Why Be A Soldier?

[Maverick]

If you were sent to War tomorrow, who would you be fighting for? Queen And Country? Your family? Your Officers? Your regiment?

I've been watching all the Falklands War programmes on TV and have listened to many horrific stories of people being killed or having to fight from rock to rock bayoneting 19 year old strangers in the face.

There's also been the coverage of Iraq and constant Vietnam documentaries on the History Channel.

Basically, its one big story of young men being killed after being scared out of there minds for god knows how long.

If Britain was set to be invaded I would take up arms like everyone else should. I wouldn't want to but it would have to be done. I wouldn't want to die but I would feel that I had died for a cause.

Its a different story, though, for career soldiers. I wonder sometimes if they know what they are getting themselves in for. Haven't they watched documentaries about D-Day or The Somme?

As a career soldier, how do you justify your death? Have any of the wars in the last 40 years that so many people have died in actually been worth one life?

Who are you fighting and dying for? The Government? Your mates? Some country you've only just heard of?

Do you see yourself as professionals just doing the hardest job of all? And proud to do it well? Do you see yourselfs as peacemakers?

Or did you join up to jump out aeroplanes and windsurf in Australia, and are now wondering why you're lying in a pool of blood in another country's war?

[Maverick]

In case anyone has taken offence, I'm just trying to start a discussion here! Its an issue which I'm genuinely interested in and hope to hear the views of all military guys on it.

Thanks

[Tab]

As an ex National Serviceman all I can say is that we fought to support your mates and to stay alive. As we had no choice in the matter we thought it was best to do it to them before they could do it to us. Most of us never wanted to be in the forces and it really buggered up your life losing those couple years, many of the people that served were unable to pick up the threads of there old life and went off in another direction, mind most of the people I know from those days have done well for them selfs. Any one that signs on and then states they did not know what they were letting them selfs in for should not be the forces.

[Jason The Argonaut]

Maverick I also watch the History channel, I have probably seen most off there programmes from Romans, Middle Ages, The Crusades, The Bore War, WW1, WW2, Falklands etc. I love learning about history and especially war, I have been to many battles fields, castles, museums with my father.

I have been brought up on history, and have been taught to respect and appreciate those who have fought and fallen for my country. I only wish to put my life on the line like they did. And buy joining the the Royal Marines I will fight for my country, my family and friends.

I have seen many programmes talking about how soldiers died and I agree that it sounds like hell, but that's war. I don't know how I will react to being shot or to find out that I may be dyeing, I will have to deal with that when it happens.

[chunky from york]

I think there is also a feeling of 'it will never happen to me', young men in particular seem to think they will live forever.

But if you look at how many people are in the armed forces and divide by the number of casualtie in Iraq the nuber is very low, even if you use the number of people 'in country', or in 3Cdo brigade or in 2 Para, for example, the number is still amazingly low.

OK so the figures mighy not be so low for the Falklands, but to a young man they are still acceptable.

D-Day,Arnhem etc are a different kettle of fish, as this was straightforward good against evil. allthough the Whermact buckle said 'Gott mit Uns', but not the SS .

Even after I saw two of my mates die parachuting and had to pull my reserve, for two, yes two, blown peripheries. I still jumped out of planes.

As many people will point out, at the end of the day you fight for your mates and the Regiment not some nebulous concept like 'my country' and certainly not for a pillock like Blair.

[Josh]

I think the reason a lot of people become/want to become soldiers, marines etc. is to make a difference. I know that is why I want to become a soldier (and hopefully will). I too watch all these programmes about the Falklands and the news coverage on Iraq, it scares me yes I’d be nuts if it didn't. However I also see reports of 15000 bodies found in a mass grave along with a whole set of new African countries destroying themselves.

I watched a very interesting report on Iraq by a journalist named Ben Anderson and I don't think many people really understood the desperate state Iraqis people were in before the war. There are people all over this world that can't defend themselves, not just the British public. This whole hugging trees sh!te is not the answer to the world’s problems.

In short; Who am I fighting for, People. It sounds corny but it’s the truth.

...and the end of it all, I'll sit back drink a nice Irish whisky and listen to Van Morrison

[lew]

I get asked why be a soldier allot by my friends and family and my reply is why be a police officer, or teacher ect.. And the answer is because its what I want to do, which is exactly why I want to be a soldier... I know I may be sent off to another country and get killed by some ungrateful sod whilst trying to straighten out there town or village, but that’s fine, risk is part of the job and I’ve accepted that. Everyone has to make a living and some are content to do that behind a desk all there life, but what do they have to show for it a house and a car after 40 years WOW!!! ...

