The "I was in the military" card

[Autumn Wind]

I find it hilarious that the Marine Corps has a reading list.

They all do. Usually it includes military discourses like Clauswitz.

[Uxupox]

The only real expertise that the military members offer is intelligence community, foreign diplomacy (Possibly police action as well for internal affairs) and military action against other forces.

Apparently us docs and 68W don't exist?

Sorry, I should have included you guys in there. You guys rock!

[Big Jim P]

I served. That means I have been trained to use a variety of weapons and shoot accurately over open sights to 300 meters. It doesn't add weight to my opinions nor does it make me any wiser. At least not outside of those areas.

[Telconi]

I did not solely give anecdotal evidence, there's a link in the OP relaying the specific numbers of political leanings in the military. I gave my personal experience in addition to hard numbers to inform that I'm not just some anti-military "hippie" complaining about servicemen and women.

Um, what the hell does former military occupation got to do with political views? It's like saying all people who used to be mailmen have certain views.

Correlation is not causation, but there do seem to be certain types of people that gravitate towards certain occupations.

[Kanisland]

I might be wrong here, but I get the feeling this is very much a USA thing. At least, where I live veterans/active military personnel don't pull the 'I was in the military' card. It just doesn't seem to come up in conversation anywhere I may have heard at least.

[Radiatia]

It's just an appeal to authority fallacy.

I remember a few years ago someone - I think it might have even been on NS - used "I served in the military" as a justification for "There is a God". Seriously, how does that even work?

[Saiwania]

I remember a few years ago someone - I think it might have even been on NS - used "I served in the military" as a justification for "There is a God". Seriously, how does that even work?

They might've gotten a religion speech, probably not in more recent decades; but who knows how it is really done unless someone has recently been enlisted?

"God has a hard-on for Marines because we kill everything we see! He plays His games, we play ours! To show our appreciation for so much power, we keep Heaven packed with fresh souls! God was here before the Marine Corps! So you can give your heart to Jesus, but your ass belongs to the Corps! Do you ladies understand?"

[Parhe]

Giving yourself legitimacy based off of your occupation, gender, or race is pretty popular and not just what the military does.

Yes, but the military doing it often seems to be one of the few times a good chunk of people feel content to let it slip by unchallenged.

It's almost any time it is a respected occupation. Doctor/lawyer/scientist/professor/teacher/whatever society looks up to.

[Venerable Bede]

I find it hilarious that the Marine Corps has a reading list.

Perhaps you still associate literacy with elite education and culture. I think that's why reading glasses even today look "smart" to many people.

[Internationalist Bastard]

I remember a few years ago someone - I think it might have even been on NS - used "I served in the military" as a justification for "There is a God". Seriously, how does that even work?

They might've gotten a religion speech, probably not in more recent decades; but who knows how it is really done unless someone has recently been enlisted?

"God has a hard-on for Marines because we kill everything we see! He plays His games, we play ours! To show our appreciation for so much power, we keep Heaven packed with fresh souls! God was here before the Marine Corps! So you can give your heart to Jesus, but your ass belongs to the Corps! Do you ladies understand?"

Well there was a Wiccan coven in at least the Air Force last I checked, so no, not a lot of forcing of a specific religion outside of most officers being Christian and saying things like "God watch over you all".

[The Rich Port]

I will defer to people who were military on most things... But being military should not be a license to have carte blanche on absolutely everything.

I'm reminded of the Bojack Horseman episode where he goes toe to toe with a Navy seal.

[Mer Salcia]

I find it hilarious that the Marine Corps has a reading list.

Perhaps you still associate literacy with elite education and culture. I think that's why reading glasses even today look "smart" to many people.

The Marine are an elite within the military, and most societies have had a warrior caste that was also expected to be literate and cultured.

[Genivaria]

Yes, but the military doing it often seems to be one of the few times a good chunk of people feel content to let it slip by unchallenged.

It's almost any time it is a respected occupation. Doctor/lawyer/scientist/professor/teacher/whatever society looks up to.

Lol at society looking up to lawyers.

[Grave_n_idle]

In discussions of politics and social issues, especially in the United States, it is not uncommon I've found for veterans, currently serving soldiers, or even people simply related to those who are/have served to cite their connection to the military as a way of lending a kind of greater legitimacy to their own opinions and viewpoints. Sometimes this behavior can branch beyond politics altogether and we get people who seem to think that having connections to military service grants them a sort of "wiser outlook" on life in general and that by merely reminding others of this connection, they have irreparably trumped anything anyone could possibly say in protest, because none of them could possibly understand the EYE-OPENING experience that is being a solider! It tends to be more common among conservatives though liberals are not immune.

