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I think the meme pages hurt retention far more than recruiting. I doubt very much if high schoolers in droves are following viper driver memes and chuckling at ultra specific FLUG DCA jokes or complaints about morale shirts or FSS walk in hours. What is hurting recruiting far more IMO is the left's constant push to make people ashamed of our country and our history.

It’s been available forever - called absentee ballots. The difference between those and “mail in” is significant and I think widely misunderstood (people think they’re synonymous when they are not). Nobody is barred from voting if they can’t make it to the polls, just takes a few min of effort. All I’m saying is if you’re not willing to put those few min of effort in, then you don’t deserve to vote (e.g. kill all “mail in” ballots immediately). I agree. All I was arguing previously is it’s bullshit to say it’s a “barrier” to not allow it (and have some limitation like registration up to 7 days prior or whatever). I don’t really care if it’s Election Day or 14 days prior (obviously there’s some reasonable limitation that should t be exceeded), everyone has the opportunity to register, and it’s your fault if you don’t get it done in time based on whatever requirement your state has (caveat is the scenario of turning 18 within “the closed window.”)

One of my sons ships off to the Navy in Aug. He’s trying out for SWCC. He hasn’t even left yet and the Navy already has his ass up every morning doing pretty intense physical training. He’s pretty stoked. I tried to talk him into being a pilot but he wants to shoot fully automatic guns, drive boats and hop out of aircraft. You can’t do that in the civilian world. My other two sons have expressed zero interest in the military (I’ve taken all of them flying, and none want to be a pilot, lol). I think volunteering for military service has to do with your personality. Not everyone wants to the excitement (or extreme boredom) that comes with the military life. Most news articles want doom and gloom. I trust my son and the kind of dudes he hangs out with to take care of us if shit goes down. The young guys aren’t all selfish dumbasses.

Who is "we"? Countries on Russia's border felt threatened enough by Russia to ask if they could join NATO. We didn't force anyone to join. We didn't expand NATO by conquering territory and pushing out the local citizens. Democratic countries voluntarily decided to join.

How so? Not a snide question, I really am curious. The mil is free college (state school) plus books and living expenses (capped obviously). They beat that? I grew up in a fairly well off area where the majority of my class went to college. And I’m fairly confident I have out-earned most of them to this day and now with the airlines am exponentially out-earning them at a rapid rate. Even the doctors I know aren’t out-earning me (when you take into account my zero debt and their mega shitload of debt still remaining today). The best part is I’d bet out class’ highest earner is a great blue collar dude who owns his own business and is killing it. Point is the mil earning potential really is hard to beat unless you’re a young dude straight to the investment world with connections, or something like that.

oh look its prozac and nsplayer wearing masks running away from facts, logic, and a good argument

You've been repeating the same thing over and over for months, regardless of the varied and diverse discussions happening here. And you managed to do it in a way that comes off is just, I don't know, juvenile? Impetuous? I'm not exactly sure, but it doesn't feel like another adult in the room engaged in the conversation. Yes, the expansion of NATO has been provoking, but pretending like Russia has been some innocent and compliant neighbor throughout all of this is laughable. There is a reason the bordering nations have wanted to join NATO in the years following the collapse of the USSR. But I'm not sure anybody needs a lecture on critical thinking from someone with the rhetorical complexity of a speak-and-say.

Loadmasters and flight engineers experienced everything I did while flying Herks. I started my career in Aeromedical Evacuation and flew with some great people as well. AFSOC gunners, etc. Plenty of enlisted flying opportunities. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network mobile app

Honestly it sounds like we agree on what I think are the 2 biggest issues. Voter ID laws won’t be controversial at all if low income people can qualify for gov subsidized IDs. And I also agree about Election Day at the very least having mandatory X amount of hours to go vote. as far as mail in voting, until said Election Day rules are established than I think it’s something that should be available to those that can’t take off work. For the same day voting registration, just saying that people shouldn’t be lazy isn’t really an argument against it. Assuming proper accountability is done of who is registered where and there has been an ID check, then who cares if it’s same day registration? My whole opinion on it is that our main goal should be to have as many people vote as possible (of eligible voters)

