints,

Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;

While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, fall be'ind",

But it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind,

There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind,

O it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind.

You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires, an' all:

We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.

Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face

The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.

For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!"

But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot;

An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;

An' Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool -- you bet that Tommy sees!

-- Rudyard Kipling

We will hope that us modern day warriors are not thought of the same.

[SuZQZ]

SuzyQZ, could you ever be in a position where you would have to perform your job duties in a life-threatening environment?

Go overseas as a DOD Civilan and find out. They do alot, even if it's taking care of our PX's, and all of our M.W.R's.

Some of them actually DO convoys. They are the truck drivers, they are equpiment operators, they are even gate guards in Kuwait.

They help us when we are holding down the front line.

Thank you SuzyQz, it takes alot to take your Oath as a DOD Civilian.

Yes, I could be in a postion where I would have to perform my job duties in a life-threatening environment. It's as CQ stated above. We are solicited by the DOD constantly to volunteer to go over to Afganistan and Iraq, especially IT folks like myself and Item Managers and Supply Specialists from the logistics discipline. Those are high demand positions in dangerous areas. The difference is, we can say no where military personnel (soldiers) don't really have a choice. I have considered volunteering, but with my health history I would be declined. So instead, I am tenacious at work ensuring myself and others are doing all we can do to support the soldiers.