If the question is "what's it like to drive a tank" or "how scary IS it to parachute into enemy territory" then having been in the military might be a qualification. If the question is "how do engines work" and you spent 8 years rebuilding engines in the military then your experience might be relevant - but it's the "engines" bit, not the "military" bit that's qualifying you.

But in general, just having been in the military doesn't, and shouldn't add any weight to an opinion.

[Internationalist Bastard]

Perhaps you still associate literacy with elite education and culture. I think that's why reading glasses even today look "smart" to many people.

The Marine are an elite within the military, and most societies have had a warrior caste that was also expected to be literate and cultured.

Well let's not get ahead of ourselves, saying Marines are elite

[Thermodolia]

The Marine are an elite within the military, and most societies have had a warrior caste that was also expected to be literate and cultured.

Marines are elite? Excuse me while I laugh.
That's pure USMC propaganda. It's shit like that idea keep the recruiters from having to offer much.

[Internationalist Bastard]

Well let's not get ahead of ourselves, saying Marines are elite

Marines are elite? Excuse me while I laugh.

Ah if there's one thing all the branches can agree on, it's how much we hate each other

[Thermodolia]

Marines are elite? Excuse me while I laugh.

Ah if there's one thing all the branches can agree on, it's how much we hate each other

Very true. Though when we are all in a pinch we don't care what branch you are.

Army is the best at everything

[Thermodolia]

Not really, a lot of people try to demand rank and shit.

From what I've heard, "try" is the operative word there, and trying such is a really good way to avoid actually getting said rank, though it does tend to lead to rather a lot of shit going your way.

In many ancient society's, military service was seen as going hand-in-hand with political enfranchisement. Starship Troopers is even on the official Marine Corps reading list. So not really surprising.

I find it hilarious that the Marine Corps has a reading list.

Well they have to learn to read somehow

[Internationalist Bastard]

Ah if there's one thing all the branches can agree on, it's how much we hate each other

Very true. Though when we are all in a pinch we don't care what branch you are.

Army is the best at everything

Well of course army is best, someone has to do their real work while everyone else poses but I guess in times of war marines can be half decent

[Centuran Republic]

Obviously, the OP never studied rhetoric (e.g. Ethos, Pathos, Logos, Kairos, etc).

But in all seriousness, to claim being connected to various occupations and the like lends to the person's Ethos, which is appealing to character in order to boost an argument's credibility. For example, a priest can appeal to Ethos in an argument over faith and morals, because the whole occupation centers around faith and morals.

Another example: Saying that you served as an officer in the Gulf War in an argument about executive military actions lends credibility to the argument.

Appealing to Ethos doesn't make an argument correct, it only lends a sort of credibility to the argument.

[Saiwania]

Well let's not get ahead of ourselves, saying Marines are elite

The Marines are naval infantry. Not the easiest thing in the world to do amphibious landings or to be sent to the front line ahead of the Army during invasions. The USMC in general, does not get the newest equipment and makes do with older weaponry, so in that sense- they can be thought of as slightly more rugged in terms of the main enlisted branches. The USMC isn't a dedicated elite unit like the Green Berets or Navy SEALs but aren't primarily green either. Every Marine is supposed to be a marksman.

[Yorkers]

Most veterans I've talked to tend to be against all the bullshit in the Middle East, and sure as hell don't want to die over extremist Arabs out in the desert.

It's usually their bratty kids that have an inferiority complex that feeds into an extremely hawkish personality that invoke the "my dad was in the military card".

The last actual veteran to run for president was Ron Paul, and he was the most anti-war candidate since Jimmy Carter.

[Genivaria]

Most veterans I've talked to tend to be against all the bullshit in the Middle East, and sure as hell don't want to die over extremist Arabs out in the desert.

It's usually their bratty kids that have an inferiority complex that feeds into an extremely hawkish personality that invoke the "my dad was in the military card".

The last actual veteran to run for president was Ron Paul, and he was the most anti-war candidate since Jimmy Carter.

Ahem, John McCain.

[Yorkers]

Most veterans I've talked to tend to be against all the bullshit in the Middle East, and sure as hell don't want to die over extremist Arabs out in the desert.

It's usually their bratty kids that have an inferiority complex that feeds into an extremely hawkish personality that invoke the "my dad was in the military card".

The last actual veteran to run for president was Ron Paul, and he was the most anti-war candidate since Jimmy Carter.

Ahem, John McCain.

Ron Paul ran in 2012, John "Not as stupid just as dangerous as George Bush" McCain ran in 2008.