Maybe we stop sub-contracting ourselves out in the defense of foreign nations and we're suddenly hitting the recruiting requirements... I still highly recommend service to my nieces and nephews, but only in the ANG. At least have some control over your life, get your schooling paid for and still get to experience some cool shit. They may not have the career I had, or they may have something way better, who knows. Sure they can walk down to Dunder Mifflin, but I can guarantee, they'll never experience the shit I got to do in service of our nation (and State lol). However, this generation doesn't tick like my generation, that's not a dig on them, no generation is the same. If all they want to do is make money and be free, then ya, the military isn't necessarily for them. Though there is still plenty of opportunity and money to be made in the military, our leaders just need to figure out how to reach this generation. That said, I made way more money in the military than probably 95% of my graduating class (of 36 kids lol), or anyone from my home town/county. For many kids that come from small, poor, farming communities like I grew up in, the military is still a great option. For many of them, it's best option they have. Or they can "live free," and when that doesn't work and we suddenly need a stronger military, their kids will pay the price. Hard times create hard men, hard men create....you know the rest.

Do it, that’s what I say. I get it there’s bullshit and worrying things occurring, but go back and every generation thinks the next generation/version of the mil is bullshit, ruined, sucks, etc. Things have changed a lot in my career, and I don’t care for many of them, but the core job satisfaction, the bros, and the adventure you can’t get anywhere else persists. I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t rewind the clock and do it all over again (while simultaneously counting the days until retirement and lamenting my fucked up back!)

No dude. See my opinions on the Iraq war, COVID, affirmative action, abortion rights, etc. I am pointing out that you have a position that is inconsistent with reality. That primary fact being your argument rests upon something even Russia does not hold to be true: namely that they agreed there would be no limits to NATO expansion and have publicly and formally ratified such notions. Your argument rests upon a counterfactual that is not true. If you want to spout off with something that contravenes that which is obviously true for anyone who does even the most basic homework, then you need to articulate why for the crowd. All you've done so far is shout at clouds. Feel free to point at me and say that I'm "getting on board with the government" - odd since our government's current form (form of: Joe Biden's government) is one I almost wholly disagree with, top to bottom - to any casual observer though, it is you who is not engaging with the facts. The Big Lebowski GIF is funny and cute (and sometimes appropriate) but in this context it actually does constitute failure to engage with the argument - which is frankly a very "liberal" thing to do. So I'll leave you with this: You need to answer why Russia would agree that there would be no limits to NATO's expansion and also agree with the proposition that all nations should be free to form whatever alliances they want, while simultaneously explaining why NATO expansion constitutes provocation. I'll leave that as homework. Seems challenging to me, but that's the corner you've painted yourself into.

They LOVE affordable housing just not in their neighborhood: D.C.’s Chevy Chase neighborhood in uproar over affordable housing (msn.com) Checked the political slant of the neighborhood, not a bit of red to be seen on the map... Chevy Chase, Washington, DC Political Map – Democrat & Republican Areas in Chevy Chase | BestNeighborhood.org

@BashiChuni, it's like you don't listen dude. That, or you're just fact-immune. Your argument rests on this presupposition that "buh we provoked Putin". As laid out for you back in September, this is not the case. But, to humor this argument, even if it was hypothetically true, that does not justify Putin invading an independent third-party nation. Your argument is without merit. How you can literally not see how he has used this meme as a pretext for something he wanted to do anyway is baffling. I have to assume you are being intentionally dense in order to frustrate other posters on this board. "NATO expansion became an excuse post facto..." for Russian militarism and autocracy. "The ability of countries to determine their own foreign policy and their alliances, is written into the UN Charter...written into the 1975 Helsinki act...written into the 1990 charter of Paris for a new Europe...written into the 1997 NATO-Russia founding act...Russia's signature is on every one of those documents. Moscow signed the UN Charter, it signed the Helsinki final act...signed the NATO-Russia founding act that places no limits on NATO expansion..." etc, etc. Russia's signature is on every one of those documents. Russia's signature is on every one of those documents. Russia's signature is on every one of those documents. Get on board dude. You spouting Russian propaganda is not a good look for someone who represents themselves as a military officer.

