The U.S. Military

[I)eadnerzhul]

I don't know if this question was raised yet (if it was please close this thread for my ignorance) but how do you feel about the military? I definitely support it, but from what I hear, the military is a whole lot of nothing; you boss civilians around until you vomit, you play cards, read, or do some other... "stuff" to pass the time, eat, then boss people around some more!

I have seen a play based on letters from the military which involved violence, which may mean that the situation the soldiers are put through are, infact, dangerous. But I'm no expert at military statistics and what-not. Anyone have any insight on whether or not there is REAL danger in the situation in the Middle East (talking about U.S., not Hamas vs. Israel here...)?

[Discuss]

 

[Artins the Great]

We got North Korea and Iran. Good enough reasons for actually "Havin" Military if that's what you are talking about.

 

[I)eadnerzhul]

What I want to know is if there is any real danger involved with being a U.S. soldier.

 

[InfiniteSeven]

What I want to know is if there is any real danger involved with being a U.S. soldier.

Of course there's a lot of danger being a U.S. soldier. As of 2008, over 4,000 U.S. soldiers were killed and over 28,000 were injured in the Iraq War alone. In Afghanistan over 600 were killed and over 2,500 were injured. Of course, this is only U.S. soldiers. They were far more casualties than just this.

The fact is, being a soldier is not an easy job. Its a war out there, and you have to fight people, kill people. There are more than just a couple of people with guns. Thousands, and possibly even more hold weapons and try to kill you and your comrades. Many U.S. soldiers will die in a war they're involved in.

 

[Dreadnought[dA]]

During their downtime they don't really do much. Also it really depends on what your role is. My brother is a helicopter mechanic so he sees practically no action what so ever. He just sees broken helicopters XD

As Dave would say, "Military Intelligence, two words combined that can't make sense"

 

[I)eadnerzhul]

Of course there's a lot of danger being a U.S. soldier. As of 2008, over 4,000 U.S. soldiers were killed and over 28,000 were injured in the Iraq War alone. In Afghanistan over 600 were killed and over 2,500 were injured. Of course, this is only U.S. soldiers. They were far more casualties than just this.

The fact is, being a soldier is not an easy job. Its a war out there, and you have to fight people, kill people. There are more than just a couple of people with guns. Thousands, and possibly even more hold weapons and try to kill you and your comrades. Many U.S. soldiers will die in a war they're involved in.

You painted a pretty clear picture for me. Thanks. I didn't realize it was so dangerous since mostly everyone I talk to says "the army is so boooring! All you do is sit around with 'your thumb up your ass', as it were. Apparently in reality it's much different!

During their downtime they don't really do much. Also it really depends on what your role is. My brother is a helicopter mechanic so he sees practically no action what so ever. He just sees broken helicopters XD

This gives me even more insight! So it depends on what job you take in the military, huh? I should've thought about that to begin with! Well, thanks for answering my question, the both of you.

 

[Dreadnought[dA]]

Sarcasm alarm going off.

 

[43berries]

Without the Middle East, the F22 program would of been dead and far away from full production. Integrated military robotics would of not been at the stage where it is at and the contracting industry for arms would be where it was. Plainly said, the administration at the time admired the investment of technology so money can be profited, lives are nothing when they are 8000 miles away.

 

[LordDz]

Without the Middle East, the F22 program would of been dead and far away from full production. Integrated military robotics would of not been at the stage where it is at and the contracting industry for arms would be where it was. Plainly said, the administration at the time admired the investment of technology so money can be profited, lives are nothing when they are 8000 miles away.

Erm.. You didn't include the costs of making all the bombs, weapons, missiles armor, tanks, helmets and that in there.. Wasn't it a couple of millions per day?

 

[GrandEnder]

Some military personel have died from training, due to medical complications or accidently killing themselves.


The danger in the middle east is more like the danger of a nuke going off in CoD 4. Of course its going to end up happening, but chances are they'll nuke themselves and not us.

"Those stupid humans. They're erradiating their own planet!"

Another thing, the lack of incredible war is horrible, because as war grows, we actually gain an economy because the demand for military rises. Of course, thats a Canadian standpoint.

