Questions about the Army.

[Fullmetal Anarchist]

Ok just so you know I think a lot of you have a very skewed view of those of us who've served (or are still serving) in the armed forces. So I'm here to answer as many questions as I can for you all.

Just so you know right now I'm doing this to educate and inform so please keep the abuse to a minimum.

[danyboy27]

Ok just so you know I think a lot of you have a very skewed view of those of us who've served (or are still serving) in the armed forces. So I'm here to answer as many questions as I can for you all.

Just so you know right now I'm doing this to educate and inform so please keep the abuse to a minimum.

just how much the army structure supress classes inside their ranks?

I understand that the army training supress individuality, i am just curious to know is this training also suppress social differences has well.

[revolution inaction]

from your profile it looks like your used to be in the army? why was it that you decided to join and why did you leave? what kind of soldier where you?
I assume you consider your self some kind of socialist/anarchist/leftist? How long has this been the case? did you have these views before you joined the army, or did you develop them in there or since you left?

[x371322]

Did you know of any other leftists while you were in there?

[Fullmetal Anarchist]

just how much the army structure supress classes inside their ranks?

To be honest you'll find very few (if any) working class officers. The majority of officers tend to have a university education and are usually upper middle class or very upper class and are often unable to relate to thier men. The guys who are on the ground tend to be either working class or lower middle class fuck-ups like myself. So yeah there is a lot of segregation by class within the ranks. If it helps guys like me tend to work in technical regiments as opposed to infantry although in my case I started out as a rifleman and moved over to signals.



I understand that the army training supress individuality, i am just curious to know is this training also suppress social differences has well.

In the American army maybe but in the British army individuality is encouraged not suppressed. You've actually made a common error I call believing what you see in the movies. Although the movies are often accurate for the period they are set in training is very different these days if you'd like to see a very accurate portrayal of the British army in particular see a movie called Dog soldiers as it's pretty close to how soldiers talk and behave.

[Fullmetal Anarchist]

from your profile it looks like your used to be in the army? why was it that you decided to join and why did you leave? what kind of soldier where you?

I decided to join mostly because of a family tradition of soldiers (which I admit was a mistake). I didn't decide to leave. I was honourably discharged suffering with Post traumatic stress disorder shortly after arriving home from Iraq. If you mean what job did I do I was a Communications systems operator but before that I was a Rifleman. Ethically I think I was fair and didn't shoot anyone who hadn't shot at me first.



I assume you consider your self some kind of socialist/anarchist/leftist? How long has this been the case? did you have these views before you joined the army, or did you develop them in there or since you left?

That indeed I do I'm still new to my political opinions having a name (Anarchism). I developed my political opinion while serving but I've only really been active since leaving.

[Fullmetal Anarchist]

Did you know of any other leftists while you were in there?


Politics where often a private thing. But in all honesty I know of maybe one or two that came to the left after leaving.

[Lenina Rosenweg]

What would you say is the religious situation in the US military? I briefly worked as a civilian contractor for the US military in Germany (a very long story). What I found was that if anyone was believed to be "unchurched", that is not religious or connected to a denomination, there was enormous but indirect pressure to convert to a Pentecostalist or very conservative Xtian fundamentalist sect.If people think you're a practicing Catholic or Jewish they pretty much leave you alone in this regard. (I was lucky!)

Also, what would you say are the racial/geographical distributions? I got the impression the officers are almost entirely white, upper middle class, and from the South. The enlisted personal could be divided in thirds. A third white, again mostly Southerners, a third African-American, and a third Hispanic and Native American.

The US military has very strict rules against racism but (it seemed to me) the three groups did not socially mix very much.

Politically the officers were conservative Republicans, enlisted personal maybe "left populists" (if there was a socialist movement in the US they'd support it but there isn't). the NCOs more or less "petty bourgeoise".

I could be wrong about this, just impressions I got.

[Fullmetal Anarchist]

What would you say is the religious situation in the US military? I briefly worked as a civilian contractor for the US military in Germany (a very long story). What I found was that if anyone was believed to be "unchurched", that is not religious or connected to a denomination, there was enormous but indirect pressure to convert to a Pentecostalist or very conservative Xtian fundamentalist sect.If people think you're a practicing Catholic or Jewish they pretty much leave you alone in this regard. (I was lucky!)

Also, what would you say are the racial/geographical distributions? I got the impression the officers are almost entirely white, upper middle class, and from the South. The enlisted personal could be divided in thirds. A third white, again mostly Southerners, a third African-American, and a third Hispanic and Native American.

The US military has very strict rules against racism but (it seemed to me) the three groups did not socially mix very much.

Politically the officers were conservative Republicans, enlisted personal maybe "left populists" (if there was a socialist movement in the US they'd support it but there isn't). the NCOs more or less "petty bourgeoise".

I could be wrong about this, just impressions I got.