Again, Russia does not have the right to dominate the lives of 300 million people outside its borders. We "provoked" Russia by letting democratic states align with us instead of Russia? That's like a wife-beater saying his victim provoked him by trying to leave the trailer park.

Got nothing to add, just wanna say that I admire you guys in what is a a sincere, intellectually honest, and thought provoking discussion. So refreshing

Sadly, you both arrive: intellectually dissonant and unable to answer a straight question. Were this a formation debrief: You're both weak souls who don't even deserve the honor of a backhand. Weak Dick. Oh, did that offend you? You both claim to be USAF aircrew members from the combat arms, yet you get touchy about political issues? Really? Get sack and man up you bitches. I've read much of what both of you have spoken here, while neither of your have even once asked about my values. Both of you value family. Sincerely and in ways that I admire. Both of you purport to stand stanchly by what you believe, which I also admire. I gather that neither of you would leave your children alone with any Biden, Trump, or Clinton male family member, yet you shrug when one of those same 'men' refuse to acknowledge their own offspring. Neither of you would do that. I have faith that both of your have stronger convictions then these individuals that lead our country, yet you defend your support of them. Why? Please, be intellectually honest. Why are you defending those asshats by denying a clear response here? You @nsplayr claim that you have good in-person relationships with people you disagree with when you are physically with them, yet when you are have no skin in the game, you cannot overcome differences. That's not some relational virtue, that's being a coward about your real beliefs when physically present. If you cannot see the cognitive dissonance there, you are either emotionally or cognitively impaired. All men are reduced to their lowest form of maturity when allowed to be anonymous. It used to be while driving. Now it's on the internet. You both were asked a very simple, direct question. No one will come after you physically for your answer, yet you dodge like you might be mugged for what you say. You claim you'll be bludgeoned. Seriously? Are you so emotionally weak that you can't express your true believes in a venue where NOTHING WILL HAPPEN YOU YOU? Your maturity is thus exposed. I'm guessing at least one of you (if not both of you) is a captain at a major airline, and I find it sincerely sad that someone with such broad exposure and high responsibility would be so emotionally and mentally frail. Be men. Do Better.

That's why he's our favorite troll.

Brother...for pennies on the dollar and without loss of American life (other than those who volunteered to go over), we have helped humble a superpower and a direct threat to the United States. The damage done to Russia's military, population and economy will likely limit Russian aggression in Europe for many years to come. A peaceful solution should not include Ukraine surrendering even more terrain after we promised to provide for their security when they gave up their nukes. Any ground they reclaim, including the Crimea sets Putin back even further, I don't see how he survives.

I can't tell from this article if there's actual allegations of fraud, or if it's just bitching that we're spending money in general. If it's the former, there are avenues to address that and they don't include "Cut Ukraine loose, let the Russians roll through Europe and upend the free world order." If it's the latter, well, it's time to grow up and realize the US Government is a vehicle for shoveling money out the door to accomplish policy goals. And at ~$300 per American to stop a genocide and cripple a major threat to US foreign policy for decades, it's pretty cheap. We spent on COVID bailouts about 45 times as much as we've spent on Ukraine. It's a rounding error in the budget.

Same as always, work hard play hard. You’ll be busy no matter which base you go to. You’ll go to some really cool places and some not so nice places (fun in of itself). 3000’ dirt LZs and unlike the dirty H model (I jest), you’ll land there as a brand new Co. Airdrop is a lot of fun. There is a lot of GK to maintain and mission planning can result in some long days. Leadership are generally good dudes and gals these days, and there is definitely a push to be more survivable in the first island chain so expect to be challenged when you get to the unit and be in the vault studying quite a bit. PM me with more questions.

false

so many of you guys have zero critical thinking and just parrot what the media tells you to say/think. nato has provoked russia since the early 90s with expansion. it's a fact. you can say its russian talking points as many times as you want....still doesn't make it not true.

wise words

He almost exclusively neg reps me and never responds. It’s actually funny to watch

Wrong. Mods are we allowing this type of flaming on this site now?