 

[InfiniteSeven]

Another thing, the lack of incredible war is horrible, because as war grows, we actually gain an economy because the demand for military rises. Of course, thats a Canadian standpoint.

That would really depend which side of the war you speak of are. For example, in World War 2, Europe was devastated by warfare, and it did take a very, very long time to recover. Japan was a all but shattered, with much of its industrial power and economy in ruins. But know that technology will improve during war, as both sides will strive to beat the other, and go in an arms race.

 

[Forsman]

Well, id say, this thread was a big waste of time.

1. US made 9/11 look like a terrorist-attack,
they only made it like that so that they get the right to attack a country full with oil,
and they ONLY want the oil. EVERYTHING is about money.

2. To support war today, is to support the man who kills your family tomorrow.

So stop this stupid shit and talk about games instead!

 

[Royy]

Well, id say, this thread was a big waste of time.

1. US made 9/11 look like a terrorist-attack,
they only made it like that so that they get the right to attack a country full with oil,
and they ONLY want the oil. EVERYTHING is about money.

2. To support war today, is to support the man who kills your family tomorrow.

So stop this stupid shit and talk about games instead!

I'm just curious, i keep hearing we went to war for "oil". I'm really not seeing the oil, and especially when oil hit 4 bucks a gallon.... Heck, aren't they cutting oil production?

About being a solider though, my cousin just got back from Iraq, and he said it was fairly exciting. Though, the casulities aren't very high at all (mortality rate for our soldiers is less then 1%?), so the risks aren't too terrible, and it's obviously quieted down. Afghanistan might be even worse though. As of the moment you're right, it's a lot of free-time, busy work (barricade setting, patrolling, remember that Iraq's 100 degrees+), and not as much the stuff you see on TV.

It's more of the random suicide bomb hitting a solider, rather then huge raids on U.S. soldiers(theres still a few). That's really the main risk.

By the way, we're not fighting a war, we're in a occupation type situation. Only the first week of it when we took out Hussein was a war.

 

[43berries]

If you find taking orders and being over to be someone's bitch exciting, while executing orders that might be war crimes, then that's FUBAR. Personally, I'm not discriminating against just the United States military, I think all military's are incompetent. One radical with a dirty bomb or rather the raw intelligence of an individualist can do more damage and kill more people than say an army with it's own morality and hierarchy system.

Armies are now coming more inexpedient considering the practicality of war.

It cost around lets say 200,000< to train a US marine with the Interceptor body armor going around 5000 and the M16A3 going at exactly 573 USD.

Take a Somalian who can buy a Kalashnikov for the equivalent to 10 USD with a couple magazines. A RPG-7 for the equivalent to 20 USD. In all the Somalian had spent an equivalent to only 30 USD while the American marine had wasted over 205,573.

A Humvee normally costs almost $65,000 dollars. An up-armored Humvee cost around $140,000 dollars. Humvees are not designed for the additional weight from the armor. Therefore, the design life of a Humvee that has been up-armored is very low probably less than half that of a normal Humvee. In addition, the motor, transmission and drive train was not designed for the additional armor and the vehicle requires more repairs. Since up-armored Humvees last half as long as normal Humvees and require more maintenance, it is fair to more than double the price tag of the Humvee to $300,000 given that every one that is purchased will need to be replaced very quickly.

Of course this is not including the weapons platform introduced with integrated electronic warfare equipment. A humvee can fit a fire team of four or eight wounded soldiers. Let's presume that there are four US marines, that is now around 822,292 for the four soldiers plus an extra 140,000 for the humvee. (Excluding equipment integrated onto the humvee) Now the cost is 962,292 USD. Even though the humvee has heavy ballistic plates, an RPG-7 has a 105mm shaped charge that penetrates through without ease. Let's for a second stop saying that US marines are so trained that they can shoot them before they fire. Let us all admit first, marines are actual people, and people can be MORONS. So the humvee is blown apart and all four marines are dead. At the end of the day, that insurgent is dead losing the value of 30 USD without any training while the US government lost a little less than 1 million USD.

War in the modern perspective is an ideological mind fuck.