Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2018/06/27/the-united-states-marine-corps.html
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Tldr the military industrial complex is really good at coopting the progressive movement. Equal opportunity oppression and government waste!
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It will be interesting to see how women will be utilized in combat roles. Israel has been doing it for awhile and it seems to work fine. While there is typically SOME physical limitations (damn pesky hormones) (<–ETA to clarify referring to lower testosterone leading to less muscle mass on average) nothing else should really impair a women’s ability to serve. And the Russians have some infamous female snipers from WWII. Actually I have a former co-worker currently serving somewhere sandy.
Though hopefully if she joins the Scout Snipers, she steers clear of any re-purposed rune shenanigans.
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Yup. After all, when committing state sanctioned mass murder in the name of corporate interests, what does your sex matter?
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There is no sexual discrimination there. In the Marine Corps eyes, all are equally worthless. And the standing orders are to weed out all non-hackers who do not pack the gear to serve in the beloved Corps.
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Yuuuuuup. Reeeeal progressive folks, here in the Corps. Reeeeal progressive.
https://taskandpurpose.com/fewer-sexual-assault-cases-are-going-to-trial/
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Globe & Anchor. Roger That!
This story from only 3 years ago tells me “not so much”.
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When i visited Japan last month i stayed at the apartment of a long time family friend who is in the Navy. We managed to get permission to visit the base and get a personal tour of the destroyer that my friend served on. The commander of the ship was female, and he told us she was very good at her job. That was probably the #1 thing that really stuck with me and i was very proud to see it, wish i could’ve met her to shake her hand.
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The military’s business is to adapt and take best advantage of the situation they are given. Either in a conflict or in day to day operations. Don’t expect them to lead the charge of social change, they’re looking to us civilians for that leadership.
It the responsibility of civilians to improve our society and elect a government that improves our lot. Even though we’re terrible at our job, it’s still on us to do right. Nobody is going to come in and fix it for us.
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I’m so glad neither I or my sons never went into the military. Tearing people down to build them up into killing machines for what? To terrorize the rest of the world? And to personally have to go through this with an asshole fucking you verbally in the face every day? No thanks.
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Lol the military aren’t populists, they are protectors of our global economic and political hegemony which primarily serves elites. They are largely immune to that “elected government” and “civilian responsibility” you’re asking for.
C’mon, how naive are you?
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Er, you realize that the rigors of boot camp don’t extend to “regular” service. It’s more like a regular job after that. Though if you elect to go through the tests for the elite units, you will be further pushed. But even then it isn’t the same tear down as boot camp. It’s just pushing physical and mental limits.
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But my unit cohesion!
What are you referring to here?
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Most officers I’ve met are non-partisan and don’t give a shit about that. Probably because nobody likes to admit they put their lives on the line so some asshat can make a profit.
That’s not true at all. Or rather you misuse the word “they” in an ambiguous way. The civilians have a responsibility to elect a government that establishes direction and policy for the military. The military command structure determines the day to day operation, and requests spending. Civilian government approves or denies the budgets for such spending. Given the congressional battles over military budgets for the last several decades you should know better. Our civilian government argues a great deal over what size our military ought to be. This has been as true for the Nixon era as it has been for Clinton era.
The system can work. Unless we install incompetent people at the top, who in turn installs his incompetent friends.
All our wars, illegal invasions, and “police actions” are to blame on the civilians we elected to office. The military commanders weren’t the ones that established the policy containment for Vietnam, North Korea, Afghanistan, and others during the cold war. That started with Kennan, Truman, and others. Even Peace Prize laureate Carter took up the policy of containment in the 1980 Carter Doctrine.
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OH shit - I meant purely on basic strength due to lower testosterone levels. But re-reading I can see it meaning something like PMS or the like. I will clarify.
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I was on an exercise recently. During a lull the guys were standing around shooting the shit when one of them opined “Nah, the Army isn’t racist. It just hates everyone.” Oh how the cynical laughter did flow.
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Yes I understand that. But I wouldn’t want an asshole yelling in my face, let alone three of them, spittling all over me and belittling me for any length of time, let alone a few weeks in boot camp. Why would anyone actually want that?
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Perhaps ask someone who went through it?
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