As far as I’m concerned life is all about experience. I will get 10 times more out of life in the army than I would working for a computer firm...

Ok I may get killed at the age of 25 but at least id die doing something I wanted to do rather than dieing old having led a boring an un eventful life...

Well that’s my view on it anyway, sorry for the long post


lew

[davo141]

i am with lew..

Military life is something that people have been proud of for thousands, maybe millions of years and i will be glad to be apart of that,

why waste your life working down the local offie or branch of you bank, counting other people money, working for a multi-national firm who wouldnt give a shit if u died,they would simply be someone else to fill your role where as the guys who sadly died in Iraq has showm, die in the armed forces and your life means something, the scenes at RAF Brize-Norton showed how proud a country, a service, a government a colliation was of them, these men and womens names will be saved for ever on monuments and such life for as long as man lives civilised where as a someone who dies working for Natwest, no disrepct but may well end with nothing but a few memories in friends and familys minds..

i hope i didnt upset anyone but i feel that joining the Marines as i wish to do will show thhat i have done something, if i die in conflict; which there is a real possiblity of, i hope i have made as many people proud to be British as those fallen heros of Iraq made me and everyone else watching the news when there union jack draped cofins returned from an hourable duty

cheers,

dave

[Josh]

I think Lew and Dave made a good point; Why not become a soldier?

[barryc]

This could turn into an interesting thread, if only for the contrast bewteen the somewhat idealistic younf wannabees (no offence lads we were most of us there at one time) and the older guys who have witnessed what is being discussed.

Personally I suppose I was young and idealistic when I joined, although I don't remember thinking in terms of Queen and country, I do remember feeling that soldiering was a profession and one I wanted to try my hand at. Once in and green-hatted there was probably a feeling of being amongst the best and wanting to prove it. Soon enough, after the first dose of incoming rounds, the reality strikes home, yes it is exciting in an adrenaline boost way, yes it is frightening in and Adrenaline is brown sort of way and yes, somehow the constant training does help you get through.

In the eventual analysis I think the greater fear is of showing fear, of letting your mates down and to a lesser extent letting the Corps down. In the end you do what you do to try to ensure the survival of yourself and of your oppos, and to get the job done and get home.

The views are my personal ones, no offence to anyone who thinks differently.

Barry

[Contractor]

An interesting thread indeed.

As for myself and I know this to be the case for others in my generation, it was mainly the opportunity to get away from home, the tough areas that we grew up and lived in and the chance to see 'the world'. No great noble notions of Queen and country.

Definitely naive as to what was coming, but as with most 18 year olds indestructible and getting slotted never arose as a concern!

On balance I think there is a greater chance of my coming to an end on the M4, which I spend about 15 hours a week commuting on rather than the 22 years I spent in the Army. Hopefully I am wrong!

[THE HAPPY WANDERER]

On my first pussers cruise on the rusty B (1973) one of the old three badgers in A Coy done a survey,and out of the 100 or so men down the mess deck approx. 2/3rds joined because of some problem at home .,it was only when they became part of ROYALS family that the sense of pride , duty , or whatever you wish to call it took over and the realisation of what you had become took over.It is at that point of reality that you want to be what you were trained to be; One of the best , if not the best in the world .


The Happy Wanderer

[lew]

Personally I have no great notions of queen, as far as country goes I’m damn proud to be English and no one will ever take that away from me.

Joining the forces for me is about being the best i can be and really pushing my limits in some of the worst places this world has to offer.

I may be idealistic in a more experienced mans eyes, but I know what I want and that’s not a suit or a desk.

[Artist]

I joined because all my family were in the RAF and the Army.

17 years 6 months 3 days old, 3 July 73 RM Deal. It was a wednesday.

I just liked the look of the Bootnecks, they seemed more confident and quiet when compared to the Army people I had met as a kid.

Me old man was a PTI in the RAF and I definitely didnt want any part of that.

The old man introduced me to an ex Bootneck who had done his 9 years and then joined the RAF. The bloke was the best recruiter the Marines ever had! He was a PTI at Cosford with me dad. I applied, was accepted, joined, served, left. Would do it all again.

Aye Artist

[Chris]

Well i have no real love of the Queen infact i think we should not have a Royal family but i am Proud to be British


if you asked me why i am willing to go through 30 weeks of getting a B****ing only so i can go and get shot at Shelled at and other things
i really could not say all i know is i wanna do it more than anything