As I've said before I'm ex-British army. Really sorry but I don't know much as a whole bout the Yanks. What I can tell you is in the Brit army racism was not tolerated in any form but it went on anyway and that even if you weren't religious you were made to go to a church parade every sunday no matter what your belief.

[danyboy27]

did you feel general hatred toward the civilian population while you served in iraq?

[The Vegan Marxist]

What is the view of Communism, of its entirety, throughout the military?

[ContrarianLemming]

While serving as a rifleman, i assume you were in some sort of platoon or squad with a designated leader (I don't know much about military structure). How was questioning orders perceived? Was it normal to be friends and become relaxed around you immediate superior?

[The Idler]

How familiar are soldiers with anti-war films and the anti-war movement and what do they think of them?

[Stranger Than Paradise]

what are your thoughts now on the army now?

[The Douche]

What would you say is the religious situation in the US military? I briefly worked as a civilian contractor for the US military in Germany (a very long story). What I found was that if anyone was believed to be "unchurched", that is not religious or connected to a denomination, there was enormous but indirect pressure to convert to a Pentecostalist or very conservative Xtian fundamentalist sect.If people think you're a practicing Catholic or Jewish they pretty much leave you alone in this regard. (I was lucky!)

Also, what would you say are the racial/geographical distributions? I got the impression the officers are almost entirely white, upper middle class, and from the South. The enlisted personal could be divided in thirds. A third white, again mostly Southerners, a third African-American, and a third Hispanic and Native American.

The US military has very strict rules against racism but (it seemed to me) the three groups did not socially mix very much.

Politically the officers were conservative Republicans, enlisted personal maybe "left populists" (if there was a socialist movement in the US they'd support it but there isn't). the NCOs more or less "petty bourgeoise".

I could be wrong about this, just impressions I got.

I would consider myself an "anti-theist" and my position on religion is well known in my unit. There are plenty of athiests, and some non-practicing catholics and protestants. I would say the ammount of guys who are actively and seriously religious is tiny.

I am in the infantry which tends to be predominantly white, so I can't really answer your questions about racial distribution. Yes there are of course strict rules against racism, and every unit has an EO (equal opportunites) official. There is quite a bit of racist talk in the military but its the non-sensical racism that comes from people who have black friends and claim that those friends a "one of the good ones". The people of color in my unit are not looked down on or exluded by anyone.

Officers are generally conservative, NCOs and junior enlisted can be all over the place, from libertarian to socialist.

[Chambered Word]

If you served abroad in a conflict, did soldiers actually believe in what they were fighting for? What were their attitudes and how much did they know about what was going on?

[Fullmetal Anarchist]

did you feel general hatred toward the civilian population while you served in iraq?

Good question. Honestly? I wish as a group we'd had more support from home but I never hated anyone. I suppose in a way the public's view mostly mirrored my own why was I there mostly.


What is the view of Communism, of its entirety, throughout the military?


As a whole politics were all over the place. Mine may not have mirrored the majority of my peers so I really can't say.



While serving as a rifleman, i assume you were in some sort of platoon or squad with a designated leader (I don't know much about military structure). How was questioning orders perceived? Was it normal to be friends and become relaxed around you immediate superior?



Well I think it best put it the way my D.S put it.



You play ball with me and I'll play ball with you. Just remember it's my fucking ball!

In all seriousness you did socialise with your n.c.o's but never with officers. As to questioning orders it was the n.c.o's job to filter out the bullshit in orders but you did have a say if you thought something was a bad idea.


How familiar are soldiers with anti-war films and the anti-war movement and what do they think of them?

Bluntly not very familiar but aware. Before we went out we did watch Full metal jacket, Platoon and Apocalypse now. Mostly because for our generation these were the seminal war movies.


what are your thoughts now on the army now?

As a whole under-funded, over stretched and tired of doing the U.S's dirty work. But I also think that (at least now) the armed forces are just doing a job it may not be a popular but still a job.

[Jazzratt]

[Admin voice]O.W.A: Very good thread, and very good posts. However, could you please avoid multi-posting? I've merged your recent posts, for you but in future you should use the multi quote doodad (looks like a plus sign, allows you to quote more than one post in a reply).[/admin voice]

What is/was the general attitude toward women in the british army? Was sexism as prevelent as it seems?

[Fullmetal Anarchist]

If you served abroad in a conflict, did soldiers actually believe in what they were fighting for? What were their attitudes and how much did they know about what was going on?

In Iraq we didn't believe in it and if I'm honest same in Afghanistan. Some attitudes were very gung-ho and some were apathetic it was an individual opinion. If you want mine it was pointless.



What is/was the general attitude toward women in the british army? Was sexism as prevelent as it seems?

Generally they were seen as valued and worthy colleagues. On the other hand didn't stop the jokes from some less elightened squaddies.